Hybrid Cloud Strategy
Previously thought of as a jumping off point for a true private or public cloud, the hybrid cloud model is proving itself as the final destination for enterprise IT.
A hybrid cloud allows enterprises to retain control of their IT environments while sending non-mission-critical workloads to the public cloud to take advantage of flexibility and scalability.
Though a hybrid cloud is built by combining at least one public and private cloud, deployment isn't that simple. Creating a hybrid cloud is complex work, as companies face problems with integration, migration and other hassles.
Still, the cloud provider market is listening. Vendors such as Red Hat, Amazon Web Services and VMware have introduced their own hybrid cloud services, and third-party organizations are creating tools to manage and deploy hybrid clouds.
Though the hybrid cloud model capitalizes on the benefits of both public and private clouds, it's not without its own risks. Debates about cloud security still linger, and the approach doesn't free you from unfair or confusing service-level agreements. But hybrid cloud can also solve many cloud risks by introducing cloud bursting and disaster recovery in what may be a more effective manner.
This essential guide hits on all the hybrid cloud model hot points -- deployment, management, the debates and the risks -- to ensure you're up to date on what could be the cloud model of the future.
