In November 2016, the International Data Corporation released an IDC FutureScape report, which outlined worldwide information technology industry predictions. IDC predicted that by 2020, approximately 67% of IT and software spending would be for cloud-based offerings. The transition will not only support IT but will also support core business operations.

It also predicted that by the end of 2017, more Global 500 companies would have dedicated digital transformation and innovation teams to support the needs of the digital transformation (DX) economy. That means more investment in Software as a service (SaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and infrastructure as a service (IaaS) forms of cloud services associated with cloud-based offerings.

What is the difference between public, private, and hybrid clouds?

• Public — Service providers such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) offer public cloud services. Cloud services — whether SaaS, PaaS, or IaaS — that are available to multiple customers are considered public cloud-based services. Cloud-based applications are deployed in the cloud, and all parts of those applications run in the cloud. Applications can either be built directly in the cloud or migrated to the cloud from existing infrastructures.
• Private — Private clouds, also known as “on-premise,” are applications that deploy resources on-site through virtualization- and resource-management tools. Private clouds are not available to multiple users or corporations; instead, private cloud applications run on each company’s own infrastructure and are available to dedicated, internal users.
• Hybrid — Hybrid clouds use a mixture of public and private cloud services, an option that gives business leaders more flexibility and options for data deployment. Hybrid clouds allow both the cloud and any existing private infrastructures to grow, connecting any cloud-based resources to internal systems.

How does a leader move his or her company’s infrastructure to a hybrid cloud?

If a company leader is interested in moving from an on-premises infrastructure to a hybrid cloud, he or she should hire a full-service global managed service provider (MSP). It is important to partner with an MSP because the provider assumes the ongoing responsibility for 24-hour monitoring, managing, and problem resolution for the company’s IT department, saving IT staff members’ time and allowing them to focus on their objectives.

MSPs often recommend AWS because of its broad set of cloud services available to clients worldwide. In fact, AWS offers more than 90 services, including computing power, database storage, content delivery, and other functions. MSP-managed AWS applications offer company leaders increased flexibility, scalability, and reliability. MSPs can also manage cloud adoption by growing current company infrastructure and maintaining existing processes.