Multi Cloud vs Hybrid Cloud: Which is Right For Your Business?

Multi cloud vs hybrid cloud strategies allow businesses to integrate more than one type of cloud into their workflow. This means that businesses can store their data on a wide range of infrastructure, such as onsite data centers and private and public clouds. What’s more, they can make it so that each type of storage solution complements one another, as opposed to existing in silos, enabling the seamless transfer of data between onsite and cloud systems.

In this article, you will learn about the difference between multi cloud vs hybrid cloud, their unique advantages, and how to choose the right cloud strategy for your business.

What is Multi Cloud?

A multi cloud strategy involves storing data on two or more of the same cloud type. This allows businesses to use multiple cloud service providers at once to accomplish specific tasks and functions. For example, a company may use one public cloud to store their databases and another public cloud for user authorization. Since different cloud service providers have their own benefits, companies can mitigate risk and save money by only choosing the cloud service providers that best fit their needs.

Furthermore, if one cloud service provider temporarily goes down, this may affect only one portion of the company’s service offerings instead of their entire system.

What is Hybrid Cloud?

Hybrid cloud computing involves using both private and public cloud storages, along with optional onsite data storage, to perform key business functions. For a cloud strategy to be considered hybrid, at least one private component must be managed and maintained directly by the user.

Hybrid cloud computing is a popular first step for companies that have yet to fully migrate to the cloud, as they can still retain their existing onsite legacy systems and migrate only a portion of their data to the cloud.

Advantages of Multi Cloud

Avoid vendor lock-in

By being able to use multiple cloud service providers at once, businesses are not locked into one vendor. This means they can pick and choose which cloud service providers best fit their needs. For example, a company may want to partner with a specialist cloud service provider, one that has a better understanding of their industry and what they need to deliver their products and services successfully.

Meet compliance requirements

Different industries and regions have different requirements when it comes to customer privacy, data security, and data sovereignty. A multi cloud strategy makes it easier for businesses to comply with their specific regulations. For example, a business can store their data on a cloud server that is based in their region.

Improved uptime and productivity

By having multiple cloud service providers catered to different business functions, this means the business will not suffer if one of those cloud service providers temporarily goes down. Instead, such an event will only be a minor disruption, as opposed to being a complete detriment to your daily business operations.

Increased flexibility and scalability

With increasingly larger volumes of data coming from multiple sources, businesses need to be able to scale up or down to keep up with those requirements. A multi cloud strategy makes this possible. It enables them to scale their storage requirements as needed, quickly and cost effectively, as most cloud service providers have a subscription-based price model that you can modify at almost any time.

Advantages of Hybrid Cloud

Low risk

For businesses with existing legacy systems, migrating to the cloud can be extremely costly and time-consuming. Adopting a hybrid cloud approach helps mitigate this problem. This is because businesses can migrate as little or as much data as they want, yet still retain their onsite premises.

Reduced ongoing costs

By limiting the amount of physical, onsite data storage you use, this helps businesses save money on ongoing maintenance costs. Cloud service providers can take care of maintenance for you, including updates, patches, and routine maintenance with a subscription for a fixed monthly fee.

Enhanced security

For businesses that have strict data storage and privacy requirements, a hybrid cloud strategy is a great solution. It means they can keep their most sensitive data in a controlled, onsite environment, and then store the rest of their data in the cloud.

Multi Cloud vs Hybrid Cloud: Which is Right for You?

There are many factors that influence the type of cloud strategy that is right for your business. While talking to a team of cloud computing experts is a great first step, there are a few things you should consider before doing so.

For starters, you need to have a key motivation to migrate to the cloud in the first place. What can you solve by migrating your data to the cloud? Will it help you provide better customer service, improve the quality of your products, or reduce your total cost of expenses? You should have clear, attainable objectives that are related to your short and long term business goals.

The answers from these questions can help you decide what type of cloud strategy is right for you. Do you have an existing legacy system and want to migrate only a portion of data to the cloud? Then a hybrid strategy could be for you. Do you currently use just one cloud service provider but want to branch out to other cloud service providers, be it private or public clouds? Then consider a multi cloud strategy for the best results.

Once you have decided on a cloud strategy, it’s time to go ahead and get started on working and storing your data on the cloud and look forward to the best results!