85% of organizations already embrace using multi-cloud environments, according to research by the IBM Institute. Among those that aren’t embracing it, 98% of those organizations have plans to diversify the level of services they can enjoy through implementing multi-cloud services. This all makes sense when considering the benefits galore that this choice promises.
For instance, companies will no longer be bound to the policies of a single lender. This offers some flexibility in that they can switch between lenders to offer their customers convenience. Just like anything else worthwhile, however, interoperability comes with a few complications.
Here are some of the challenges and how to overcome them:
Cloud Expertise Gap
Multi-cloud environments present an organization with a whole new spectrum of business needs. Given that multi-cloud environments are somehow new in the business world, the internal staff might not be experienced enough to cater to the needs of the business. As a result, they ought to build the skills of their internal staff before they implement using multiple cloud environments.
They should make a list of all the unfamiliar tasks and start training them on the same. Consider including training in container technology, business backup solutions, cloud network interconnections, legacy applications decomposition, and cloud-native microservices management.
Security Concerns
Embracing the use of multiple cloud environments diversifies the cybersecurity risk attack vectors for an organization. Different cloud vendors tend to have different perspectives on how they approach the data security of their clients. While most will work overtime to provide state-of-the-art cybersecurity solutions, they cannot always rely on the vendors themselves.
It is up to the company to ensure that their organization’s security is on point. They should discuss how to protect the business in all environments, what to do when the security solutions fail and the access control measures needed.
Cost Tracking
Using multiple cloud environments makes it quite easy to go over budget when it comes to spending on the different cloud requirements. Without a person in charge of ROI analysis, this is inevitable. To achieve optimal efficiency, the business will need to assess the different consumption needs and refine them to the financial resources that they have at their disposal.
Predicting future consumption pattern also matters in order to make a sane financial decision. Vendors will have different billing systems, resizing options and pricing models, all which will make cost control a nightmare if left unattended. The best option is to employ a cost analyst and an engineer who will provide a refined cost analysis for both specific application and the entire organization.
Compliance with Data Regulations
The business will need to consider the different data compliance requirements when setting up their multi-cloud environments. For instance, some countries or regions might have strict data regulations like the GDPR. Were they to go against the requirements, their company might have to pay hefty fines, not to mention that failure to comply with some regulations will make it hard to work with some clients.
On the other hand, the company might require storing sensitive information in highly privatized cloud environments. Failing to do so, they risk having such data falling into the wrong hands. When shopping for cloud vendors for their different cloud environments, it is wise to assess how effective their services can be when trying to comply with the different regulations. The less the number of loopholes that the cloud services leave, the easier and more cost effective it will be to run the business.
Conclusion
While the idea of using multi-cloud environments promises a diversity of perks, the company can only enjoy them by approaching the idea with the right perspective. The challenges above can be solved quite easily, but this can only happen if their organization is ready to solve them. Take the time to weigh between the services of all the vendors to both cut cost and deliver amazing services to clients.
