roadmap to multicloud success: why architecture matters€¦ · overview application and workload...

Roadmap to Multicloud Success: Why Architecture Matters

Connect with us today. 1.800.268.7638 | www.softchoice.com

Overview

Application and Workload Assessment

Cloud Management

01

02

04

Table of Contents

Roadmap to Multicloud Success: Why Architecture Matters

Multicloud Networking

IT Resilience

Application Portability

06

07

08


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OverviewA multicloud strategy allows an IT organization to choose best-in-class cloud

computing services from multiple vendors and harness the distinct power of each

one. Whether using the extensive service selection in AWS, leveraging Microsoft Azure

to support Office 365 or working with machine learning in Google Cloud, a multicloud

deployment delivers the best of all worlds.

However, without the right architecture in place, it can be difficult to control

costs, maintain resiliency and respond to changing requirements in a multicloud

environment. Issues like vendor lock-in and poor app portability can also emerge

and cut into the bottom line. To avoid these problems, a successful multicloud

implementation requires secure and reliable underpinnings in five major areas:

1. Application and workload assessment

2. Cloud management

3. Multicloud networking

4. IT resilience

5. Application portability

In this eBook, we’ll examine the essential components

of an effective multicloud deployment.

1 Connect with us today. 1.800.268.7638 | www.softchoice.comRoadmap to Multicloud Success: Why Architecture Matters





1. Application and Workload AssessmentWhere should a workload be placed in a multicloud environment—if it goes to the cloud at

all—for the best possible performance and governance? It’s important to have a consistent

process for making such decisions. In particular, this due diligence should pay particular

attention to the following characteristics of each workload:

Utilization and PerformanceHow the workload utilizes underlying resources and the demands it makes of them will

help determine its optimal placement. For example, a workload that needs constant, high

disk input/output (I/O) and network throughput for acceptable performance might not be

ideal in a public cloud. Meanwhile, one with highly variable levels of demand would make

sense in the public cloud context.

Dependency GroupingsMost workloads have upstream and/or downstream dependencies. For example, a

workload may rely on a specific database or piece of infrastructure. Before moving any

workload to the cloud, it’s critical to identify these connections and formulate a migration

plan that won’t disrupt key technical or business functions.

2 Roadmap to Multicloud Success: Why Architecture Matters Connect with us today. 1.800.268.7638 | www.softchoice.com





Rightsizing RequirementsToo often, cloud workloads aren’t matched to the infrastructure supporting

them. The results are cost overruns and performance bottlenecks. Rightsizing

ensures that virtual machines (VMs) have the resources needed for reliable

performance, but aren’t overprovisioned and thereby wasting resources.

Cloud Operating CostsPublic cloud workloads follow an operating expenditure (OpEx) model, rather

than the capital expenditure (CapEx) cost structure typical of on-premises

IT. An OpEx model means the customer pays only for what they consume for

scaling cloud capacity as business requirements evolve. Still, this approach

requires real accountability and governance beyond limited provider tools to

control the provisioning, configuration and decommissioning of workloads.

Addressing all of these aspects of workload assessment will result in a

smoother cloud migration. Afterward, setting up comprehensive cloud

management will enable more effective oversight and control of these

workloads across any cloud or server.






2. Cloud ManagementManaging a multicloud environment can seem complex and overwhelming. But

modern tools and services make life simpler for those adopting a multicloud

approach, thanks to their advanced capabilities in each of the most important

dimensions of multicloud management, including:

Automation and Self-ServiceA cloud management platform can automate a broad spectrum of activities. These

might include discovering cloud resources and how they were provisioned, acting on

underutilized or idle instances, performing failovers, running reports, implementing

governance and security controls.

Such automation reduces errors and improves security while accelerating decision-

making and agility. Self-service functionality also makes the process of provisioning

resources more straightforward for authorized end users. In many cases, there are

templates available preset to meet particular requirements.

