Objectives
- Define hybrid cloud and distinguish it from public and private models.
- Understand the core business and technical drivers for adopting hybrid cloud.
- Identify the fundamental components of a hybrid environment.
1. Defining Hybrid Cloud
Hybrid cloud computing is an integrated environment that combines public cloud services with on-premises infrastructure (private cloud).
- Public Cloud: Resources provided by third-party vendors (e.g., Google Cloud, Azure) over the public internet.
- Private Cloud: Computing resources used exclusively by one business or organization.
- Integration: The key to hybrid cloud is the orchestration, management, and data portability between these environments.
2. Business Drivers & Benefits
- Flexibility: Run workloads in the most appropriate environment based on specific needs.
- Cost Efficiency: Use the public cloud for "bursting" instead of over-provisioning on-premises hardware.
- Scalability: Leverage the near-infinite resources of the public cloud during peak demands.
- Compliance: Keep sensitive data on-premises to meet regulatory requirements while using the public cloud for processing.
- Business Continuity: Implement seamless backup and disaster recovery solutions across environments.
3. Key Concepts
- Interoperability: The ability of different systems to work together.
- Workload Portability: Moving applications and data between clouds without major redesign.
- Centralized Management: Using a single platform to gain visibility over both on-premises and cloud resources.
Practical Exercise: Cloud Model Comparison
- Create a matrix comparing Public, Private, and Hybrid cloud models.
- For each model, list 3 pros and 3 cons based on cost, control, and agility.
- Identify a scenario where Hybrid Cloud is the only viable option.