How will SMEs benefit from hybrid cloud solutions

15.11.2018 1,552 3

Martin Deshev

The hybrid cloud is a concept which is gaining popularity. It mixes on-premises, private cloud with public cloud solutions to allow companies get the most out of them both.

It’s an interesting concept which allows companies to mix and match solutions and achieve their goals with more flexibility and lower costs. Setting up a hybrid cloud sounds a bit challenging and as such – reserved for the big players. Actually, the hybrid cloud could and would be of benefit to small and medium enterprises as well.

Who is the hybrid cloud for

The short answer is simple – everyone. That being said, each company is different and has different goals, unique structure, processes, etc. So, one solution or set up won’t necessarily work producing the same great results for entity B as it did for entity A. So, it all comes down to planning, choosing the right solutions, being flexible and ready to adapt to the changing environment.

The hybrid cloud in general brings quite a few benefits. Among them are lower costs, pay-as-you-go models, and higher security. It also makes the transition to the cloud easier and faster. For example, you can keep vital data in your on-premises storage, but also apply it to services based on a public cloud. There are a lot of options and most of them can be tailor-made.

One important aspect of the hybrid cloud, though, has nothing to do with the actual technology. It’s about making sure your company and team are open and forward thinking. The hybrid cloud evolves constantly along with the rest of the industry. Sometimes that pace is really quick. This brings changes to traditional models and actions. It often makes some otherwise traditional methods (for example in recovery) inadequate. This means your team has to be always ready to implement these new solutions and be eager for the potential innovations.

Things to keep in mind

Sadly, it’s not all roses and blue skies. Employing a hybrid cloud set up can be tricky. This is why proper planning is very important. Of course, the hybrid cloud means you can change solutions easily, but why lose time and money? Ask yourself what your main goals for your hybrid cloud are. And what problems you want to solve.

For example, your main concerns are having quickly accessible and well secured data. Or maybe you work with lots of people who are on the move or home-based? Evaluating such details will help you better pinpoint the exact hybrid cloud solutions you need.

Then it’s a matter of “shopping around” to find providers which offer these services within your budget. Also, never forget to stay up-to-date with both the needs of the company and the developments of the solutions. Setting up a hybrid cloud is not a one-time effort. You will often have to make additional changes as things progress, change and develop.