When it comes to the cloud, small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) may be compelled to choose either a private or a public cloud infrastructure. But there's a third option, and it's called the hybrid cloud.
Hybrid clouds are a combination of private and public clouds. In the former, data and applications that require tighter controls are hosted either internally or privately in an offsite facility. Public clouds are managed externally by third-party providers with the express purpose of reducing a company’s IT infrastructure.
A recent study indicates that 75% of companies have adopted hybrid cloud solutions, mainly because of their numerous benefits. Here are the four most significant advantages of moving to a hybrid cloud environment.
Adaptability
Having the ability to choose between on-site/privately-hosted cloud servers and public ones let you pair the right IT solution with the right job. For example, you can use the private cloud to store sensitive files, while utilizing more robust computing resources from the public cloud to run resource-intensive applications.
Scalability
The hybrid cloud allows you to “scale up” or “scale down” computing resources on an as-needed basis. So if there are last-minute computing demands that your hardware can’t support, or if you’re planning for future expansion, hybrid cloud solutions allow for on-demand increases or decreases in capacity.
Cost efficiency
Does your business struggle to meet seasonal demands? With a hybrid cloud solution, you’ll be able to easily handle spikes in demand by migrating data from insufficient on-premise servers to scalable, pay-as-you-go cloud servers whenever needed, without incurring extra hardware and maintenance costs.
Security
Last but not least are the security advantages of a hybrid cloud solution. You can host sensitive data such as an e-commerce details or an HR platform within the private cloud, where it will be protected by your security systems and kept under close watch. Meanwhile, routine forms and documents can be stored in the public cloud and protected by a trusted third-party.
Here’s how SMBs can set up a hybrid cloud model based on their requirements and the providers available to them:
- By employing one specialized cloud provider who offers comprehensive hybrid solutions
- By integrating the services of a private cloud provider with those of a separate public cloud provider
- By hosting a private cloud themselves and then incorporating a public cloud service into their infrastructure
Our experts can help you transition to a hybrid cloud solution without interruption and without the huge costs. Contact us today to learn more about the benefits that a hybrid cloud can bring to your business.
