Hybrid cloud is a challenge because it means implementing two technical solutions, a public cloud and a private cloud, and integrating them so they function as a single strategic, unified solution. Melding these two infrastructure solutions requires overcoming a number of technical and non-technical challenges.
Technical Challenges In Adopting Hybrid Cloud
1. First and foremost, hybrid cloud means your team needs to work with new technologies. You can send them to training, but true expertise develops from experience. Without that expertise, your team may struggle to implement the design efficiently and have trouble responding to problems. Bringing in experts who know the technology thoroughly can help you through the transition.
2. Making effective use of the hybrid cloud requires both public and private clouds have access to the data they need; data will need to cross the network between the two clouds. For sensitive data, using a VPN to connect to public cloud provider offers data protection. You’ll need to implement identity and access management and other controls to manage user privileges. You’ll need to strategize how applications will function in case of an outage that prevents the necessary communication.
3. Adequate performance is another network concern you can’t avoid with hybrid cloud. It’s important to understand the bandwidth required by applications that require cloud connectivity to make sure there are no conflicts or bottlenecks. High latency can prevent seamless sharing of data and workloads across environments.
4. Your team will need to monitor and manage two separate environments. If possible, you should use a tool that provides an integrated view of your infrastructure and provides a uniform interface for managing both clouds.
Non-Technical Challenges in Adopting Hybrid Cloud
1. Money is almost always an issue. If you have to bring in new equipment to build your private cloud, that can be a significant cost. Although using the public cloud promises to save money, the costs involved with data migration can be substantial, particularly when transferring large volumes.
2. You’ll need to train your team on basic procedures for provisioning in both clouds. Because cloud includes self-service functions, you’ll want to decide who in your organization has the authority to bring up new environments. Making sure charges are allocated properly may also require new processes.
3. The transition to a hybrid cloud isn’t instantaneous. For most organizations, there isn’t an existing private cloud, so you’ll need to invest time and resources into building that first. That’s a process that can take time in itself, as well as present its own challenges. In many enterprises, it’s difficult to maintain a commitment to a project that takes as long as the hybrid cloud transition. Once the private cloud exists, the integration with the public cloud is another complex, time-consuming project.
Working with VAST can help you overcome these challenges. Our experience with cloud includes managed AWS services and other technologies that let you create a hybrid cloud, like NetApp and Nutanix. We’ll work to understand your specific goals for building a hybrid cloud and help you design and implement the most effective architecture to help you achieve your hybrid cloud goals. Contact us to start talking about how to overcome the challenges keeping you from a hybrid cloud solution.
