How To Plan & Implement a Multi-Cloud Strategy
The multi-cloud strategy is taking small to midsize businesses (SMBs) by storm—as of 2021, 53% of SMBs are spending more than $1 million per year on cloud computing infrastructure and services.
If a business only uses one cloud platform to manage its data, access, analytics, and automation, it might be missing out on key functionalities of other cloud services that soothe pressure points, improve functionality, and save money.
In this article, we’ll define the multi-cloud approach, explore it in detail, describe how to build an airtight multi-cloud strategy, and break down a few key pre-implementation considerations.
What Is Multi-Cloud?
Before we jump into multi-cloud systems, let’s start with a basic definition of cloud computing. Cloud computing harnesses the power of off-site networks, servers, and data centers to alleviate the workload of local machines. When storing and accessing data and programs remotely, businesses don’t have to manage their own software, hardware, and hosting.
Businesses might use one cloud computing platform to perform powerful data analytics and another to simply store data. While this is a simple example, it describes how businesses can use specific tools across a variety of platforms to optimize cloud computing efforts.
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Why Opt for Multi-Cloud?
Multi-cloud systems can sound intimidating to cloud computing newcomers. To demystify the concept, let’s explore some advantages, disadvantages, and common uses of multi-cloud infrastructure.
Pros of Multi-Cloud
A multi-cloud approach offers a few significant benefits. As we consider them, we’ll reference the data storage and data analytics functionalities described in the previous section:
1. Efficiency
On-site and remote employees can easily access necessary applications via the internet from any location, enabling them to collaborate from their desk and on the go, increasing efficiency.
2. Cost Savings
You’ll no longer need to purchase, store and maintain expensive network equipment, reducing the time and money involved in maintaining, updating, and repairing server hardware and software.
3. Agility
Your company becomes more agile as you’re able to grow or shrink computing resources on demand, paying only for the resources you’ll actually use.
4. Scalability
Multi-cloud technology allows your business to scale your storage up or down based on demand, working seamlessly to provide the space, security, and protection levels needed.
5. Improved Performance
Create a low-latency, high-speed infrastructure that significantly improves application response time via a highly optimized, interconnected cloud environment.
6. Vendor Flexibility
Have you experienced vendor lock-in yet? By having multiple vendor options, you can match each part of your business to a specific provider’s setup and terms.
7. Better Security
Cloud providers deliver software via the internet, ensuring that it comes to you installed with the latest patches and security installed every time you connect to the cloud.
8. Reduced Downtime
Redundant backup and recovery capabilities provide business continuity during emergencies, reducing downtime and enabling you to replicate resources in a cloud separate from compromised areas.
9. Improved Compliance
Prohibited from exporting data to other countries? Maintain compliance via a multi-cloud strategy that accesses cloud service providers with data storage infrastructure and regional availability zones in these countries.
Common Uses of Multi-Cloud
Companies adopt multi-cloud strategies for a variety of reasons, but three overarching goals dominate businesses’ cloud computing goals:
Increasing redundancy – Using multiple cloud platforms can increase the number of system backups available at any time. If one cloud platform goes offline, undergoes maintenance, or malfunctions, business leaders rest easy knowing that their data is stored elsewhere.
Optimizing available tools – While a user might be able to build a budget or track savings using an online bank’s tools, a third-party platform might make these tasks easier. Time spent can be significantly optimized by utilizing the most useful tools provided by both the bank and the third-party provider.
Maintaining compliance – Each jurisdiction presents businesses with unique requirements for data storage, access, security, and disposal. For example, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires businesses to take special care concerning customers’ data. With multi-cloud systems, companies can use multiple platforms to ensure compliance.
Why Do Businesses Need a Strategy for Adopting Multi-Cloud?
Adopting a multi-cloud approach isn’t as simple as choosing additional providers and setting teams loose with the new features available to them. Before implementing a multi-cloud strategy, business leaders must build a plan to:
Prevent analysis paralysis – There are nearly countless cloud computing solutions available on the market today—VMWare, AWS, CompTIA and Azure only represent the tip of the iceberg. Determining a plan of attack can help identify precise needs and so leaders are informed to make platform decisions.
Stay on budget – Cloud computing isn’t free—while building an efficient system will ultimately save money, it’s important to set and stay within the front-end investment budget to guarantee maximum ROI.
Avoid scope creep – It’s tempting to try and solve every problem right away, but leaders should be mindful to set achievable implementation goals so time and resources are prioritized effectively.
Foster innovation – Multi-cloud strategies make it easier to fulfill growing customer demands by developing (and testing) new services.
