These can be delivered by the organisation, by third party provider or a combination of the two. The Hybrid Cloud offers organisations more flexibility to move workloads between the Public and Private Cloud as and when they need to. Sensitive data and operations can be stored in the Private Cloud allowing organisations to meet regulations and security requirements, while at the same time storing non sensitive data in the Public Cloud where they can take advantage of cheaper costs and better flexibility.
Hybrid Cloud models can be implemented in a number of ways. The first option would be to have separate cloud providers running different services, with the partnerships then managed by the organisations IT department who link it all together and make sure it runs smoothly. The second option is for an individual cloud provider to offer the complete package, this has the advantage of only having to manage one partner making things less complicated. The third option is for the organisation to run the Private Cloud themselves in-house and use a third party Public Cloud provider which they can then integrate into their infrastructure.
Flexibility and scalability are the two big advantages of the Hybrid Cloud approach. With both the secure resource and the scalable more cost effective resource, organisations can explore what the best operational model is for them. This allows them to try different combinations and maximise costs and efficiency. The Public Cloud also offers organisations more room for growth. Not only are they able to tap into the unlimited resource of the Public Cloud, but also free up space on their Private Cloud by moving non-core functions onto the Public Cloud. Costs will also be reduced as organisations can take advantage of significant economies of scale.
There are challenges that need to be taken into account when considering a Hybrid Cloud approach to IT. The main one is having to manage different cloud services and making sure they all integrate, otherwise you may not be taking full advantage of the benefits of the Hybrid Cloud. However, as long as the Cloud services are integrated effectively and partnerships are well managed, having a Hybrid Cloud approach will be the best option for most organisations.