When cloud computing emerged, the term “Hybrid Cloud” quickly followed. Today, we frequently hear about “Multi-Cloud.” Is this just old wine in new bottles, or are these two distinct, complementary concepts? While these terms may sound like technical jargon, choosing the right approach is crucial for any organization looking to leverage digital transformation. Let’s explore the smartest cloud strategy and what it means for Oracle customers.
Hybrid Cloud: The Best of Both Worlds
A hybrid cloud combines the advantages of a private cloud (such as an on-premises data center or private cloud environment) with those of a public cloud, like Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). This approach provides flexibility: sensitive data or critical applications stay secure in a private environment, while the public cloud’s power can be tapped for additional computing needs (“cloud bursting”), development and test environments, or less sensitive applications.
With hybrid cloud, organizations can retain existing investments while benefiting from the cloud’s scalability and innovation. Oracle’s hybrid cloud solutions, like Exadata Cloud@Customer and Dedicated Region Cloud@Customer, enable seamless integration of on-premises databases with OCI, allowing companies to transition smoothly between on-premises and cloud environments without compromising performance or security.
Multi-Cloud: Freedom and Flexibility
A multi-cloud strategy involves selecting multiple public cloud providers, such as Oracle Cloud, AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud. Instead of being locked into a single provider, organizations can take advantage of each provider’s strengths or align with specialized in-house expertise. This strategy allows businesses to optimize workloads, reduce costs, and safeguard against downtime with any one provider.Why go multi-cloud if you’re already using Oracle? The answer lies in diversity and customization. Oracle customers can leverage the powerful Oracle Database in OCI while also tapping into unique capabilities from other providers. With Oracle Database@Azure and Oracle Database@Google Cloud already available, and Oracle Database@AWS set to launch at the end of 2024, Oracle users can continue accessing Oracle’s robust features across all major public cloud platforms.
Which Strategy Fits Best?
The choice between hybrid and multi-cloud depends on your business needs and strategy. For companies with significant investments in Oracle technologies, a hybrid cloud may be particularly attractive. It enables a smooth cloud migration without abandoning existing infrastructure. Plus, Oracle offers tools like Oracle Interconnect to efficiently link hybrid and multi-cloud environments, ensuring seamless data flow and integration.
On the other hand, if you’re seeking maximum flexibility and want to harness the power of multiple cloud platforms, a multi-cloud strategy has clear advantages. You can utilize the best solutions from various providers, such as Oracle’s top-tier databases combined with specialized features from another cloud vendor.
But it doesn’t have to be an “either-or” scenario. In fact, a Hybrid-Multi-Cloud approach might be ideal: for many large enterprises, certain data and applications will remain on-premises indefinitely, while a significant portion migrates to one or more public cloud providers. With Oracle as a partner, you gain access to the latest innovations across public, hybrid, and multi-cloud environments.
So, what will it be? Hybrid-Multi-Cloud? Or perhaps another combination? Choose the cloud model that meets your business need.
You can get in touch with me directly through sandor.nieuwenhuijs@oracle.com.
Whatever you choose, the future awaits in the cloud.