What is a hybrid cloud? Advantages for enterprise businesses

It used to be that every enterprise business housed massive shelves of server-rack space. The advent of server farms changed that approach, opening square footage for businesses while lowering maintenance costs for quickly outdated equipment. Still, enterprises faced a dilemma: share their data to a public cloud service or spend higher sums of money for private servers. Soon, the hybrid model appeared. But what is a hybrid cloud?

The hybrid cloud definition references using the security of a private server with the cost-effectiveness of a public cloud solution.

What is a hybrid cloud offering enterprises as far as ease of use?

An approach many enterprises take when creating their HIP is to forego completely the on-location server space, vying instead for a mix of a private cloud to secure sensitive data and public cloud for their non-sensitive data. Using hybrid cloud architecture, enterprises can create efficient and cost-effective solutions that securely integrate their in-house data and technologies with strategic vendor partners. Through that seamless integration, companies can continue to innovate and provide more value for their customers.

Option

What is a hybrid cloud storage option for a single platform to integrate legacy or custom-built services with new applications or technologies? The hybrid cloud model offers a secure data gateway, allowing protected communication between the cloud and on-premises systems. This provides architecture development that allows enterprises to control the data that is passed between applications.

Grappling questions

Some companies are still grappling with what is a hybrid cloud. Other companies may still be on the fence about the hybrid cloud or hybrid integration models, but the longer they wait to make the switch, the longer these companies may lose out on the efficiencies of the cloud. Out-of-date legacy systems can be costly to maintain and upgrade. The data backup redundancy needed to secure their customer data may also be in jeopardy because older systems are vulnerable to cyber-attacks or malfunction, depending on the age of the system and the firewall technology used to secure the data.

Learn about all things HIP in the resource center here.

Hybrid cloud model

For some companies, a hybrid cloud model may have data residency requirements, as some data must remain within the enterprise firewall or within geographical boundaries to comply with regulations. In fact, the privacy laws of some countries prohibit companies from allowing data to leave the country of origin. In these cases, a hybrid integration platform that connects on-location server data with a cloud(s) respecting data sovereignty is key. With the hybrid integration platform (HIP) solution, regulated data can remain and be processed in the local server’s other data is transferred to the cloud. Companies can then track the segregated content and make sure they stay compliant.

As mentioned earlier, while a private cloud may be cost-prohibitive, a hybrid cloud solution can provide the perfect middle group solution for certain enterprises, allowing data from on-premise legacy systems to integrate securely with cloud data. This ensures that businesses have full access to both private and public data, available from anywhere with a secure internet connection.