Getting to understand multi-cloud networking can be really tricky. Just like its name “multi-cloud”: multiple clouds. It is the suite of important players in Cloud Service Providers(CPS) like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud which as at Q4 2021, takes up 33%, 21% and 10% of the cloud market share respectively. There are others but these three are the most common.
What is Multi-Cloud?
Multi-cloud is simply the use of more than one cloud service provider. It can include the combination of multiple cloud vendors, multiple cloud accounts, multiple cloud availability zones and multiple cloud regions or premises.
What is Multi-Cloud Networking?
Multi-cloud networking is the connectivity and management of connectivity with multiple clouds thereby enabling a comprehensive cloud computing deployment model prolific in functions.
Multi-cloud networking uses different network virtualization, combination and layer application technology to ensure applications that are being delivered from multiple clouds are accessible to an enterprise end user.
The National Institute of Standard and Technology has defined the different computing deployment model into three:
- Private Cloud: It is provided for unshared use by a sole organization with multiple customers. It can either be owned, managed or operated by the organization or a third-party or even by both the organization and the third-party. It can even be on or off premises.
- Public Cloud: This is provided for the use of the general public. It can either be owned, managed or operated by a government organization, a business, academy or a combination of them all. It has to be on the premises of the cloud provider.
- Hybrid Cloud: This is a composition of two or more cloud infrastructure, be it private or public, which remain unique systems but are joined together by standardized technology which allows data and application portability.
Challenges Of Multi-Cloud Networking
Most companies adopt multi-cloud networking for disaster recovery protection, vendor lock-in avoidance and affordable prices but these advantages can lead to various challenges for them. Multi-cloud networking had to do with two or more cloud providers.
The idea of a multi-cloud environment is to distribute workloads across two or more cloud services so as to reduce risk and minimize downtime. Therefore organizations and their network team should always look into the maturity and portability of their network before they adopt any multi-cloud strategy. Here are some challenges that comes with multi-cloud networking:
- Numerous Languages From Different Service
This has nothing to do with programming languages but the terms that can be different from each service. The use of services and features of any cloud service provider can be different. The Big 3 have different terms and tools for their storage, management tools, etc. The best way to solve this issue is by encouraging the IT members of the organization to take online certificate courses that each of these services provide. This way they are more knowledgeable about how each service works and it even improves their resume with more certificates. - Determining Which Cloud Is Right For Workloads
It is important that workloads have to be in the right cloud environment. But determining which cloud is right or the best for each workload can be difficult. One must consider the availability, scalability, licensing and cost. Failure to consider these things can lead to poor user experience, business interruption and cost overrun. - Different Type Hardware
These cloud service providers use different types of hardware and the need to know if the providers are using the hardware that suits your needs is very important and each hardware has its own nomenclature. These tools may not easily integrate with the on-premises tools already available for the IT team. But each hardware doesn’t really work differently so the organization must make use of the fact that their team has a common knowledge of how each hardware works and the terms that each cloud service provider makes use of. - Overdependence on Security Tools
Security is the major challenge they organizations face when it comes to cloud services most especially at a time like this when there is high breach and attacks in data security. It is important to know that each cloud service provider gives a basic security level and it isn’t what organizations would need to secure their data. Most people think once data is in the cloud, it is safe which is not true. There must be extra security for each cloud service used by any organization. The Big 3 provides top notch network security but individuals or organizations must still protect their data. - Different Backup and Restore Management
One thing to always note is that no matter the high level of security, there is still a chance of breach. It is important to know that it is about whether these data can be compromised but when it is compromised. This is where backup and restore comes in. It serves as a defense Incase there is a breach or Incase the data gets lost. Managing backups and restore across multiple environments can be difficult. But there are services that allow you to monitor and manage your data’s security and backup in a unified manner. So when there is a security breach, the next thing to do is to go back to the most recent backup available so as to minimize the data loss and keep operations running. - Compliance And Certification
Each organization must know who has access to their cloud’s data and where it is located. This has to be in compliance with government privacy regulations like the GDPA or CCPA. These always come with a cost and it can seem difficult with multi-cloud networking but as they say it, paying fees in compliance to these rules is cost-effective than paying fines that comes with breaking these compliance’s.
In conclusion, most organizations get to understand that when these challenges are being properly managed, they come with additional costs apart from what is being paid to the cloud service providers. But the positive side of it is that you would be getting the value of your money. These additional costs are investments made in advance which helps prevent future disasters like data breach or fines from not complying with the government’s rules and regulations which would be extremely costly.