Hybrid Cloud vs Multi-Cloud – What’s the Difference? (Pros and Cons)
Hybrid Cloud vs Multi-Cloud – What’s the Difference? (Pros and Cons). Hybrid cloud and multi cloud are vital concepts in cloud computing. They both involve using more than one cloud platform to deploy resources. However, both hybrid cloud and multi cloud are different. This article discusses hybrid cloud and multi cloud and their differences, and how each cloud concept works. Read on!
Shall we start with Hybrid Cloud vs Multi-Cloud – What’s the Difference? (Pros and Cons).
What is Hybrid Cloud?
First of all, Hybrid cloud concept that combines a public cloud (AWS or Azure, or GCP) with a private cloud; dedicated solely to the user. Basically, it’s whereby applications run in different environments.
In hybrid cloud computing, you don’t rely solely on the public cloud. Some resources can be deployed on a public cloud platform, whilst others on a private cloud. After that, they are hosted either on an on-premise or a data center. This results in a distributed computing environment, allowing the organization to run and scale its workloads on the most appropriate computing model.
How Hybrid Cloud Works
Second of all, with hybrid cloud works by combining both private and public clouds. This combination allows simple data transfer between the two environments. Hence, the connection between the two different cloud computing platforms is made possible through virtualization. So, they can also be connected through applications like APIs and WANs.
In nutshell, the organization’s data is synchronized across the private and public cloud infrastructure; when connected. However, data synchronization may be challenging. So, proper virtualization is necessary to keep the connection consistent.
Generally, in hybrid cloud computing, network connectivity is very crucial. Both, private and public clouds are connected via a private network or public internet. In order to manage the hybrid cloud, you need one overarching tool that eliminates the need to manage each cloud platform separately. Thankfully, there are lots of hybrid cloud management tools that manage your infrastructure.
Hybrid Cloud Use Cases
Also, the hybrid cloud allows different applications to operate across boundaries. Some of its use case scenarios include:
Big Data Processing
Firstly, a hybrid cloud environment is ideal for big data processing. You can run the data analytics using the scalable public cloud and use the private cloud for storing sensitive data.
Separating Workloads
Secondly, hybrid cloud is suitable if you want to separate critical workloads from the less sensitive ones. You can use private cloud to run critical workloads and use the public cloud for less sensitive applications
Temporary Capacity Needs
Then, also the hybrid cloud allows you to allocate temporary, short term projects in the public cloud and save on costs. Additionally, it makes sense to temporarily run on a public cloud, if it has lower costs than your private data center. This way, you avoid investing in data center equipment, that you need temporarily.
Dynamic Workloads
You can use a hybrid cloud for frequently changing workloads. So, easily scalable workloads run on public cloud; while the less volatile ones on private cloud.
Features of Hybrid Cloud
With hybrid cloud computing, you run a combination of private and public cloud platforms. Some of its features include:
Flexibility
Another point, is that hybrid cloud setup is highly flexible. Easier to scale your business operations in a hybrid cloud setup. Ideally, you have the right combination of resources at your disposal.
Unified Management
Moreover, hybrid cloud is managed from a single console. Each platform is different from the other and this requires a tool that overrides both platforms.
Orchestration
Also, a hybrid cloud involves the automation of certain crucial tasks. For instance, you can automate tasks such as data backups, workflow version control, and infrastructure provisioning. For example, automation reduces manual work, allowing for seamless hybrid cloud management.
Virtualization
Then Virtualization plays a crucial role in cloud computing. It makes it possible to move data and applications across public and private cloud platforms. Also, it provides a much needed connection consistency for high performance.
Pros of Hybrid Cloud
Many organizations prefer the hybrid cloud approach due to its numerous benefits. Some of the advantages of a hybrid cloud include:
Scalability
Really, running a private cloud alone is challenging, when you want to scale your resources. Basically, you have to purchase more computing power to run resource demanding applications. But, with the addition of a public cloud, you can add computing power to run complex workloads. You don’t have to buy more servers as public cloud platforms offer the pay as you go model.
Speed
Another benefit with hybrid cloud, is that it enables users to optimize network resources for seamless data transfer and lower latency. Besides, you can leverage the power of hybrid computing to make your entire infrastructure much faster.
Enhanced Automation
In addition, hybrid cloud provides seamless resource deployment and ensures accurate resource utilization during infrastructure scaling.
