Most businesses today realize that they need to be “in the cloud.” But not everyone quite understands what that actually means in practice.
- Should you keep some systems on-premises and move others to the cloud?
- Does everything need to be in one cloud?
- Or spread across several clouds?
These decisions would normally fall on experienced IT leaders. But many small and mid-sized organizations don’t have a full-time CIO guiding their strategy, which makes cloud planning feel overwhelming.
The good news is that you don’t need to be an expert to understand the difference between hybrid cloud and multicloud. From there, it’s much easier to make the right choice for your business.
What is a Hybrid Cloud?
A hybrid cloud environment combines on-premises infrastructure (like your servers or data center) with public or private cloud services.
Instead of going all in on the cloud, this setup is designed so that each environment works together rather than existing as separate islands.
For example, your organization might keep sensitive financial records on a local server. But you also use Microsoft 365 or Azure for email, file sharing, and backups.
Both environments work together and serve a purpose, but not everything is in the same place.
Hybrid Cloud Benefits
- Greater control over sensitive data
- Easier transition to the cloud
- Leverages existing infrastructure and investments
- Supports industry-specific compliance requirements
Tradeoffs to Be Aware Of
- More complex to manage (two environments)
- On-premises systems typically require more maintenance
- Requires strong integration between both systems
- Security must be managed across both environments
What is Multicloud?
Multicloud means you’re using multiple cloud providers at the same time.
Instead of just relying on one vendor, you might use Microsoft Azure for infrastructure, AWS for data analytics, and Google Cloud for specific applications or tools.
There’s no on-premises requirement here. You just have multiple cloud ecosystems working parallel to each other.
Advantages of Multicloud
- You’re not locked into a single vendor
- Access to the best tools offered by different providers
- Improved redundancy and uptime
- Flexibility to scale across platforms
Potential Drawbacks to Consider
- More complex architecture
- Harder to manage billing, costs, and oversight
- Security and compliance can become fragmented
- Deeper technical expertise is required
Can You Use Hybrid Cloud and Multicloud Together?
Yes, and many organizations do. Hybrid cloud and multicloud are not mutually exclusive. You can use both, and it’s called a hybrid multicloud environment.
This is particularly common for businesses that were initially set up with on-premises IT infrastructure and then slowly moved to the cloud.
If you keep critical system files on-premises, use Azure for productivity tools and AWS for backups, you have hybrid multicloud.
Hybrid multiclouds are essentially the same as hybrid clouds, except more than one cloud provider is used. The approach gives you maximum flexibility but it also adds complexity, which is why it usually requires experienced oversight.
How to Determine the Best Cloud Setup For Your Business
Neither model is universally better than the other. For most businesses, either of these cloud setups can work.
This is equally a business decision as it is a technical decision, and the right approach here depends on:
- Budget
- Risk tolerance
- Compliance requirements
- Internal IT capabilities
- Long-term growth plans
What you need to understand is that it’s not like you’re just picking one and being done with the decision. You still need to design and manage your cloud environment correctly and ensure everything aligns with your goals.
That said, there are certain instances where you’ll want to lean in one direction over the other. We’ll cover those scenarios below.
When it Makes Sense to a Use Hybrid Cloud
- You’re already deeply entrenched in on-premises infrastructure.
- Moving everything to the cloud at once is too daunting or unrealistic.
- You have sensitive data that can’t or shouldn’t move the cloud.
- You’re in a highly regulated industry (education, healthcare, government).
For most SMBs, hybrid cloud is the most realistic starting point. It’s also better if your internal IT team is limited, as it’s a more manageable transition for them.
When it Makes Sense to Use Multicloud
- You don’t want to over-rely on a single cloud vendor.
- Different teams or applications are genuinely better served by different platforms.
- You’re outgrowing the capabilities of your current cloud provider.
- You have the resources (or partner) to manage the added complexity.
Multicloud is typically a better fit for more mature IT strategies. You’re growing fast and need flexibility, and also have the resources (internally or through an MSP) to handle added burdens.
Having the Right IT Partner Makes This Easier
Big decisions about cloud architecture, vendor selection, environment integration, and data protection strategies are exactly the kind of thing that the Chief Information Officer owns in a large enterprise. They have the technical knowledge to evaluate tradeoffs and the organizational oversight to enforce standards consistently across teams.
But small and mid-sized businesses don’t have that resource. Yet they’re faced with the same decisions that are critical to their organization’s success.
That’s where working with the right managed IT provider can make the real difference.
Here at Balsam Technologies, we can help you decide what cloud environment makes the most sense for your unique situation and ensure everything gets deployed properly. Whether it’s a hybrid cloud, multicloud, or hybrid multicloud, we have the experience and technology to support whatever you need.
You get the strategic assessment, technical implementation, and ongoing management under one roof. Once you’re set up in the cloud of your choosing, we can also secure your systems, back up your data, and monitor everything to ensure everything runs smoothly. All for a fraction of the cost of what it would take to do this in-house.
Ready to figure out which cloud strategy makes sense for your business? Contact us today for a free consultation.
