How do you manage multiple cloud environments in one organisation?

Today's organisations are increasingly using cloud solutions, and the complexity of their IT environments is increasing with the implementation of multi-cloud strategies. However, managing multiple cloud environments in a single organisation can be challenging - it requires the right tools, strategies and skills. How do you effectively oversee such environments to ensure they are efficient, secure and compliant? Let's take a look at best practice.

1. Why do organisations choose a multicloud strategy?

A multicloud strategy involves using more than one cloud platform, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP) or other providers. The main reasons companies choose this approach are:

• Flexibility - being able to choose the best platform for a particular task.
• Reduction of vendor lock-in risk - avoiding dependence on a single provider.
• Cost optimisation - leveraging competitive vendor offerings.
• Improved availability and performance - deploying resources in different regions.

While multicloud offers many benefits, it also involves a greater degree of complexity to manage.

1. Challenges of managing multicloud environments

Each cloud platform has its own unique interfaces, services, governance mechanisms and pricing models. As such, organisations face several key challenges:

• Diversity of tools - the need to master many different management systems.
• Integration complexity - difficulty in synchronising services between platforms.
• Cost management - lack of central oversight of expenditure across multiple clouds.
• Security assurance - different data protection models across clouds.
• Regulatory compliance - maintaining consistency of compliance policies in a multi-vendor environment.

1. Best practice in managing multi-cloud environments

To effectively manage multiple cloud environments, organisations should implement the following strategies:

3.1 Centralise management

One of the key elements of effective management is the use of tools that enable central oversight of all environments. Popular solutions include multicloud management platforms such as:

• HashiCorp Terraform - allows for the automation of infrastructure management across different clouds.
• VMware CloudHealth - enables cost, performance and compliance monitoring across multicloud environments.
• Microsoft Azure Arc - supports resource management in Azure, AWS, GCP and on-premises environments.

3.2 Process automation

Automation is key to reducing errors and increasing efficiency. It is worth focusing on areas such as:

• Resource provisioning - automatic instantiation and scaling of instances.
• Security policy management - automatic enforcement of access and data protection rules.
• Monitoring and alerts - configuration of automated alert systems.

3.3 Cost optimisation

To avoid uncontrolled increases in expenditure, organisations should:

• Monitor resource usage using tools such as AWS Cost Explorer or Google Cloud Billing.
• Regularly review and remove unused resources.
• Negotiate more favourable contracts with cloud providers.

3.4 Standardisation

Creating standardised rules for the management of cloud environments makes them easier to oversee. Standardisation includes:

• Deployment processes for new applications and services.
• Security and backup policies.
• Documentation of procedures for IT teams.

3.5 Security management

Multi-cloud environments require an advanced approach to security, including:

• Use of a Zero Trust model, where every element must be verified.
• Regular auditing and penetration testing.
• Use of identity and access management tools such as Okta or Azure AD.

3.6 Training for IT teams

The IT team should have the knowledge and skills to manage different cloud platforms. Regular training and certification, such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect or Google Cloud Certified, is essential.

1. Tools to support multicloud management

There are many tools on the market to help simplify the management of multiple cloud environments. Worth noting are:

• Kubernetes - for managing containers in multicloud environments.
• Prometheus and Grafana - for monitoring application and infrastructure performance.
• Puppet and Chef - for configuration automation.

1. Benefits of a well-managed multicloud environment

Applying the above practices allows organisations to reap the benefits of multicloud, such as:

• Improved resilience - through vendor diversification.
• Improved application performance - through optimal resource utilisation.
• Increased regulatory compliance - easier to meet regulatory requirements through standardised policies.
• Savings - reduced costs through better management and negotiation with suppliers.

Summary

Managing multiple cloud environments in a single organisation is a task that requires the right approach, tools and competencies. The key to success is centralising management, automating processes, optimising costs and taking care of security. This enables companies to effectively realise the potential of a multi-cloud strategy, minimising risks and maximising benefits.

If your organisation is planning to implement or is already using multicloud, it's worth ensuring you have the support of specialists. Contact us and we will help you manage your cloud environments effectively and securely!