Multi-Cloud Strategy Pros and Cons: You Should Be Aware Of

What is a multi-cloud strategy?

Often, there are multiple vendor lock-in issues that occur. Moreover, this is a recurring issue that organizations might need to address. Hence, it is necessary to add more features to the IT requirements for any business.

Although, numerous vendors may not provide extra features to address these vendor lock-in issues. 

At this stage, a multi-cloud strategy can be taken into consideration.

A multi-cloud strategy is executed when there is a process of using more than one cloud computing service.

Why use a multi-cloud strategy?

Below mentioned are some of the key reasons why most businesses are choosing a multi-cloud strategy.

• Better Pricing

Since there is more than one player in this market there is an advantage of competitive prices.

Organizations thus have multiple options present before them before finalizing any deal.

Thus users can select what is best for them based on the offerings provided by the vendor.

• Agility

Many of the organizations might be working on legacy systems that might be limited to operate with the multi-cloud platform.

But with the right expertise users will be able to achieve agility among cloud platforms storage and hypervisors.

• Performance Improvement

A multi-cloud strategy often brings multiple features that are in the best interest of businesses.

Some of the benefits are low latency, better response time, better user experience, etc.

How does multi-cloud work?

Multi-cloud network architecture consists of four components responsible for its efficient working. These are discussed below:

• Cloud Core

This particular layer supports the evolution of applications as well as businesses.

Moreover, it also supports a data plane consisting of APIs that will assist in optimizing control over a multi-cloud network.

• Application Layer

The application is stored here.

This is the layer where applications are deployed using their respective operating systems.

• Global Transit Layer

It remains the main access for connection of every aspect.

Hence, with the help of this layer, services are applied to the platform.

This is usually done with the help of a service insertion framework.

• Cloud Security

Security is always the priority in networks.

This layer surrounds every other cloud layer.

MCNA model felicitates cloud security at every aspect like cloud and on-premise connection, ingress, egress with encryption.

• Cloud Access

Above all, connecting on-premise resources cloud access layer is a crucial layer.

The Foundation of multi-cloud architecture begins by securely bringing employees, legacy data, offices within the cloud as one cohesive unit.

• Cloud Operations

This layer is responsible for providing full visibility for every cloud aspect.

Moreover, it is a centralized operations plan.

Advantages of Multi-Cloud Strategy

Some of the key advantages of a multi-cloud strategy are as under:

• Innovation

With the multi-cloud strategy in place, it becomes easy for the IT teams to focus on more important issues.

As multi-cloud provides users with more of the features, it thus promotes the culture of innovation among the teams operating within the business.

Hence, with the right set of services and more options, teams can use the best of their innovations to execute the tasks.

• Low Risks

With the multi-cloud strategy in place, users can lower the risk of outages or any disaster.

Cloud providers have multiple data centers from where they shall host the user’s environment.

Thus even if any disaster happens users will still have a backup to rely upon for resuming work.

• Vendor Dependency

Furthermore, with a multi-cloud strategy in place, users are not dependent on only a single vendor.

Depending on only one service provider can be risky for business.

• Lower Latency

Using a multi-cloud platform can improve the application speed reduce latency, improve speed, and overall performance.

The lesser the distance the data travels the faster your application works.

• Strong Negotiation

Users will have the benefit of stronger negotiation in terms of opting for a multi-cloud platform.

As a result, users can quote different pricing for different services from multiple vendors.

Thus users can select what is best for their business.

Disadvantages of Multi Cloud Strategy

Some of the key disadvantages while opting for a multi-cloud platform are as discussed below:

• Talent Hunt

Cloud professionals with the knowledge of multiple clouds is hard to find.

Not only this but the organizations do face a challenge in selecting the right person fit for the job.

Moreover, organizations might find it difficult to find the right developers as well as engineers processing the multi-cloud knowledge.

• Security Risks

In the case of a single cloud platform, users can use their tools to manage the security of applications and other requirements.

Moreover, applications are at more risk on multi-cloud platforms as they become more complex and provide attackers with larger attack surfaces.

Here the important tasks for organizations remain to set up a proper method wherein they receive alerts for any breach attempt.

• Reporting

Reporting can be very complex as users might be looking for the reports generated from multiple platforms.

Therefore, for this users will be in need of cross accounting reporting dashboards as well as the tools.

This might also become the reason for the increase in the cost as users might be shifting data from one cloud to another.

• Provider Perk Loss

A single vendor will be expecting to receive all of your business.

While they do so they also provide users with certain discounts too.

Opting for a multi-cloud strategy may make users lose such perks as these are also cost-effective.

• Lack of Proper Management

Managing a multi-cloud platform can certainly be a hectic task if an organization is not having a skilled IT team.

Every platform will have its own interface.

Managing tasks or reporting from all interfaces might prove difficult for organizations. Especially, when they are without sufficient equipment, supplies, resources, or abilities.