Customization has been an integral component in the world of modern technology – especially with the advent of mainstream cloud support services. Off-the-shelf packages are almost obsolete, as even turnkey SaaS solutions offer scalability at the tap of a button. Today’s businesses are constantly iterating; from boutique SMBs, to multinational corporations, there isn’t an organization which relies on static solutions alone. Software development in Sri Lanka, on the other hand, has also been at the forefront of all these advancements. Offering IT offshoring services to global brands both large and small, a lot of factors come to play in the field of enterprise technology.
No matter what objectives need to be achieved, the right foundation is essential for any technology endeavour. Cloud computing has been that foundation for the major part of this last decade – and grown to be even more indispensable in the wake of increasing remote workspaces during the past year. Enterprises partnering up with major cloud providers (such as becoming a dedicated AWS partner, for example), have provided additional leverage to rely on practically any service that is required, from one major host.
While the advantages of migrating to the cloud are many, is it the only viable option that businesses out there have in order to stay up-to-date and competitive? Likewise, what about the implications of having a business system that is only dependent on public cloud networks? Instant provisioning, centralization and effortless scalability are the hallmark characteristics of any cloud solution – which are affordable and accessible even to the smallest of businesses.
Considering on-premise components brings factors such as security and proprietorship to mind. But then again, the exponentially increasing movement towards the cloud might just imply that there are pros to avail here, compared to a legacy data centre stored and managed on-site. However, many more variables are in action, than simply packing up and importing all your data into a brand new cloud computing space.
Considering what transpired last year, the massive shift towards online, cloud-based resources shed light on just how so much would’ve been practically impossible, if it hadn’t been for the cloud. Businesses, including otherwise traditional establishments, prioritized remote and virtual work environments overnight. With the cloud proving its indispensability, what gives, really?
In spite of being a popular medium for the better half of this past decade, shifting to the cloud is an undertaking of high magnitude. This is especially true for larger businesses, and those that function in highly regulated or risky industries. From ensuring accurate data migration to making physical equipment redundant, shifting bulky digital assets to the cloud can be costly, time-consuming, prone to errors and tedious overall. Add to this the element of cyber breaches; for sectors such as finance and the government, switching completely to a public or even private cloud entails security risks. Intellectual property rights are another variable to consider, since data is technically still hosted on a third-party platform.
What on-site servers lack in scalability and ease, it makes up for these drawbacks by offering higher levels of security and proprietorship for your organization. By maintaining on-site servers and other physical equipment under the supervision of qualified system administrators, your business entails a level of protection and autonomy that even a dedicated private cloud server cannot match.
As mentioned earlier on, customization goes hand-in-hand with modern technology – where systems are made to bespoke standards depending on unique business requirements. The world of cloud computing is no exception to this rule either. Enter the hybrid cloud; which, as its name suggests, is a combination of both cloud and on-premise networks. By integrating both cloud and on-premise components to constitute a well-connected and functional business system, it is possible for organizations to meet halfway and incorporate the best of both worlds, so to speak.
The hybrid cloud concept paves the way for a number of valuable attributes in the arena of enterprise technology. For one, the pressure to move to the cloud is lessened (if not completely gone) since priorities are set depending on what companies need – which could also include on-site servers and other equipment. In other words, there is no need to ‘jump on the bandwagon’, simply because it’s the popular thing to do. The liberty to choose what is best is based on business needs, and not the latest trend.
Additionally, organizations that already had deployed hybrid cloud infrastructure before its benefits were realized are at an advantage at the moment. By using only what is necessary from both sides of the spectrum, these organizations have established a foundation whereupon different business units are configured to peak performance with components that are ideal for whatever it is they are supposed to deliver. This means that there is no compromise in any area of the business, as a combination of both cloud and on-site suites help enable companies to integrate nothing short of the most suitable collateral in varying areas of the business.
Whether it’s a majorly cloud-based solution with an on-site component, or vice versa, the level of hybridization to be achieved is once again, dependent on what your organization’s unique needs are. Remember that cloud computing also has variants, apart from mainstream public cloud systems that most of us mainly associate the cloud with. Add multi-cloud systems, which are cloud services from multiple providers. All in all, these variants put together can influence the level of hybridization your company also experiences on the cloud vs. on-site front.
At its core, a device can be considered to be part of edge computing if it possesses the capability to process data within the confines of the device itself. This is what sets edge computing apart, as localized data processing enables faster results and outputs. Therefore, solely relying on a centralized, cloud-based environment isn’t going to suffice for today’s edge computing requirements. Hybridizing your cloud infrastructure is best recommended for the purpose of deploying a wide variety of autonomous devices, such as IoT – so they can perform the way they’re supposed to i.e. without any manual intervention. Keeping data at close range for processing is highly crucial for edge computing, and a relevant on-site system may be able to accommodate just that.
