the best solution for the “hybrid cloud” equation

Hybrid cloud continues to prevail in the market: according to IDC estimates, by the end of this year, it will be present in at least 90% of organizations worldwide. The rationale for this trend is given by the significant role of the cloud in digital transformation strategies, as well as for the fluidity and flexibility levels proposed by this model.

“Hybrid cloud” as we call it, is a technological scenario that includes some local presence or owned infrastructure (private cloud) and a set of apps., data, and processes migrated to a public cloud. Standing out among its features is the fact that workloads move in a fluid, transparent, and automated manner between the different environments, as necessary.

It is not a turnkey solution that all companies can replicate to obtain the same results, but a true equation that poses new unknowns in each case in particular. Clearing them is the key to achieving all the benefits that this type of architecture potentially provides.

Network speed, processing capacity, architecture optimization, latency achieved, cost control, and overall governance stand out among the variables at stake.

User experience

Focus should be on user experience to find the right pathway. In any case it should be the one to meet users’ expectations no matter if they are buying a product online, making a financial transaction, completing work for the office, studying, or even playing or chatting with friend. Its geographical location or access device is not relevant either -experience must be analogous regardless of these factors.

Therefore, analyzing where information is processed, and response immediacy is key. When it comes to workloads that require immediate response, reducing data transportation time to the processing point is crucial. On the other hand, because of their dynamics or functionality some workloads are better located in a core data center. Therefore, the architecture assembly and the decision where each load is processed, are essential to achieve greater performance.

Connectivity amongst these points is fundamental as well. In a game of balance, we will have to explore multiple alternatives to identify those internet providers that offer good interconnection with their peers -to guarantee an appropriate performance of end-to-end architecture, optimally concatenating all hybrid cloud links and, at the same time, which enable cost effectiveness.

With an eye on latency

Throughout this path, the eye will be on latency — delays in data transfer must be minimal and performance must reach its maximum potential, even when dealing with demanding applications such as video, VR, or games.

On the other hand governance provides project with a business purpose aligned direction, assuring compliance with regulations and organizational policies, analyzing, and monitoring performance, assigning resources appropriately and establishing continuous improvement criteria, not only from a technology perspective but from people’s and processes’ as well.

Eventually, hybrid cloud enables the best use of services and the greatest cost savings. But these benefits are not magical: to disentangle this equation a right understanding of the model is key, as well as a correct governance implementation, and of course accuracy at the time of math.