Why use a hybrid cloud?
Cloud computing gets a lot of attention, and for good reason: it’s where much of IT is going.
But on-premises datacenters also have an important role to play, both today and in the future.
For many organizations, integrating these two to create a hybrid cloud is essential.
Microsoft understands this reality.
To help you achieve it, we offer a broad range of cloud and on-premises technologies that work together in a coherent way.
And unlike our competitors, we provide the flexibility to let you choose the path that’s right for you. We’re committed to providing a consistent hybrid cloud that supports the approach you pick.
What exactly is a hybrid cloud?
While getting everyone to agree on a definition isn’t easy, there are some obvious requirements.
For example, you need a way to connect your on-premises datacenters with the cloud, a problem Microsoft solves with Azure Virtual Networks, Azure ExpressRoute, and more.
But basic connectivity isn’t enough; a hybrid cloud should go beyond this, providing a complete set of consistent services.
Microsoft believes that a true hybrid cloud must provide four components, each of which brings significant benefits. They are the following:
Taken together, these four requirements provide consistent experiences for developers, data professionals, IT managers, and users.
Figure 1 summarizes this, showing example Microsoft technologies for each one.