Hybrid Cloud Data Warehouses seem to be the way the wind is blowing. According to Enterprise Strategy Group, the number of organizations committed to or interested in a hybrid cloud strategy has increased from 81% in 2017 to 93% in 2020. There are many definitions of a hybrid cloud, so here is my preferred explanation from Deloitte:
“Hybrid cloud is cloud your way. It’s integrating information systems—from on-premises core systems to private cloud, public cloud, and edge environments—to maximize your IT capabilities and achieve better business outcomes. It’s designing, building, and accelerating your possible.”
ITechnology News: Distributed Kubernetes Agent Tames Day 2 Operational Complexity
Why Choose a Hybrid Cloud Data Warehouse Model?
On-premise and public cloud data warehouse deployments play an equally important role in a hybrid cloud strategy. Enterprise Strategy Group found that 89% of organizations still expect to have a meaningful on-premise footprint in three years. Gartner predicts that public cloud services will be essential for 90% of data and analytics innovation by 2022.
Organizations are adopting hybrid cloud and combining the right mix of locations to meet their needs. The agility with which you can build out and modify services, the potential to scale almost infinitely, enhanced business continuity, and avoidance of capital expenditures continue to accelerate the adoption of public cloud data warehouses. Likewise, on-premise data warehouses in your own data center fulfill specific needs:
- Data gravity: Data can be hard to move to public clouds when there is too much to work with and/or there are interdependencies.
- More control over governance and regulatory compliance: On-premise offers the ability to know where and under what geographic, or other restrictions, your data is operating.
- More control over the deployment infrastructure: Allows for the use of hardware, operating systems, databases, applications, and tools already on-hand.
- Avoiding high operational expenditure (OpEx): Consumption-based pricing models in public clouds can lead to high OpEx with frequent usage – particularly if that data is fluid, moving between public clouds and on-premise locations.
ITechnology News: Working to Build a Better Connected, More Intelligent Ecosystem in South Africa
Key Requirements to Drive Better Business Outcomes
To get the benefits of a hybrid cloud data warehouse, you’ll need the right solution to drive better business outcomes while using fewer resources. To begin, you’ll need a single solution that supports both public and on-premise deployments. Without the same data and integration services, the same data model, the same identity, and the same security and management, you will be left with two siloed deployments. These requirements are important for the following reasons:
-
Same Data Services
It is essential to ensure that your data warehouse supports the same data services for public and on-premise cloud data warehouses. Without this ability, you will face issues around data redundancy, data consistency, duplication of effort and resources (human and technical), increased costs, and the inability to provide seamless access across hybrid environments.
-
Same Data Model
A data model determines how data is organized, stored, processed, and presented. Mapping these requirements in one data model for the data warehouse eliminates incongruencies across source systems. It also strengthens data governance by ensuring data is created and maintained in accordance with company standards, policies, and business rules. Additionally, as data is transformed, it maintains adherence to data definitions and integrity constraints defined in the data model.
-
Same Identity Authentication
Your users should be able to log in to on-premises and cloud data warehouses using the same login ID and password. Data warehouse support for single sign-on helps eliminate password fatigue for users and, more importantly, it can help to ensure that your organization’s identity policies are extended to protect both data warehouse locations.
-
Same Security and Management Services
Shared security services are also critical for hybrid cloud data warehouses. You will need integrated security services across both on-premise and public cloud data warehouses to achieve a strong and consistent security posture across these environments.
ITechnology Updates: Provance releases a New ITSM Power App ServiceTeam ITSM Professional
Furthermore, shared services for management tasks have clear advantages in terms of cost, control, and simplicity:
- Requires a fewer staff to develop, maintain and monitor all the moving parts across hybrid deployments
- This leads to improved controls through consistent upgrades, patches, and backups
- Allows for simplified metering and licensing across hybrid clouds
So, What Now in Hybrid Cloud Data Warehouse Industry?
As businesses increasingly rely on a hybrid cloud strategy, it is vital for IT teams to implement data warehouses technologies that meet their specific needs. If you’re part of the 93% interested in a hybrid cloud strategy, look for a single solution that offers congruous integration, data models, and security management across public and on-premise deployments. Better business outcomes begin with identifying where your data might already be siloed, examining your solution options, and applying these criteria in your selection process. Once you’ve found the best option for your business, you’ll be able to increase data warehouse capabilities with confidence and set yourself up for future success.
[To share your insights with us, please write to sghosh@martechseries.com]
