What is a Multi-Cloud Solution? 

A multi-cloud solution involves a company deploying products or services from more than one public CSP. The concept of multi-cloud is often confused with the hybrid cloud model, but they are very different. A hybrid cloud is built with public and private cloud components. Multi-cloud solutions only employ offerings from public cloud vendors. 

In a multi-cloud environment, an organization centrally manages specific products and services chosen from pubic CSPs. The ability to choose the best offerings from multiple options results in more effective solutions to address business objectives. 

Advantages of a Multi-Cloud Approach 

Companies adopting a multi-cloud strategy stand to enjoy benefits not possible when limiting themselves to a single CSP. The ability to select specific products from multiple vendors provides a company with the following benefits. 

• Access to cutting-edge technology - Competition is fierce between CSPs intent on developing new technologies. A multi-cloud approach provides companies with the opportunity to implement the latest and greatest developments from any vendor. 

• Enhanced business agility - Changing business trends can often be more effectively addressed by working with multiple CSPs. A dynamic environment can adopt targeted solutions that meet distinct business objectives. 

• Increased resiliency - A multi-cloud approach separates applications and infrastructure components in the data centers of several vendors. This results in increased resiliency and protects a business if one vendor experiences serious problems. 

• Improved customer experience - Meeting customer trends and exceptions is essential in competitive businesses. The multi-cloud mindset allows decision-makers to deploy solutions that improve the customer experience and grow the business. 

• Cost savings - Organizations can evaluate offerings of multiple CSPs and select the most cost-efficient solutions. Similar products or services can be priced very differently and provide substantial financial savings. 

Challenges of a Multi-Cloud Approach 

Organizations implementing a multi-cloud environment face several challenges. Navigating these difficulties efficiently is necessary to achieve the potential benefits. 

• There is increased complexity involved with managing services and licensing from multiple vendors.
• Security vulnerabilities can be introduced by spreading data across multiple infrastructures.
• It may be difficult to integrate products from multiple vendors to produce the desired results for the business.  

The Bottom Line 

Today’s competitive business landscape demands creative thinking throughout an organization. The decisions made when selecting and implementing information technology (IT) solutions can make a huge difference in a company’s ability to compete.  

A multi-cloud approach provides the agility and access to technology a business needs to thrive. While it may present a few challenges, the benefits of a multi-cloud computing environment make it an attractive option for companies attempting to extract the maximum value from the diverse offerings of public CSPs.