According to Gartner, 60% of organizations that have adopted a cloud-first strategy will replace it with a cloud-smart strategy by 2023. What’s more, by 2022, more than 75% of enterprise-generated data will be created and processed outside of traditional data centers, and more than 50% of that data will be created and processed by edge devices. They also predict the future of Cloud Computing in 2027 will not only be a technical approach for delivering applications but also serve as the key driver of business innovation.

Such technology innovations are in the areas of:

  • Artificial intelligence
  • Event-driven architectures
  • Internet of Things (IoT) services
  • Next-generation user interfaces
  • Edge computing
  • Real-time situational awareness

With a fast-changing cloud landscape driven by business technology innovations, as a key decision maker for your IT organization, adopting multi-cloud is something to concentrate on. This two-part blog series will provide a point of view on multi-cloud trends and key factors including costs that can influence your adoption journey.

 

 

PART 1

 

In recent years, the shift towards multi-cloud environments has become increasingly prevalent among organizations of all sizes. As businesses continue to expand and evolve, the ability to utilize multiple cloud platforms has become a vital aspect of maintaining a competitive edge in the market.

This trend is driven by the need for organizations to have greater flexibility and control over their IT infrastructure, as well as the ability to leverage the unique capabilities of different cloud providers.

 

Avoid Vendor Lock-In

One of the key advantages of a multi-cloud strategy is the ability to avoid vendor lock-in. By utilizing multiple cloud providers, organizations can reduce their independence on any one provider and maintain a level of flexibility that allows them to adapt to changing market conditions. Additionally, a multi-cloud strategy can provide greater resiliency and disaster recovery capabilities, as data and resources can be distributed across multiple platforms.

 

CSPs (Cloud Service Providers) are Unique

Another key benefit of a multi-cloud strategy is the ability to take advantage of the unique capabilities of different cloud providers. One of the biggest benefits of multi-cloud is the ability to choose the best provider for a specific workload or application. For example, a company may choose Amazon Web Services (AWS) for its data warehousing needs, Microsoft Azure for its enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) for its artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) workloads.

Another benefit of multi-cloud is the ability to optimize costs by utilizing different cloud providers for different workloads. For example, a company may choose to use a public cloud provider for certain workloads that have a high degree of variability, while using a private cloud provider for more predictable workloads.

By utilizing the strengths of multiple providers, organizations can optimize their IT infrastructure and gain a competitive edge in the market.

 

Consistent and Holistic Approach

However, implementing a multi-cloud strategy can also introduce new challenges. One of the main challenges is the complexity of managing multiple cloud environments. This can also include issues with data integration, security, and compliance, as well as the need to manage multiple sets of tools and APIs.

To overcome these challenges, organizations need to adopt a consistent and holistic approach to managing their multi-cloud environments. This can include implementing centralized management tools, standardized on common platforms and tools, and establishing clear governance and compliance policies.

Multi-cloud management can and will become a core competency for most organizations. To be successful, companies will need to invest in the right tools and develop the necessary skills to effectively manage and secure their multi-cloud environments.

 

In conclusion, the adoption of multi-cloud strategies is set to continue its upward trend in the coming years, and more organizations are adopting such a strategy. By leveraging the unique capabilities of different cloud providers and adopting a consistent and holistic approach, organizations can gain a competitive edge and stay ahead of the curve in the rapidly evolving cloud market.

 

Click here to continue to Part 2.

 

By Josh Petla, Cloud Practice Leader