Developing a hybrid cloud strategy: 7 key steps

The hybrid cloud is the most in-demand cloud computing model that integrates the benefits of both on-premises and cloud environments in a single system. According to IBM research, 77% of companies worldwide adopt this approach. However, to leverage this model, you should develop a solid hybrid cloud strategy. What practices can facilitate the effective integration of different on-premises and cloud services? And how can you avoid the most common pitfalls during this journey? Let's find out.

Key components of a hybrid cloud

Understanding the fundamental components of a hybrid cloud allows enterprises to utilize its features to enhance their cloud strategy. A hybrid cloud usually integrates:

• An on-premises data center involves servers, storage systems, network infrastructure, and hardware that manage an organization's data and applications. By virtualizing computing resources, companies can deploy private clouds on their on-premises infrastructure.
• A public cloud segment within a hybrid cloud architecture provides scalability, flexibility, and accessibility tailored to specific workloads and applications. It enables businesses to leverage the resources and services provided by major cloud service providers like Google Cloud Platform, AWS, and Azure.
• A private cloud component offers enhanced security measures and dedicated resources tailored to specific business needs. It enables organizations to host sensitive data and critical applications either internally or through external data center providers for better control and compliance.
• A cloud management platform integrates private and public cloud environments, enabling control, provisioning, and automating workloads across both infrastructures. It facilitates efficient resource utilization, rapid integration, and unified deployment management within the hybrid cloud.
• Cloud orchestration and automation tools. Cloud orchestration consolidates the management of automated tasks across multiple cloud systems into a single platform. It enables the creation of interconnected workflows between different cloud environments to enhance operational efficiency. Workload automation within hybrid infrastructure significantly reduces time spent on manual operations and boosts overall business productivity.

How to build a hybrid cloud computing strategy?

Here is an ultimate hybrid cloud strategy checklist to navigate the process effectively:

1. Define your goals and requirements

A hybrid cloud strategy begins with identifying the reasons for selecting a hybrid cloud over other models and defining the exact results you intend to achieve through its implementation. Firstly, you should identify the business goals that highlight the need for a hybrid cloud. They usually include reducing costs, improving performance, boosting service availability, accelerating application development or deployment, etc. Secondly, you should establish clear key performance indicators (KPIs) that you aim to achieve by implementing your cloud strategy. They can involve return on investment (ROI), resource utilization, workload performance, etc.

2. Assess current infrastructure and workloads

To comprehensively evaluate existing on-premises infrastructure, you should establish criteria to determine which services are suitable for migration to the cloud. Assess the current hardware state, including servers, networking devices, storage systems, and datasets. During this phase, it is also crucial to prioritize workloads based on factors such as scalability needs, performance requirements, and data sensitivity. Some workloads may be suitable for a direct lift-and-shift approach, while others may benefit from refactoring to leverage cloud-native capabilities. A cloud consultant can help you evaluate your infrastructure as well. Cloud experts can assess capacity, performance, and security requirements and identify areas requiring upgrades to ensure compatibility with cloud services.

3. Select cloud services and providers

Before choosing providers, you should decide which cloud services you need. When selecting cloud service models, consider the following three primary options:

• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) offers virtualized computing resources via the Internet, enabling users to rent storage, virtual machines, and cloud networking infrastructure on a flexible, pay-as-you-go concept.
• Platform as a Service (PaaS) includes computing infrastructure, development tools, and services necessary for cloud application development, deployment, and management.
• Software as a Service (SaaS) provides applications over the Internet, available through a web browser without local installation or maintenance, simplifying access and updates.

A hybrid cloud strategy can combine these three service models to address different business requirements and leverage the unique benefits of each service model.

To choose cloud providers, you should carefully learn what they offer. An experienced cloud consultant can help you evaluate cloud vendors' technologies and services and pick the right one. When assessing cloud providers, it is crucial to take into account the following considerations:

• Pricing models;
• Service offerings;
• Compliance guarantees;
• Service Level Agreements (SLAs);
• Compatibility with existing on-premises.

4. Design a secure hybrid cloud architecture

A successful hybrid cloud strategy demands careful architecture design for smooth integration and enhanced performance. This includes choosing the right cloud infrastructure management platform, establishing connectivity between diverse infrastructures, setting Identity and Access Management (IAM) policies, and designing comprehensive security and networking frameworks. You should also implement proper security measures to ensure compliance with different standards and industry regulations. For example, establishing a Virtual Private Network (VPN) can help you achieve encrypted communication between cloud and on-premises environments.

