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Businesses nowadays cannot afford to depend solely on one cloud service provider due to the constantly changing digital world. Cloud computing is projected to see a major upsurge with the multicloud strategy, which is revolutionising how businesses use the cloud.

But why is multicloud becoming more and more popular? How does it benefit enterprises? The article will look at the benefits of multicloud computing for enterprise cloud computing and guide how businesses may take full use of it.

Understanding multicloud

A “multicloud” setup is one in which two or more cloud computing services from different providers are used. While the hybrid cloud integrates both public and private clouds, multicloud accesses many public cloud providers. This strategy lowers risk, reduces expenses, and increases flexibility by preventing businesses from depending just on one supplier.

Growing multicloud needs

Because it eliminates vendor lock-in and gives businesses the option to choose top-notch services from several providers, multicloud computing is becoming more and more popular among businesses. According to Flexera’s 2022 research, 89% of organisations have used multicloud computing, illustrating the company’s expanding market share.

Future of multicloud: Key factors

1. Reducing lock-in from vendors

Vendor lock-in has grown to be a significant worry for companies, particularly with single-cloud solutions. Businesses usually face greater expenses and lose flexibility when they become reliant on a single provider for their services. Through multicloud, businesses may move their workloads between platforms without being restricted by a single contract or pricing plan.

2. Enhanced flexibility and agility

By enabling businesses to choose the best services for certain workloads, multicloud enhances overall agility. It is easier for businesses to adapt to changing market conditions since they may select the cloud solution that best meets their needs, whether they are for machine learning, computation, or storage.

3. Enhanced efficiency

Not every cloud service offers the same promises regarding economy, speed, or performance. Multicloud helps enterprises ensure that mission-critical applications run on the most trustworthy and efficient platforms by diversifying their cloud environment.

4. Efficient cost management

One of the main advantages of the multicloud approach is cost optimisation. By spreading workloads across many clouds, companies may benefit from the different pricing approaches of different providers. According to IDC, businesses that use multicloud techniques might save 10% to 20% on their annual cloud expenditures.

5. Better business continuity and risk control

Service outages and security breaches are two risks of depending just on one cloud provider. Multicloud enhances risk management by reducing the chance of total system failure by distributing workloads and data among several providers. Additionally, companies might use one platform for core operations and another for backup services.

Role of security in multicloud

1. Strengthened security measures

Not only does multicloud assist disperse security concerns, but it also diversifies cloud providers. To lower the danger of a major security breach, enterprises can separate different aspects of their operations and choose the cloud services that are the safest for critical data.

2. Better data management

Businesses must exercise careful control over the manner and location of their data storage in order to comply with data privacy rules such as the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP Act). A multicloud approach allows companies to store data in many locations according to the best provider, which helps them comply with local data governance rules.

How enterprises can effectively implement multicloud

1. Careful vendor selection

Choosing the appropriate providers for certain workloads is the first step towards a successful multicloud strategy. Businesses need to evaluate each provider’s advantages and determine how their offerings might work best together.

2. Robust cloud management tools

It takes sophisticated technologies that can offer insight and control across several platforms to manage a multicloud setup. To optimise consumption throughout their cloud ecosystem, track performance, and streamline operations, enterprises should invest in strong cloud management tools.

3. Skill and talent acquisition

Skills and knowledge of several cloud platforms are necessary for a successful multicloud transformation. Employee upskilling and training in cloud computing are crucial for efficiently administering and maximising the advantages of a multicloud approach.

Challenges of multicloud adoption

1. Management complexity

While multicloud offers various benefits, it also increases complexity. It might be difficult to maintain many platforms and guarantee flawless interaction, particularly when working with various cloud architectures.

2. Problems with data integration

Businesses must make sure that information can move seamlessly across various cloud infrastructures. Problems with integration might result in data silos, which lower the multicloud approach’s effectiveness and value.

Cloud computing multicloud makes innovations feasible, including edge computing and AI-powered cloud services. A multicloud approach will be more essential as time goes on as it will facilitate businesses’ integration of new technologies into their daily operations. 

(Ratan Dargan is Co-founder and CTO of ThoughtSol Infotech, a digital infrastructure technology solutions company.)