Multi-Cloud vs. Hybrid Cloud: What’s the Difference and Which Is Right for You?

Considering overhauling your cloud infrastructure? You may benefit from the use of either a multi-cloud or hybrid cloud environment. These cloud computing setups offer organizations different ways to manage, store, and access their data. According to your organization’s needs, you may find that one meets your requirements more than the other.

Read on to learn all about multi-cloud vs. hybrid cloud, the pros and cons of each, and to determine which setup is best for your organization.

• What Is Hybrid Cloud?
• What Is Multi-Cloud?
• Key Differences Between Multi-Cloud vs. Hybrid Cloud
• Pros and Cons of Hybrid Cloud
• How to Decide Between Hybrid Cloud vs. Multi-Cloud
• Can You Use Both?
• Conclusion

Key Takeaways

• Hybrid clouds involve the use of a private, on premises cloud and a public cloud, whereas multi-clouds involve the use of multiple public clouds
• A hybrid cloud allows for greater control over data and compliance with regulations, whereas multi-clouds allow organizations to optimize their workloads and increase resilience
• In some cases, the optimal cloud infrastructure is a combination of the two, known as a hybrid multi-cloud. This setup involves the use of a private cloud and multiple integrated public clouds

What Is Hybrid Cloud?

A hybrid cloud is an IT setup that enables organizations to integrate both their private cloud (either an on-premises or a dedicated cloud) and a public cloud (like AWS or Google Cloud). This cloud computing structure gives organizations the benefits of both types of clouds. Their private cloud provides a secure environment, while their public cloud allows for cloud scalability and flexibility.

Organizations can determine how to utilize their hybrid cloud, but these are some of the most common hybrid cloud setups:

• According to data sensitivity: Sensitive company and customer data is stored in the private cloud, while files that need to be widely accessible to team members live on the public cloud.
• As needed during peak demand: The private cloud is used for primary data storage, and the public cloud is used as overflow during peak demand.
• For disaster backup: All data is stored on the private cloud while the public cloud stores a backup in case of disaster.

What Is Multi-Cloud?

In a multi-cloud IT setup, an organization uses two or more public clouds (like AWS or Google Cloud) at the same time. A multi-cloud structure gives companies the benefit of each different cloud provider without becoming beholden to a single vendor or limited by their capacities.

A few common ways that organizations utilize a multi-cloud setup include:

• For disaster backup: One cloud is used actively, while the other stores a backup of all data in case of disaster.
• As needed during peak demand: One cloud is used actively, while the other acts as overflow during peak demand.
• According to regulatory compliance: Data is distributed across multiple clouds according to compliance requirements.
• According to capabilities: Data and workload are distributed across each cloud according to its unique capabilities.

Key Differences Between Multi-Cloud vs. Hybrid Cloud

There are a number of key differences between multi-cloud vs. hybrid cloud environments. These include:

• Architecture: A hybrid cloud includes both private and public clouds, while a multi-cloud uses two or more private clouds. In a hybrid cloud setup, information can flow easily between the private and public clouds. In a multi-cloud setup, the clouds are separate entities.
• Use Cases: The primary difference between use cases in hybrid clouds vs. multi-cloud surrounds data privacy. In a hybrid-cloud environment, data can be kept on premises and accessible only by the organization. A multi-cloud, on the other hand, stores all data on a public cloud, potentially posing compliance risks or exposing sensitive data in the case of a cloud breach.
• Complexity: When comparing hybrid vs. multi-cloud, multi-cloud environments tend to be much more complex. Organizations must manage different cloud providers with different APIs, tools, and capabilities. Hybrid clouds tend to be much more straightforward.
• Management tools: Cloud management tools must be selected according to cloud setup. You may find that different management tools offer capabilities for multi-clouds vs. hybrid clouds.
• Cost implications: Hybrid clouds tend to be much more expensive than multi-clouds due to their on-premises requirements. Hybrid clouds require much more infrastructure, including internal IT teams and hardware. Paid space on multi-clouds, on the other hand, can be easily flexed up and down according to needs.
• Security model: In a hybrid cloud environment, organizations are fully responsible for the security of their private cloud. In a multi-cloud environment, both clouds use a shared responsibility model. Cloud providers are responsible for the security of their cloud infrastructure, whereas organizations are responsible for the security of their data.

