Build the Right Hybrid Cloud for your Business

I have been working with companies on their IT strategies long enough to remember the calls to “get out of the data center game.” Not that long ago, many were convinced that a pure public cloud model would win out. Now, even hyperscalers are embracing the hybrid cloud by launching cloud appliances designed to run in their customers’ data centers.

This makes sense when you consider the forces pushing companies to the hybrid cloud. The “three laws of the cloud” that VMware CEO Pat Gelsinger articulated – the laws of the physics, laws of economics, and laws of the land – have driven companies to keep a substantial portion of IT on-premises. Hyperscalers, realizing this, now view the data center as the next frontier for winning share.

Essentially, the focus of debate has evolved from “should you have a hybrid cloud?” into deeper and more interesting territory. Now, the real questions are “where should you place your workloads?” and “what infrastructure should you trust to support your essential data and applications?”

Let’s examine that last question. Here are some principles to apply when evaluating hybrid cloud infrastructure.

Avoid one-size-fits-all solutions

When it comes to your private cloud, details definitely matter. Be sure to get the full picture when evaluating your infrastructure choices.

Be aware that one-size-fits-all solutions in the industry are architected differently from traditional data center solutions. For example, in the case of hyperscalers, resiliency is built into the software layer so apps keep working regardless of failing servers. While this works in hyperscale environments, the messy reality is many of your apps aren’t architected that way. Taking existing, one-size-fits-all hyperscale technology and software, packaging it up and establishing a presence within your data center is very different from crafting a solution to meet your specific app requirements.

The cloud appliance model is certainly a compelling vision for the hyperscalers. They can take existing technology and software, package it up, and establish a presence within their customers’ data centers. They can capture more data, more workloads. This does not, of course, mean that these appliances will meet your needs.

In the public cloud, hyperscalers have taken a generic, one-size-fits-all approach. The path to value in the data center, however, has always been to customize deeply to meet specific requirements. The two challenges are worlds apart. Ultimately, hyperscalers are unable to provide the adaptation and flexibility that is often critical to getting performance and results.

Prioritize choice and control

Companies are already challenged to orchestrate their complex infrastructure. When cloud appliance offerings force them to give up flexibility and oversight, they make it harder to design and run an effective hybrid cloud. You need more control and choice, not less.

The Dell Technologies Cloud (DTC) offers you the freedom to choose the right mix of private, public cloud, and edge cloud for your business. You can also extend your hybrid cloud to a broad spectrum of 4200 cloud providers, including all the leading hyperscalers. Our cloud supports containerization, including Kubernetes, as well as deep support for virtualization so your developers can use the model that’s right for them.

We also understand the need for consumption models that meet your business needs. With Dell Technologies Cloud, you can choose between on-demand subscription and pay-outright models or a combination of both. You can choose the level of flexibility you require, choosing between a fully-managed, hands-off operating model or one in which you maintain full control of your infrastructure.

Discover what you can do with the Dell Technologies Cloud

If you are like most companies, you need to strengthen your edge computing capabilities and find ways to manage more distributed data centers. You need to simplify, protect, and optimize your data and infrastructure. You need help automating management challenges like backups, disaster recovery, and compliance while ensuring consistent security profiles across workloads.

That is what Dell Technologies delivers, including advanced HCI platforms, proven validated designs, and deep integration with VMware. Our portfolio of connected solutions makes it easy and simple to create a hybrid cloud that is secure, automated, and simple to manage. We offer the most complete set of infrastructure choices, including support for PowerMax and Dell EMC UnityXT, enabling you to build and scale your compute network in a way that makes sense for your business.

With Dell EMC and the Dell Technologies Cloud, you get the reliability and performance you need, without sacrificing the ease of use and simplicity that attracted you to the cloud in the first place. If you want to see what the future looks like, take Dell Technologies Cloud for a spin today.