Multicloud... Oops! It Was an Accident

When I see how the multicloud adoption global figures are raising every year, I wonder if this is happening by design or by accident. Probably the origin of multicloud in many organizations was combination of both factors, but nowadays many organizations are making their multicloud choice consciously. In any case, multicloud is the reality that we see in the market today because offers many benefits and opportunities. But also, it brings challenges that we must understand and manage. To avoid misunderstandings, let's begin with some basic definitions. Multicloud is the usage of Cloud computing services from more than one Public Cloud Service Provider (CSP) for different workloads. While hybrid-cloud is when we are running our different workloads on both Public Cloud Services Providers, Private Clouds, edge computing and on-premises. And finally Distributed Cloud is when we can run our workloads on different computing machines hosted on different CSPs, Private Clouds or on-premises data centers. Show me your workloads, and I will tell you... When we analyze the cloud workloads that are supporting our business, we can identify four main types: 1. Cloud native workloads: workloads designed to run in a specific CSP, using their Cloud native services. 2. Multicloud native workloads: cloud-native workloads designed to run in any CSP, taking full benefits from a multicloud deployment. 3. Legacy workloads: bespoke or packaged on-premises workloads that we lifted and shifted into a CSP Virtual Machine without big changes. 4. SaaS workloads: third party applications which we usually get by subscription, hosted on the CSP of choice of the SaaS supplier. Key benefits of a multicloud strategy Flexibility and CSP independence: By distributing workloads among multiple cloud platforms, organizations could gain independence from any single CSP. Optimized performance and scalability: Organizations can select the most suitable provider for each workload. Better resilience and reliability: By diversifying infrastructure across multiple CSPs, organizations can minimize the risk of downtime. Increased security and compliance: Multicloud offers the potential to enhance security and compliance measures. Considerations of a multicloud strategy Effective Cloud management: Adopting a centralized management approach with comprehensive monitoring, automation, and orchestration capabilities. Interoperability, integration, and portability: Invest in standardizing APIs, leveraging containerization technologies like Kubernetes. Data governance and security: Implementing principle of least privilege, consistent data encryption, access controls. Vendor management and cost optimization: Negotiate favorable contracts, optimize costs through workload placement. Pay attention to data-egress fees. Conclusion Multicloud is the strategy of many organizations today, seeking to optimize their Cloud operations and leverage the strengths of multiple CSPs. To be successful on multicloud, probably talent is the key ingredient. Consider partnering with a multicloud ManagedServices provider, it will bring peace of mind. by Felix del Barrio Technology and Business Senior Advisor