5. Implement hybrid cloud infrastructure

Once the architecture design is defined, it's time to implement the hybrid cloud infrastructure. First, you should migrate workloads by choosing the right approach. You can use lift-and-shift, refactoring, rearchitecting, re-platforming, etc. The goal is to find the most suitable migration method tailored to your transition objectives. Second, you should deploy the necessary management tools for monitoring, optimizing, and securing the hybrid environment. Integrating these technologies enhances control and visibility across the hybrid cloud infrastructure, facilitating smoother operations and improved management capabilities.

Read more: Cloud migration roadmap: a definitive guide to planning and execution

6. Set up robust governance policies and monitoring

Efficient governance and monitoring are crucial for effectively managing and optimizing your hybrid cloud setup. You have to establish clear rules, policies, and procedures for resource provisioning data management and assess control for both on-premises and cloud environments. Deploying monitoring tools and processes to track costs, performance, and security across your infrastructure is also important. Regular assessments of the cloud infrastructure are essential to ensure it continues meeting the business's requirements and to make necessary adjustments. The automated tools will help you monitor and maintain compliance with industry regulations and keep the application operating smoothly.

7. Optimize and refine your hybrid cloud strategy

Implementing a hybrid cloud is an iterative process, so you should constantly optimize and refine your strategy. Constant evaluation and analysis of the costs, performance, and security posture of your environment will help you identify opportunities for improvement. They can include optimizing resource usage, minimizing expenses, or strengthening security. Stay updated with emerging cloud services and technologies that could offer advantages to your organization and adapt your hybrid cloud strategy accordingly.

Read more: Hybrid cloud: How to make the most of it

How to overcome the common challenges of a hybrid cloud?

Hybrid cloud environments come with several challenges that companies must address to mitigate negative consequences. We consulted our cloud experts, gathered the most common challenges identified by business leaders, and added tips for their resolution.

Security and compliance concerns

One of the key challenges for business leaders is maintaining data security and compliance in the hybrid cloud. Threats such as cyberattacks, human errors, and vulnerabilities can compromise security and, consequently, compliance with its regulations.

Tip from N-iX: Implement a holistic security strategy that covers identity management, encryption, access controls, audit mechanisms, and backup procedures across the hybrid cloud. It is essential to use tools and services that help ensure compliance with appropriate data protection and privacy regulations throughout the hybrid cloud environment.

Network complexity

Another challenge associated with a hybrid cloud is managing network connectivity and performance across heterogeneous environments. Network complexities can lead to latency, bandwidth limitations, data loss, and potential security vulnerabilities.

Tip from N-iX: Establish a resilient network architecture prioritizing high availability, scalability, and robust security measures. Moreover, deploying monitoring, optimization, and troubleshooting tools will help you maintain and enhance network performance throughout the hybrid environment.

Cost management

Unpredictable costs can occur due to the variability, unpredictability, and complexity of hybrid cloud usage and billing models. Besides, businesses can require various software solutions and licenses, leading to additional costs if not managed effectively.

Tip from N-iX: You should also constantly monitor, analyze, and optimize costs throughout the hybrid cloud environment to achieve cost efficiency and operational effectiveness.

Data integration

Integrating and synchronizing data from diverse sources and locations in a hybrid environment may be challenging. Ineffective data integration impacts the quality, consistency, and accessibility of data crucial for analytics, reporting, and decision-making processes.

Tip from N-iX: Implement a robust data governance framework to establish roles, policies, and standards for consistent data management across the hybrid cloud. Data orchestration across hybrid cloud environments can also enhance data reliability and usability.

Lack of visibility

Lack of visibility is a major problem in hybrid cloud environments, where systems and platforms are disparate. This prevents administrators from uniformly monitoring the performance, security, and compliance of all cloud and on-premises resources.

Tip from N-iX: Establish centralized monitoring and management to provide unified visibility into the entire hybrid cloud infrastructure. Additionally, adopting consistent logging and analytics practices across all environments enables proactive identification and resolution of issues, ensuring operational transparency and efficiency.

Plan your hybrid cloud strategy with N-iX

Developing a hybrid cloud strategy may be challenging, but you don't have to do this alone. A cloud consultant can help you design your strategy, implement it, and optimize afterward. N-iX has a team of over 400 cloud engineers to assist our clients in creating cloud solutions specifically for their unique business requirements. During the last five years, we have successfully delivered over 100 cloud projects and can support you on every step of your cloud journey. We can select the right cloud provider for you as we collaborate with three leading vendors, being a Microsoft Solutions Partner, an AWS Advanced Tier Services Partner, and a Google Cloud Platform Partner. N-iX is also compliant with cybersecurity standards, including PCI DSS, GDPR, ISO 9001, and ISO 27001, to ensure a high level of your organization's security.