Pros and Cons of Hybrid Cloud

A hybrid cloud environment offers flexibility and control, but it comes with some challenges. The pros of a hybrid cloud vs. multi-cloud include:

• Flexibility: Hybrid clouds offer the flexibility of both a public and private cloud and the ability to choose between the two.
• Control over data: Hybrid cloud security tends to be much higher than multi-cloud. Organizations can choose what data they want to keep internal only and what they’re comfortable with storing on the cloud.
• Meets compliance requirements: The ability to store information internally only may meet compliance requirements like HIPAA, PCI, and others.

On the other hand, cons posed by hybrid clouds include:

• Integration challenges: Seamlessly integrating an on-prem cloud with a public cloud can be a challenging task.
• High setup costs: Unlike public clouds, private clouds must be built from the ground up. That means purchasing hardware and software and hiring internal IT staff to set up and manage.

Pros and Cons of Multi-Cloud

It can be easier to get set up on a multi-cloud, but they have their downsides, too. Pros of a multi-cloud strategy vs. hybrid cloud include:

• Avoid vendor lock-in: Vendor lock-in occurs when an organization becomes dependent on a specific cloud provider to their own detriment. A multi-cloud strategy allows organizations to remain flexible between multiple vendors.
• Optimize workloads: Organizations can pair the right cloud with the right workload according to each cloud’s unique capabilities.
• Increase resilience: In the event of disaster on one cloud, organizations with multi-cloud infrastructure can easily increase workload on another cloud with little downtime.

Cons associated with multi-cloud systems include:

• More complex management: Each cloud has its own tools, processes, and requirements. Users must master each individual cloud for the infrastructure to work properly.
• Possible higher costs: A hybrid cloud environment may cost much more upfront, but once it’s set up, costs quickly dwindle. Multi-cloud requires continuous payments for the foreseeable future.

How to Decide Between Hybrid Cloud vs. Multi-Cloud

When comparing hybrid vs. multi-cloud, it can be difficult to decide which setup is the best for your organization’s needs. A hybrid cloud may be better for you if you have:

• Legacy systems: If you’re moving from on-premises to cloud computing, a hybrid cloud may present a good in-between that allows you to maintain some of your legacy on-prem systems, while gaining benefits presented by cloud computing.
• Strict data governance needs: A hybrid cloud allows your organization to set and maintain its own rules and regulations surrounding data governance exactly as needed, whereas a multi-cloud will require you to modify your data governance according to their capabilities.
• Highly sensitive workloads: If you’re beholden to regulatory compliance or carry highly sensitive information, a hybrid cloud may offer you the control and security you need to protect that information.

A multi-cloud may be better for your organization if you need:

• Geographic redundancy: If regulatory compliance requires you to store the same information in multiple geographic locations, a multi-cloud can be a cost-effective way to do so.
• Performance optimization: Multi-clouds allow you the benefits and capabilities of several different cloud service providers (CSPs). That means your organization can designate workload on the cloud that’s most capable of handling it.
• Best-in-breed services: Similarly, using multiple CSPs can allow you to cherry-pick capabilities of each according to your needs, rather than being limited by a single CSP.
• Pricing flexibility: Multi-clouds have no upfront costs and allow you to flex spend up and down according to budget limitations. When budgets get tight, you can pull back on any or all of your CSPs.

Can You Use Both?

Hybrid and multi-clouds are not mutually exclusive. In some cases, the best solution for your organization may be something known as a hybrid multi-cloud environment. In this setup, an organization can have both an on-premises cloud environment and multiple integrated public cloud environments. Data can be moved freely between any and all of their clouds.

Conclusion

Depending on the needs of your organization, you may benefit from a hybrid cloud or multi-cloud environment.  In a multi-cloud environment, an organization uses two or more public clouds. A hybrid cloud, on the other hand, involves a private, on-premises cloud and a public cloud, enabling information to flow between the two. In some cases, you may even find that the best setup is a combination of both, known as a hybrid multi-cloud.

No matter your cloud infrastructure, it’s imperative to use comprehensive cloud security. GigaVUE^® Cloud Suite™ and the Gigamon Deep Observability Pipeline give you visibility across your entire cloud infrastructure, so you can detect and stop threats before they can do damage. Contact Gigamon today to learn more.

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