A hybrid cloud is a cloud computing environment that uses a combination of on-premises, private cloud and public cloud services with orchestration and integration between them. The goal of hybrid cloud is to create an integrated IT infrastructure that can provide agility, scalability and cost-efficiency.
Hybrid cloud allows organizations to have the best of both worlds: the flexibility and scalability of the public cloud, with the security and control of the private cloud. Hybrid cloud also offers the ability to connect on-premises data and applications to the public cloud, making it possible to extend the reach of an organization's IT infrastructure.
One of the key benefits of hybrid cloud is that it can help organizations to avoid vendor lock-in. By using a mix of on-premises, private and public cloud services, organizations can choose the best solution for each workload, without being tied to any one vendor.
Another benefit of hybrid cloud is that it can provide a more resilient and fault-tolerant IT infrastructure. By using a mix of on-premises and cloud-based resources, organizations can continue to operate even if one component fails. This can help to minimize downtime and ensure business continuity.
Hybrid cloud can be implemented in a number of ways, depending on the needs of the organization. Common hybrid cloud architectures include:
Cloud bursting: Cloud bursting is a technique that is used to scale compute resources on demand. It involves running applications on on-premises servers most of the time, but using cloud-based resources when there is an increase in demand. This can help to save money on infrastructure costs, as well as providing a more scalable solution.
Cloud gateway: A cloud gateway is a type of hybrid cloud architecture that uses a appliance or software application to connect on-premises resources to the public cloud. This can provide organizations with a way to extend their existing IT infrastructure into the cloud, without having to re-architect their applications.
Private cloud gateway: A private cloud gateway is similar to a cloud gateway, but it uses a private cloud instead of a public one. This can provide organizations with more control over their data and applications, as well as ensuring that they meet any compliance requirements.
VPN connection: A VPN connection can be used to connect an on-premises network to a public cloud provider, providing a secure way to access cloud-based resources. This type of connection can be used to connect an organization's office network to a public cloud provider, for example.
Direct connect: Direct connect is a type of hybrid cloud architecture that uses a dedicated connection to link an on-premises network directly to a public cloud provider. This can provide organizations with a high-bandwidth, low-latency connection to the cloud, which is ideal for applications that require real-time access to data.
The term hybrid cloud is used to describe a hybrid model where on-premises and public cloud components are combined. While the two methods are completely different, they have some similar characteristics. The main difference is that the public cloud component allows for data-specific security and privacy. This means that organizations can provide secure environments for sensitive data while allowing for easy access to other types of data. Moreover, using a hybrid model enables organizations to meet security regulations and requirements while maximizing their IT resources.