Multi-cloud or polycloud: what's the best strategy for your business?

There's a paradox at the heart of cloud computing. As it becomes simpler and simpler to use, the technology behind it becomes more and more complex. And as it becomes more complex, the language grows more rarefied, too.

Of course, people have always used objects they don't understand the science behind. But an early adopter of the telephone would stand a much better chance of explaining how it works than someone who relies on Google Cloud for collaborative workflows.

All this has a serious consequence for businesses. When they come to explore their cloud options, they're confronted with a veritable jungle of jargon.

This is nowhere more clearly seen than the distinctions made between hybrid cloud, multi-cloud and polycloud environments.

You can see where the confusion comes from. "Hybrid", "multi" and "poly" all mean the same thing, right? Is this just a case of needless complexity? Is the tech industry bent on blinding its customers with science?

Well, there may be a grain of truth to that. But in this case, the differences are real – and they could have a significant effect on your business.

In this article, we focus on the difference between multi-cloud and polycloud environments – two types of cloud architecture that sound the same but are subtly yet importantly different.

Multi-cloud and polycloud: what's the difference?

Imagine you're moving house and need to put your possessions in storage. You decide to spread them between multiple storage units.

You've got two options. You could spread them willy-nilly. One unit has some books, kitchenware and garden tools. Another has more books, your laptop and your collection of rare French lithographs.

Alternatively, you could put all your books in a specialised book storage unit, your electronic devices in a dedicated space, and so on.

The first approach is analogous to a multi-cloud approach. Your data and workloads go wherever there's room.

The second is a polycloud approach. You store your data on Google Cloud, say, but use AWS for AI services.

You might choose a multi-cloud approach for cost efficiency's sake. It doesn't matter where the data goes – the point is to spread it across the most affordable solutions. If one goes under or ceases to fulfil your needs, you can easily switch to another. And because you're likely running the same workloads across multiple clouds, one failure isn't the end of the world.

On the other hand, you might opt for a polycloud approach for specialised support. Cloud X, you decide, is better than cloud Y for one specific purpose.

The disadvantage here is the issue of vendor lock-in. Let's say you choose one cloud platform for your AI services. If you decide that another platform is preferable, you may find it difficult – and expensive – to switch.

Both of these differ from a hybrid cloud. This is a combination of private and public cloud environments. You might have an on-premises data centre for confidential information and a public cloud for your CRM, for instance.

Hybrid clouds tend to be deployed by companies who want the full administrative control of the private cloud and the flexibility and cost-effectiveness of public providers.

You get the picture. The choice between hybrid, multi-cloud and polycloud has to be taken on a case-by-case basis. You may find yourself in a better position to make that decision with external help.

How can a cloud consultant help?

In our view, a cloud consultant can help you choose your cloud infrastructure in two simple ways. They save you time and they save you money.

They do this in a number of ways. First up, working with an experienced cloud consultant gives you affordable access to a dedicated team. Unlike an internal department, the cloud consultant just has one job: to help you achieve your goals.

Secondly, a good cloud consultant is up-to-date with cloud technology. You might think this is a given – but you'd be surprised.