Common pitfalls IT experience with their hybrid cloud implementations
As companies grow their cloud infrastructure, it becomes more complex and presents a significant challenge to keep under control. This leads to unplanned cloud costs, security risks, production downtime, non-compliant cloud assets and misconfigurations in production. Losing control means more cloud expenses and more potential downtime. While most companies appear to have mastered their migration to cloud and modernising their applications so they are cloud native, many struggle with the operation of cloud and cost containment. This is why we have seen some organisations move workloads back on-premises and why many operate in a hybrid environment.
Integration and latency issues
Monitoring hybrid clouds can be challenging because cloud services may not integrate easily with existing on premises solutions. Interoperability issues and ensuring secure communication and seamless integration within the entire organisation’s infrastructure can be challenging. Likewise, underestimating network latency can undermine hybrid cloud performance.
Working in an increasingly regulated environment
One of the key reasons that organisations keep some of their workloads on premises is because they must adhere to strict industry standards surrounding the safeguarding of their data. Businesses must understand the implications of these regulations, including the most recent DORA and NIS2 regulations and how they apply to their hybrid cloud environment. This can become even more complicated for global businesses, as different territories often have their own unique requirements. Therefore, organisations must make sure they implement the appropriate governance and policies for their cloud resources.
Why it is important to work with a specialist partner
To address these risks, working with a partner who understands how to configure hybrid cloud will ensure the correct cybersecurity and governance protocols are in place to protect organisational data. Likewise, a partner can lend the specific expertise needed, especially as most organisations will have limited in-house resources. Such a partner would be familiar with any relevant industry regulations, ensuring that your cloud environment is compliant.
Unexpected cloud costs
Unexpected cloud costs can be down to several factors, including inadequate planning, unforeseen disruptions, underutilised cloud instances, a lack of visibility and/or the need for additional resources. Therefore, a key requirement is to understand hybrid cloud pricing structures, as these can be extremely complex and vary from provider to provider. Utilising cloud without knowing what the business needs to pay for can lead to overspending on redundant or underutilised services.
This is another area where making use of a partner can lead to a much smoother process. A partner will have a deep understanding of the pricing structures of each cloud instance and, following a thorough cost analysis, will be able to ensure the business is only paying for the services that are needed. The partner will be able to identify pre-migration usage, project future needs, identify underutilised services and licenses and choose the appropriate service model for the organisation’s ongoing use of cloud.
Most organisations lack vigilance in the daily operations of the hybrid cloud. Without a cloud partner, it might be difficult for organisations that lack the in-house expertise to recognise and optimise hybrid cloud. Partnering with a specialist who can track the health of cloud-based systems and identify performance bottlenecks, latency issues, and under- or over-utilisation will ensure the optimisation of your hybrid cloud environment.
If your organisation is facing challenges in managing its hybrid cloud operations, the right partner can make all the difference. Contact us today to learn how our expertise can help you optimise performance, reduce costs, and ensure compliance in your hybrid cloud environment.