The Challenges of Multi-Cloud Adoption
It only takes a few minutes of searching online to realize that multi-cloud adoption is no longer in the early adoption phase. In a recent study, IDC predicted that 90% of enterprises will employ a multi-cloud approach by 2020. Think about that for a moment – in less than 18 months most enterprises will use more than one cloud vendor for their business operations.
Reasons for a multi-cloud approach are well documented by now – easing vendor lock-in, cost reduction, scale, redundancy, flexibility, and more. Though the benefits are many, there are also challenges to address both during and after implementation. Here are some of common challenges that both MSPs and enterprises will face when moving to a multi-cloud environment.
Skills Gap
Introducing multiple cloud environments into your business also means multiplying what’s required of your internal teams to support and run those environments. New skills must be learned, certifications may be needed, and new processes/workflows will need to be developed in order to accommodate these new technologies.
Operational Issues
One of the main drivers behind multi-cloud adoption is controlling/reducing costs, but it can quickly backfire if operational costs rise significantly. It can also cause your cloud to become a bottleneck to your business – exactly the opposite of what it was intended to do. A number of factors can influence this.
Task Duplication
Though the execution may differ slightly, introducing multiple cloud vendors into an environment will bring with it the need to perform similar tasks for each. Your team will likely have to login to two or more interfaces to complete their tasks. This can equate to time consuming and expensive work.
No Standardization
Related to the point above, having different procedures for each cloud (perhaps performed by different people) can quickly become a strain on resources. If some level of standardization isn’t introduced your margins may actually decrease.
Lack of Automation
Too many steps in a process that require human oversight can very quickly eat into margins. Whether it’s provisioning resources, selling cloud services (MSPs), change management, tracking usage, or something else, a lack of automation can quickly wipe out any intended gains of a multi-cloud approach.
Cloud Sprawl
Cloud sprawl (or cloud waste) is the uncontrolled proliferation of an organization’s cloud instances, services or providers. Cloud sprawl typically occurs when an organization lacks visibility into or control over its cloud computing resources. Though this concept is not new, it is a concern in multi-cloud environments.
Sprawl comes at a cost of course, so being aware of how your resources are being used can be the difference between an efficient, profitable cloud and one that becomes a runaway expense.
Make Multi-Cloud the Advantage it was Meant to Be
One of the best ways to realize the intended ROI of moving to a multi-cloud environment is to introduce a cloud platform like HyAlto into the mix. Just quickly, here are a few benefits of our platform.
Simplify
HyAlto provides one single pane of glass from which to manage each cloud in your environment. This eliminates much of the duplication that comes with multi-cloud management.
Automate
Automated provisioning eliminates many of the steps in the provisioning of new services, saving time and costs.
Track
HyAlto offers unprecedented transparency and detail into how your cloud resources are being consumed, making it easy to understand the ROI of your cloud.
Self-Serve/Self-Management
HyAlto also offers the ability for cloud customers/users to request new services on demand. Self-management capabilities are also available for more cloud-savvy users, further reducing the operational load on your team.
Let’s Talk
Whatever your reasons for adopting a multi-cloud approach, we believe HyAlto can help you monetize your cloud by introducing efficiency across your business. If you’d like to discuss your cloud business with us, see a demo, or set up your free trial, contact us today. We look forward to working with you!