What will further spearhead edge computing is the addition of open-source code. This, together with a hybrid cloud environment that is bespoke to your organization’s edge computing needs will offer long-term scalability when it comes to iterating and maintaining the codes that facilitate edge computing operations. Ultimately, as edge computing paves its own way to reach the masses, companies need to revolve their priorities around serving their customers better – and customizing hybrid cloud platforms is the undoubted way to go.
Security concerns for data and other assets stored within cloud networks owned by a third-party provider have always been prevalent. With cyber breaches happening at alarming rates today, nobody is immune to a malware or phishing attack. Events of the past year have further aggravated this predicament, especially as remote employees use a variety of personal devices to access company resources based online. Public internet sources are also another risk factor, as confidential information such as login credentials can be intercepted via compromised Wi-Fi systems.
The accumulation of increasing [questionable] endpoints and less-than-secure internet connectivity creates a hotbed for malicious individuals to penetrate into private networks. A company network based on a public cloud environment can be the most concerning, as cyber breaches can compromise customer and other stakeholder data. A hybrid cloud approach (and perhaps even a multi-cloud environment, for that matter) can lessen security concerns and even the impact of a possible cyber breach.
By distributing different assets depending on importance, size and level of confidentiality across different platforms both cloud and on-premise, cyberattacks can be proactively controlled – with on-site systems supervised even in person. In a nutshell, as cyber breaches are on the rise, now is the time to increase the level of protection your company maintains around its intellectual properties – and taking a look at your cloud sources is the best place to start.
As the perception towards cloud-only infrastructure shifts to a more agnostic one, more companies are now gradually shifting their priorities likewise – to the point where moving back to a more on-site system seems like a solution that’s more viable. This isn’t necessarily because of the hype surrounding hybrid cloud environments, though. Many enterprise use cases that were better off being on-site in the first place are slowly realizing the value of finally moving back to a system that is just more suitable all in all.
This means that many organizations are going to be more keen towards considering what really fits their individual requirements, as opposed to embracing the cloud alone. Contrary to popular perception, even a standard migration towards the cloud from an on-site environment bears many implications in terms of platforms, configuration, time and cost. These factors are usually lost in the wake of all the otherwise positive buzz that the [public] cloud attracts.
However, an openness towards hybridization will encourage more businesses to save even more time, money and other resources by choosing what genuinely fits their needs better both in the long and short-term: a great leap forward in terms of maximizing customer engagement as well as revenue.
Discussing technology is impossible without asking how something can be customized to suit one’s individual requirements. Just like how end consumers have the power to choose how they interact with your business online or decide what content they see, businesses also need to mould and manoeuvre the very elements which help drive their daily operations. Cloud computing has become an essential component for the modern-day business, and migrating to the cloud has long since been highly recommended for a variety of beneficial reasons. But is it the only option left for businesses that are looking to maximize revenue and cut costs?
The hybrid cloud model has been a topic of interest for quite some time, but is now slowly gaining momentum owing to a number of key benefits that spell advantages on both a macro and micro level. Hybridization pushes companies to think which platforms will best fit different departmental areas, and how much of each is required – without being attached to the mainstream advantages of public cloud networks. This will add leverage by reducing costs further, while also improving operational workflows and customer satisfaction. On the other hand, many business sectors deal with vast amounts of confidential information that needs to be safeguarded – and cloud networks alone aren’t going to cut it.
The gradually increasing popularity and normalization of hybrid cloud environments are giving companies more autonomy to decide what is truly best for their unique requirements – without any external influences. So much so, that a concept of ‘repatriation’ is already underway and being considered by many to move from the cloud and towards a more traditional on-site model.
While companies re-shift their priorities towards the cloud for existing requirements, edge computing has been a big influencer for further hybridization of cloud infrastructure as well. Companies looking to invest in cloud computing need to also re-calibrate their cloud platforms, as the localized nature of edge computing devices require a reliable on-site component to function optimally. Add to this the need for an open-source cloud environment, and you have the ultimate need for a hybrid cloud environment that can keep devices running smoothly in the short-term, while enabling easy maintenance in the long-term.
Last but not the least, security is an ever-growing concern among enterprises and consumers alike. With cyberbreaches always on the rise, the addition of an on-site component can significantly reduce the pressure off of companies who solely rely on external cloud providers – another key advantage of hybrid cloud systems.