Going Hybrid: Best of Both Worlds in Cloud
Computing
used
with permission by IBM ForwardView
With all the chatter about accessing
data and applications anytime, anywhere it's little wonder that cloud
computing has generated so much interest. Indeed, the proliferation of
mobile devices, high€speed connections and data€intensive applications,
have challenged many organizations to continuously meet the demand for
more computing power. And that's why operating "in the cloud" makes real
business sense for midsized companies.
Cloud computing, the
thinking goes, allows companies to improve efficiency and do more with
less € benefits that are attractive to budget€conscious companies with
limited IT staff and resources. It has been positioned as a new way to
operate € from accessing applications to storing massive volumes of data €
allowing organizations to use only the hardware capacity they need,
without paying for idle computing resources. And not only does the cloud
model provide cost savings, but it also keeps a company's infrastructure
up to date while offloading responsibility for its maintenance.
The
cloud computing model enables access to IT resources without
re€engineering the entire infrastructure € or, in some cases, without
having an infrastructure at all. But like any new technology
implementation, determining the right path to cloud adoption is dependent
on an individual company's specific needs and constraints.
There
are three different flavors of cloud to choose from: private, public and
hybrid. A private cloud which holds computing capacity solely on a virtual
private network can be expensive for budget€minded companies. But some
concerns about the suitability of public clouds for highly sensitive data
are valid. Luckily, adopting cloud computing is not an all or nothing
decision and the hybrid model can offer the best of both
worlds.
Understanding the hybrid
cloud model
For end
users, cloud computing often means browser€based interfaces that allow IT
to be ordered and accessed almost immediately. However, using browsers to
access IT can substantially change security plans and considerations. With
a public cloud companies are securing the end users€how they access the
network and what they do once they're on. But when a private cloud
environment is created inside a firewall, it can provide users with the
same rapid access to IT as the public model, but with less exposure to
Internet security risks.
A hybrid cloud model blends elements of
both the private and the public cloud. In the simplest terms, the hybrid
model is primarily a private cloud that allows an organization to tap into
a public cloud when and where it makes sense. By and large, all models of
cloud provide security measures to keep data and applications secure.
However, in contrast to a purely public cloud model, the hybrid cloud can
provide a higher level of security for sensitive data and instances where
companies are affected by industry or financial regulations.
This
crossbreed of cloud computing has its share of admirers in the midmarket.
The cloud model allows companies to adjust the amount of computing power
used based on their individual fluctuation in actual usage. So for
companies that have a lot of variation in their computing needs, a hybrid
model makes them much more nimble by using a public cloud for times where
more computing capacity is needed. Generally, adding public space to a
company's cloud model is a much easier proposition than growing its
private cloud to meet mounting needs. In this way, a hybrid model is more
cost effective in providing world€class computing power that is available
anytime, anywhere without as big a budget commitment as a private
cloud.
This is not to say that a hybrid model is right for
everyone. To determine whether the hybrid cloud is a good fit, companies
should take a hard look at their internal needs including individual usage
requirements, budgetary considerations, and the sensitive nature of data
that will be stored in the cloud environment, as well as any applicable
industry or financial regulations.
Mixing and matching to meet security needs
The nature of a hybrid model
requires that companies determine which data or applications reside on the
private cloud and which can reside on a public cloud. Companies need to
assess how much risk they are willing to tolerate with their data and
applications.
Regardless of which flavor of cloud a company
chooses, it's important to remember that the same factors apply to
ensuring security whether it is cloud€based or within a traditional IT
infrastructure. The key difference in the cloud model is that it includes
external elements, and those elements will be managed by the cloud service
provider. This means that companies need to understand the environment
beyond their own data center and consider how it impacts their
organization from a security standpoint.
Companies should also
consider the level of customer support desired from the cloud provider.
The many benefits of moving to the cloud can only be realized if the
operation and access is seamless. Companies need appropriate monitoring,
governance and security tools to expedite the process of accessing key
applications securely, anytime and anywhere. The good news is that
specialization in IT delivery often makes cloud providers better suited to
delivering and securing applications, allowing midsized companies to enjoy
comprehensive data protection in addition to faster and less€expensive IT
provisioning.
Cloud computing on
a smarter planet
As
companies face flat budgets and high demands for services they're thinking
differently about the IT infrastructure they will need to respond to
market forces and the pace of business and society. Companies of all sizes
are moving toward more adaptive capabilities like cloud computing to
deliver new services with agility and speed, while driving down costs. And
for midsized businesses, the hybrid cloud model can provide cost€effective
computing that balances security, reliability and flexibility.
As
companies seek to drive continuous and sustainable operational
improvements to lower costs and reduce complexity, cloud computing is an
opportunity to reinvent IT in preparation for the next phase of growth and
innovation.
Three different flavors of
cloud to choose from; private, public and hybrid, what is the flavor of
choice for you? There are many things to take into consideration when
making the decision to use cloud storage, whether it be private, public or
hybrid. Databranch can help; we can provide the solution that offers the
greatest amount of security for your data. Call today to speak with an
Account Manager.
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