Control
Hybrid cloud provides seamless control of your IT resources. Instead of having all your resources on a public cloud, you can customize the private side of your cloud to suit your individual needs. You can allocate more resources to highly critical and time-sensitive tasks. Also, it’s easier to adjust different parts of your architecture to handle processes and applications. In short, it gives you the control you need to run your cloud resources smoothly.
Compliance
Most organizations in highly regulated environments have to adhere to strict data handling regulations. This means, they cannot move specific data to the cloud. With hybrid cloud, they can keep data in private data centers. Additionally, they operate workloads in a public cloud. This allows the organization to comply with regulations while benefiting from cloud elasticity.
Cons of Hybrid Cloud
While the hybrid cloud provides many advantages, it also has some downsides. These include:
Compatibility
In a hybrid cloud approach, public cloud and on-premise environments have to work together. However, these platforms are not fully compatible. They are hard to synchronize, and this causes latency problems.
Data Handling Challenges
Improper data movement and placement in hybrid cloud approaches can cause various cost and security challenges. You have to encrypt all traffic to secure data in transit consistently. Also, you have to populate data in the right environment to minimize data transfer and high fees. This is often a challenge as data requirements keep changing.
Skill Gap
Handing a hybrid cloud environment requires technical skills spread across private and public clouds. Unfortunately, most cloud engineers have experience handling either cloud environment. Besides, there is a steep learning curve to close the skill gap. In turn, this poses a huge risk of human errors and misconfigurations.
Up next we have Hybrid Cloud vs Multi-Cloud – What’s the Difference? we will introduce Multi Cloud.
What is Multi Cloud?
Multi cloud approach is where an organization uses more than one cloud provider. Basically, it is the combination of two or more public clouds i.e. Azure and AWS, Azure and GCP, or AWS and GCP. With a multi cloud approach, the company incorporates different cloud platforms to build, deploy, and manage IT resources.
Organizations prefer going multi cloud for various reasons. Some choose multi cloud deployments for data resilience, while others choose it for cost savings. Others choose this approach to mitigate failures.
How Multi Cloud Works
So, multi cloud works by spreading compute resources across different public cloud platforms. There are multiple approaches to multi cloud. You can choose to build different parts of an application stack on separate cloud platforms. With each portion accessing different services and systems.
Also, you can have the resources required to run applications residing in more than one cloud. This is possible through container orchestration such as Kubernetes. In turn, it makes it easier to move application resources across different cloud platforms.
Multi Cloud Use Cases
Here are some of the best multi cloud use cases:
Distributed Workforce
One point of view is multi cloud deployments are ideal for supporting distributed workforces. Employees located in remote locations can enjoy uninterrupted productivity; when data is located in data centers close to them.
Distributed applications
Multi cloud plays a crucial role in manufacturing, retail, and logistics industries. This is where automation and efficiency are crucial. To deliver a great customer experience, it’s imperative to have your applications distributed closer to physical users. Thanks to that, multi cloud helps distribute applications in the data centers close to the user.
Automating DevOps
Also, multi cloud is suitable if you want to accelerate DevOps processes such as building, testing, and development. The accessibility and portability nature of cloud structures makes multi cloud ideal for accelerating DevOps.
Disaster Recovery
Multi cloud approach provides more data protection and is crucial for disaster recovery. By replicating data across multiple cloud platforms, you can use the copies in the other cloud platform that’s not affected by downtime to restore operations.
So, what are the features of Multi Cloud? Let’s continue reading Hybrid Cloud vs Multi-Cloud – What’s the Difference? (Pros and Cons).
Features of Multi Cloud
Here are some features of a multi cloud approach:
Interoperability
Multi cloud integrates different functionalities such as data storage, network, and identity management. It enables smooth communication between different clouds, minimizing hurdles for end users.
Containerization
In multi cloud, containers package and isolate applications in their entire runtime. As a result, users can move containerized apps across cloud platforms to retain full functionality. This enables organizations to choose between cloud providers and switch appropriately based on uptime, latency, cost, etc.
Microservices
Microservices is an architectural approach to creating small software components independent of each other. They help deploy applications independently with flexible portability between cloud platforms.
