Think of ‘multi’ as meaning more of the same. In this way, a multi-cloud deployment means having more than one cloud of the same type, such as AWS or Azure. A hybrid-cloud infrastructure is different because it is composed of clouds of different types – for example, one public cloud and one private cloud.
Read on to discover how multi-cloud vs hybrid cloud infrastructure shapes up against each other, and decide which approach is right for your organisation.
What is the multi-cloud?
Multi-cloud is a cloud computing strategy where organisations can utilise the services of multiple public cloud services concurrently for purposes such as data storage, processing, or application hosting. Each cloud provider has its strengths and weaknesses, and a multi-cloud approach allows organisations to leverage these strengths while minimising the risks associated with relying on a single cloud provider.
Multi-cloud integrates cloud services into a single environment through a combination of APIs, networking, and management tools. This allows organisations to manage their cloud services centrally and to move workloads seamlessly between different cloud providers as and when they need to.
What are the benefits of multi-cloud?
There are many advantages of deploying a multi-cloud architecture, which is reflected in its uptake by organisations. According to the Flexera 2023 State of the Cloud Report, it’s the preferred approach for 87% of businesses. The main benefits include:
– Increased ROI
A multi-cloud architecture needs little upfront expenditure as large parts of the infrastructure and services are managed by the vendor, such as provisioning servers and managing security updates. With less capital outlay, companies can benefit from improved costs effectiveness, at least over the short term.
– Enhanced security
A multi-cloud strategy can allow organisations to boost security by centralising security protocols and retaining control over sensitive data. This provides greater defence against distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks.
– Flexibility
As stated in our Shape Your Tomorrow eBook, Multi-cloud increases flexibility and efficiency, allowing companies to quickly change their infrastructure as business requirements dictate. This flexibility also ensures that businesses are not locked in with a single vendor.
– Reliable architecture
A multi-cloud strategy allows organisations to host their infrastructure across multiple locations, which inherently guarantees a greater degree of availability and reliability.
– Improved disaster recovery
Backing up and storing data with more than one cloud provider ensures that it is kept more secure in the event of a business disruption. By mitigating a single point of failure, organisations can be confident that individual cloud outages will not impact their ability to operate.
– Cloud compliance
Selecting a multi-cloud approach can help businesses improve their risk management and comply with relevant industry and international standards.
What is the hybrid cloud?
Hybrid-cloud is an IT infrastructure model that allows applications to run across two or more different cloud environments. This typically means a combination of at least one private cloud, such as an on-premises data centre, and at least one public cloud computing environment. Operating in this way allows workloads to be moved quickly and easily between environments to optimise performance.
A hybrid-cloud architecture typically employs three main elements, in which the public and private clouds work together to create a hybrid deployment, including a public Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) platform, private computing resources combined with a good network connection.
What are the benefits of hybrid cloud?
There are some compelling reasons to select a hybrid-cloud strategy:
– Increased ROI
The hybrid-cloud model presents the best of both public and private cloud environments, including lower costs in comparison to alternative approaches, with the private cloud running critical workloads and the public cloud running less vital tasks.
– Flexibility
Operating a hybrid cloud means organisations can take advantage of the flexibility of the cloud without compromising on security or compliance. For example, non-sensitive data can be shifted to the public cloud in times of increased demand on the private cloud provision. To protect sensitive information on the other hand, businesses can still store it on-prem, meaning legacy applications can stay where they are.
– Compliance and security
Through significant and continual investment, public cloud security is typically much more robust than a private cloud offers. Risks are further mitigated by connecting to cloud services through colocations at a data centre with strong physical security and PCI DSS accreditations.
– Reduced costs
Using a hybrid-cloud, organisations can flex and scale IT infrastructure when needed and keep a closer eye on costs, while reducing spend on data egress.
– Agility & scalability
If firms only have an on premises private cloud, then scaling and rapid deployment of new services can be problematic. Through a hybrid-cloud model, firms can effortlessly deploy new infrastructure at a speed that the business requires.
– Consistency
With hybrid cloud, organisations can provide consistent operations across public and private clouds, reducing the risk of operational inefficiencies and the time spent managing disparate technology and processes.
– Innovation
Modern hybrid infrastructures help businesses facilitate the adoption of new technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning, which can be used to enhance operations.
The difference between multi-cloud and hybrid-cloud
The important differences between the multi-cloud strategy vs hybrid cloud approaches are as follows:
– Cost
While adopting a hybrid-cloud approach may involve higher upfront costs compared to a multi-cloud approach, it can be less expensive in the long run, especially when dealing with large volumes of data transfers. By utilising a hybrid-cloud model, businesses can leverage cost-effective private cloud solutions for sensitive or critical data while utilising public clouds for less sensitive data and applications.
– Security
In a multi-cloud approach, organisations benefit from the established security measures provided by leading cloud providers. On the other hand, a hybrid-cloud strategy involves managing more security elements internally. This means that businesses utilising a hybrid-cloud model will have greater control over their security measures, allowing them to tailor their approach to specific compliance requirements and industry standards.
– Architecture
Hybrid-cloud architecture is specifically designed to provide a seamless and integrated experience across both private and public cloud environments. It allows organisations to leverage the scalability and flexibility of the public cloud while maintaining control over sensitive data through private cloud resources. In contrast, multi-cloud architecture is designed to take advantage of the strengths and unique offerings of different cloud providers, allowing businesses to select the most suitable services from each provider to meet their specific business needs.
– Availability
Both multi-cloud and hybrid-cloud architectures can ensure uptime guarantees by diversifying between cloud environments and implementing robust connectivity solutions. By leveraging multiple cloud providers, organisations can mitigate the risk of downtime and ensure continuous availability of their applications and services.
– Services
A multi-cloud strategy provides access to a vast array of services from various public cloud providers. This enables organisations to choose from a wide range of tools and features to address their specific requirements. On the other hand, a hybrid-cloud approach allows customers to selectively utilise public cloud services and storage while utilising private cloud resources for critical services and applications. This flexibility allows organisations to strike a balance between the benefits of public cloud services and the control offered by private cloud environments.
Which cloud is best for my business?
Understanding the priorities of the business, its operating model, the types of applications it runs and its storage needs are essential in determining the appropriate cloud infrastructure. As a first step, contact us at Telehouse to talk through your requirements.
Our experts are always available to help you find the perfect solution, get in touch with us at: T: +44 (0) 20 7512 0550 E: sales@uk.telehouse.net