Connect with us today. 1.800.268.7638 | www.softchoice.com4 Roadmap to Multicloud Success: Why Architecture Matters





Orchestration An orchestration engine takes automation further by enumerating and combining all

resources, instance types, permissions and interconnections necessary for making API

calls to cloud services into a workflow. Moreover, it provides automated capabilities

for scalable performance monitoring, patch management, backups and escalation of

technical issues across multiple cloud servers and services.

GovernanceWithout proper governance, multicloud environments become expensive and risky

to maintain. Effective cloud governance requires clear and agreed-upon controls

for who can access and operate each system, how assets are protected against

misconfigurations and other security liabilities and any regulations affecting cloud.

Cloud management platforms can monitor and automate deployment and update

governance policies to keep everyone in sync, even within siloed organizations.

Visibility Into Workloads and CostsIt’s important to achieve unified visibility into all resources across public and private

clouds with a single view that reveals each resource’s characteristics and grouping.

Such comprehensive and granular insight fuels more informed decisions and better

management across all environments, resulting in less budgetary waste and fewer

issues with performance and security.






3. Multicloud NetworkingMulticloud only pays dividends if reliable and scalable data center networks deliver

applications and services across different environments in a consistent way. There are several

technologies that can enable this level of consistency:

SDN

Software-defined networking (SDN) facilitates simple, consolidated network configurations in

software, rather than through physical switches. As such, it’s possible to provision thousands

of networks at once and manage them through a self-service interface. SDN also helps with

hybrid cloud deployments by allowing for improved workload mobility and support for the

networking services associated with specific applications.

SD-WANA software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) lets real-time and TCP applications take an optimal

path through the WAN based on current conditions and policies. It also streamlines branch

office setup and management and reduces reliance on expensive MPLS connectivity via

compatibility with lower-cost network transport such as broadband.

In addition to offering more consistent performance and scalability, these multicloud

networking solutions must also meet a new, higher bar for security. Conventional perimeter-

focused security is no longer enough to fully protect the complex workloads moving through

hybrid and multicloud environments. Any multicloud strategy must include measures for

backup, disaster recovery, network segmentation and overall resilience.






4. IT Resilience

Hybrid and multicloud deployments put pressure on traditional net-

work designs, which were built with proprietary hardware and proto-

cols as well as manual security update processes in mind. Incorporating

SDN and SD-WAN is a start, but other security practices and models are

necessary for aligning a multicloud environment’s defenses against the

most common threats to it.

Backup, DR and High AvailabilityCloud-native hypervisors permit more streamlined workflows for these

tasks. A cloud platform may provide backup and DR that meet recov-

ery-time objectives for all major IT systems involved without requiring

expensive secondary infrastructure. Availability zones also give cloud

customers options for placing their most critical workloads in environ-

ments with the strictest SLAs and highest uptime.

Shared ResponsibilityCloud security is a collaborative process. Both the vendor and the

customer bear responsibility for certain functions, which vary based

on the type of service (SaaS, PaaS, or IaaS) in use. For example, the cus-

tomers is always responsible for its client endpoints while the cloud

provider is always entrusted with physical data center management. But

the party who handles operating systems and identity infrastructure will

depend on the service type.

Workload Security Creating least privilege environments, around end-user access as well as at

the network level (e.g., microsegmentation) and throughout the compute

stack, is essential to reducing the attack surface of cloud workloads and

creating more context about them. This approach helps keep sophisticat-

ed threats such aske targeted attacks and ransomware at bay.






5. Application PortabilityContainerization technologies allow for increased application portability,

which helps avoid vendor lock-in and boost operational flexibility. They also

offer substantial advantages over VMs in some respects, including lower

overhead due to multiple workloads running on the same OS instance.

Combining containers with the other four necessary components of a

multicloud strategy will lead to more successful deployments that deliver

benefits across agility, cost control, scalability, and access to the best

features of each cloud platform.

Ready to Master Multicloud?

Softchoice can provide the expertise and experience to guide your

organization in the implementation of each of these five pillars of

multicloud success. Contact us to learn more.






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