Pros of Multi Cloud
A multi cloud strategy has lots of benefits. This include:
No Vendor Lock-In
With a multi cloud strategy, you are not limited to a single vendor. It prevents the organization from being locked into a service provider and gives the freedom to switch from one cloud to the other. Adopting a multi cloud strategy removes leverage from one provider, enabling development teams to get the most out of the cloud platforms.
Cost Optimization
A multi cloud strategy leads to high cost savings. It allows you to choose the right combination of resources to run applications at minimal costs. You can choose the cloud platform with the least data storage costs for storage and the one with the lowest compute resources for your VMs.
High Availability
Cloud providers suffer outages from time to time. With multiple cloud platforms, you can always deploy resources in the cloud platform with the highest availability. You can distribute your data such that when one cloud platform is down, you can use data stored in the other.
High Performance
Organizations can choose the cloud provider with a data center in close geographical proximity to its customers. This reduces network hops between servers and increases latency.
Compliance
Cons of Multi Cloud
Here are some of the downsides of a multi cloud approach:
High Costs
Deploying resources in multiple cloud platforms comes with increasing costs. Unlike a single platform, multiple cloud platforms are costlier and difficult to manage.
Security Risks
Housing your IT resources in different cloud platforms comes with an increased security risk. It’s difficult to provide seamless access to all cloud services and maintain least privilege access across the cloud environments. Besides, the complex nature of cloud platforms paves the way for misconfigurations that can expose your data to security attacks.
Differences Between Hybrid Cloud and Multi Cloud
So, with Hybrid Cloud vs Multi-Cloud – What’s the Difference? Here, the hybrid cloud combines two or more types of cloud. Whilst, multi cloud combines similar cloud platforms. Here are some of the differences between hybrid cloud and multi cloud:
Vendor Lock In
In a hybrid cloud, the user has to perform high level integration between the public cloud and the private cloud. This process involves the use of virtualization technology and APIs. Therefore, it’s difficult to move to a new vendor.
In the multi cloud approach, different cloud platforms exist independently. In this case, you can easily switch from one user to the other quickly without experiencing downtime. Also, you can change from one cloud provider to the other based on cost savings opportunities, technical requirements, or geographical location. Basically, there is no risk of vendor lock-in in a multi cloud approach.
Architecture
Hybrid cloud is a combination of public and private clouds. The infrastructure components share unified monitoring, logging, and identity management, among other features. In essence, hybrid cloud has high interconnectivity.
Multi cloud is a mixture of two or more cloud platforms of a similar type. In this approach, there is no connection between different cloud platforms.
Cost Implications
In hybrid cloud, it is easier to manage costs as you only manage a single public cloud. For the private cloud, it’s all easy once you pay upfront costs. In multi cloud, you have to be aware of all minor cost implications of each service you are using. Since cloud pricing is overly complicated, you may incur excess costs.
Availability
Availability in hybrid cloud depends on the inhouse team’s ability to configure seamless data access between the public and private cloud. Hence, it has no guarantee for high availability as some technical aspects can lead to downtime.
Multi cloud provides high availability as each cloud platform acts as a backup for the other. In case a single cloud platform is experiencing downtime, you can shift workloads to the other and maintain uptime. Besides, you can replicate data across multiple Availability Zones for maximum availability.
Interoperability
In hybrid cloud, different components can sync and run a single IT solution. Data processes easily intersect with each other seamlessly. In multi cloud, each cloud platform performs a separate task. Data and other cloud processes run independently of each other.
Management
In hybrid cloud, both private and public clouds are managed as a single entity. Therefore, users experience minimal management headaches apart from the initial sync process. In a multi cloud approach, each cloud provider is managed independently. However, you can rely on third party tools to manage different cloud platforms simultaneously.
Thank you for reading Hybrid Cloud vs Multi-Cloud – What’s the Difference? (Pros and Cons). We shall conclude.
Hybrid Cloud vs Multi-Cloud - What's the Difference? Conclusion
Whether you prefer hybrid cloud or multi cloud, each has its own unique features, benefits, and downsides. Hybrid cloud provides unified management and is ideal for big data processing and dynamic workloads. On the other hand, multi cloud provides high availability and helps avoid vendor lock in. Both approaches offer seamless flexibility and scalability, as well as data security. Therefore, you should decide which to take based on workload requirements and overall skill set.
Take a look at more cloud content in our blog over here, please. Thank you.
