Hybrid cloud — a multifaceted cloud computing solution typically involving a mix of on-premise and private cloud — has become the gold standard for enterprises that need to efficiently and securely manage their computing needs. Learn why colocation providers should stay ahead of this trend and how they can embrace it as a positive opportunity for their business.
Hybrid is by far the most popular cloud strategy among enterprises today. Many companies have found that a hybrid cloud solution allows them to leverage the benefits of both public and private cloud computing, rather than hemming them into one or the other.
Enterprises go hybrid with cloud computing for many reasons, but the overarching benefit is the flexibility it offers.
Many companies see the advantages of using public cloud services. For one, public cloud can help organizations keep costs down and forgo the time-consuming tasks involved in maintaining private infrastructure. Public cloud services can also empower organizations to scale and remain agile.
However, some companies are not comfortable with a purely public solution—and with good reason. A public solution may not offer the customization, privacy and data security many companies need. For instance, financial institutions or government agencies storing and processing sensitive data need to maintain a high level of control over their data to ensure it is handled with the utmost privacy and security.
Companies that want or need to maintain private computing for certain sensitive functions, but also want to take advantage of public cloud services, can do so through a hybrid solution.
For example, global energy giant BP transitioned to a hybrid approach, moving many workloads to public cloud services to enhance efficiency while keeping on-premises computing where necessary for localized regulations and compliance features. This is just one of many examples of companies that are thriving with a hybrid cloud strategy.
Colocation data centers are traditionally part of the private cloud infrastructure, giving companies a place to locate their private servers. So shouldn’t the popularity of hybrid cloud—with its inclusion of public cloud services—give colo providers pause? The short answer is no.
Colocation providers can continue primarily offering private cloud services or broaden their approach to facilitate public cloud interconnectivity.
For some companies, going hybrid may mean moving away from a public-cloud-only approach and integrating private cloud computing for the first time. As an analyst for Data Center Knowledge points out, these companies provide a rich opportunity for colo providers to win back business.
In other cases, a hybrid strategy may mean moving some services away from private to public cloud. In these cases, colo providers can continue playing an essential role in hosting private cloud infrastructure. They can also broaden their approach to facilitate interconnection services between private and public cloud ecosystems.
Colo providers should find ways to embrace the hybrid approach and show potential tenants how they can add value within a hybrid cloud solution.
One way to do this is to highlight the advantages of colocation over on-premises infrastructure for private cloud. This can include, for example, reduced latency, more reliable operations and simplified logistics. Consider the barriers some companies face when hosting their computing functions and share how you can minimize those barriers. Let enterprises know that, through colocation, they can enjoy some of the same advantages of public cloud services for their private computing needs.
Another way to add value is to offer managed services or support related to hybrid cloud infrastructure for your colo tenants. This might include, for example, assisting clients with data migrations to ease their transition to hybrid cloud. It could also involve ongoing maintenance or IT functions. Helping companies save time and money in their private computing processes is a major draw.
For colocation providers looking to establish new facilities, choosing locations near public cloud facilities can be a smart move. This physical proximity makes it easy for tenants to connect some of their workloads to the public cloud without sacrificing speed.
Overall, colocation providers must be willing to provide tenants with numerous deployment options and combine in-house technologies with public cloud solutions to help enterprises leverage the best of both worlds.
As enterprises increasingly adopt hybrid cloud approaches, colocation providers should be ready to help them enhance their private cloud processes to meet demand.
Looking to expand your colocation facility or build a new facility to meet demand? Consider a modular construction solution. Modular offers some key advantages to colocation providers, including scalability, quality, cost savings and more.
Want to learn more about how modular data center construction compares to stick-built methods? Download our infographic, “Traditional vs. Modular Data Center Design.”