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How to Plan a Multi-Cloud Strategy
A strategy is paramount, but how do leaders build the perfect plan for implementing multi-cloud for their business? The checklist below will help craft a well-thought plan.
1. Audit The Existing System
Before making changes, develop a clear sense of what tools already exist:
Make a list of current cloud platforms, software, and hardware.
Record pain points with the current tools by asking:
1. “What do these tools do well?”
2. “Which functions could be improved with new solutions?”
3. “How will a change in functions benefit the bottom line?”
Audit and determine the staff’s expertise level with the tools that are in place
Audit and determine the staff’s expertise level with the tools that are in place
Having a clear picture of the starting point will help set goals and choose cloud platforms that will help conquer specific needs, challenges, and benchmarks.
2. Set Trackable Performance Benchmarks
Speaking of benchmarks, establishing a set of clear goals for multi-cloud implementation will guide scheduling, choice of products, and updates to SOP.
Develop a list of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to track the performance gains of newly implemented tools. Some examples might include:
Data analysis timelines
Report generation speed
CRM factors, like:
1. Customer reviews collected
2. Number of support tickets opened and resolved
3. Client engagement with outreach materials
Overall sales or revenue
Overhead costs vs. revenue
Remember to set a reasonable schedule for finding solutions, tracking information, and tweaking new procedures for each KPI. Consider tackling one or two goals at a time to optimize resources and give each solution the appropriate amount of attention.
3. Don’t Forget Security
Security management is more than an item on the list of benchmarks. Data protection should be a cornerstone of any multi-cloud approach.
Audit the current system and identify what’s working and what could be improved with regard to the system’s security.
Set security-related goals and search for tools that can help meet those benchmarks.
Implement security changes as new tools are added to the stack of cloud services, making sure new products don’t create additional vulnerabilities.
When new vulnerabilities are uncovered or a data incident occurs, leaders need to spend time to review the security approach and prevent future issues.
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4. Build an In-Depth Plan
With a clear picture of the current situation established and leadership has agreed upon benchmarks to pursue, it’s time to start multi-cloud implementation.
Make a plan to complete each of the following tasks:
Shopping for new:
1. Software/platforms
2. Hardware
3. Vendors
Building and implementing an employee training program
Creating a schedule that maps out:
1. Timelines for new tool integration
2. Training and mastery testing for staff
3. Onboarding
4. Ongoing monitoring
5. Final tweaks
Future-proofing the system by setting long-term goals
Review the plan with company stakeholders, chief executives, and individual teams to build a streamlined strategy that accommodates each stakeholder’s needs. Once the plan is approved, it’s time to implement and integrate it.
5. Tweak Cloud Strategy as Needed
During cloud implementation, adjustments are likely to occur in the timeline, SOPs, training, or product integration.
If an issue is discovered after adopting and integrating a new cloud platform into procedures, strategy may need to be revised.
But it’s important to remember the investment put into the initial onboarding—typically, it is more cost-effective to tweak a system that’s already in place rather than scrapping the new solution and restarting the process.
Some potential adjustments for integration troubles include:
Pivoting staff to procedures that best fit their skill set and mastery of the new system
Changing workflows to better streamline internal procedures
Seeking additional information or training to increase adoption and understanding of multi-cloud
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Organizations Should Upskill Before Going Multi-Cloud
Remember that a new system is only as strong as the individuals using it.
Before implementing a new plan, upskill leaders and the general workforce to prepare them for upcoming changes. Organizations should strongly consider:
Train or certify employees in specific systems that will be implemented
Cross-train staff to widen individuals’ knowledge bases
Poll employees to determine how current skill sets could accommodate new solutions
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A multi-cloud system isn’t worthwhile if teams are not trained to use it efficiently. But, remember to focus on continuing education as much as front-end training—set soft dates for ongoing skills development and help individual employees set professional development goals of their own.
Build a Multi-Cloud Strategy With New Horizons
Implementing a multi-cloud strategy is no small feat. The process may take months or even years to tackle, and many goals are likely to become long-term.
But preparing teams for upcoming changes is crucial to multi-cloud integration. Here at New Horizons, we’re the world’s number-one source for IT training and professional development, and our courses can help your team master the finer points of multi-cloud processes, individual platforms, and so much more.
We believe you deserve a technology partner who will walk you into the future. It’s challenging to stay on top of technology on your own. At New Horizons, we provide live instructor, hard and soft skill training to create effective individuals and organizations.
Call us today for a free consultation, and invest in the skills that will keep your business competitive.
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