More enterprises are implementing hybrid cloud management platforms as they diversify their IT environments to overcome the limits of relying solely on public clouds, according to a new research report published by Information Services Group (ISG).
The 2024 ISG Provider Lens™ global Private/Hybrid Cloud — Data Center Solutions report finds that organizations want the flexibility, scalability and agility of cloud computing while addressing their unique operational, regulatory and security challenges. In many cases, intelligently planned hybrid cloud platforms help them control expenses, data residency and compliance.
"Companies that are worried about the economy want to get more out of their IT investments," said Anay Nawathe, ISG cloud delivery lead. "With strong management, private and hybrid cloud infrastructures can maximize operational efficiency and financial resilience."
Along with these benefits, hybrid clouds bring more complexity, especially with the need for resource coordination across platforms and smooth data flow between on-premises and cloud infrastructure, ISG says. This requires specialized tools and skills, so enterprises are implementing hybrid cloud management platforms that let them get the most out of each cloud environment and minimize performance bottlenecks.
Organizations are also under pressure to make IT infrastructure more resilient, increasing the demand for backup and disaster recovery platforms, the report says. These create copies of critical data and systems so operations can quickly resume after a cyberattack or natural disaster. Scalable, secure and cost-effective resiliency solutions are becoming as crucial as primary on-premises and public cloud infrastructure.
AI and ML play growing roles in both cloud management and resilience platforms, ISG says. Companies are embracing AI and ML cloud management tools that use data from various sources to predict downtime and initiate self-healing tools, enhancing reliability. Such technologies are also being used to automate backup and recovery platforms, some of which use algorithms to identify and respond to anomalies or threats in real time.
"Faster response and recovery to a disruption minimizes any loss of revenue and productivity, while at the same time improving customer satisfaction," said Jan Erik Aase, partner and global leader, ISG Provider Lens Research. "Vendors are helping enterprises achieve these gains through AI and automation."
Companies are also tightening control over data in both cloud management and resilience platforms using privacy-enhancing features, the report says. These include access controls and encryption key management that allow them to define and enforce granular access policies.
