Single Cloud Solutions
Whether public or private, single cloud solutions that claim to meet all of a user’s cloud computing needs in one place have inherent limitations. In these situations, a user has access to only the tools and services a particular service provider offers, and those tools and services are updated and serviced only when the provider decides to do so.
A quality cloud services provider’s contract includes provisions for backing up data and protecting its security. However, if the provider’s servers or networks are damaged or compromised, users run the risk of losing data or exposing it to hacking or other kinds of security issues. If all a company’s sensitive data is held in one place, it can be vulnerable – a concern that makes new cloud adopters wary.
A single cloud service, however comprehensive, may simply not offer all the tools a user needs to get things done. Individual projects and tasks may call for specialized services that a particular cloud provider lacks. Different components of a company’s business may need different services that are not always compatible with the company’s overall cloud service model. In these situations, a company would need to use a second cloud service, at least temporarily.
Multiple Clouds Offer Multiple Choices
For a growing number of cloud users, the best solution for a company’s complex business computing needs is to access the diverse strengths of more than one cloud service provider, mixing and matching cloud services to create a comprehensive strategy for managing a company’s data in the cloud. A multiple cloud strategy can take one of two forms: creating a hybrid cloud or accessing more than one cloud provider simultaneously.
In either case, a user’s overarching cloud computing solution encompasses different components that, taken together, create a comprehensive cloud-based system uniquely able to meet the company’s complex and often changing business computing needs. With numerous cloud models to build from, hybrid and multi-cloud computing strategies can be widely adaptable, economical, and scalable.