Mixed Cloud Insider: Union is the key to XaaS

The 2nd part of this series introduces in more detail the hybrid cloud as well as the combined cloud, which is also a microcosm of the composition of the cloud.

The hybrid cloud is a key driver of the rapid development of this cloud economy market. In fact, each component, the service (Every Component as a service, XaaS) makes it possible to implement the functionality of the multi-level delivery system. The strength of the hybrid computing model is embodied in attributes such as scalability, scalability, and the manipulation of capital expenditures (CAPEX) and operating expenses (OPEX). The hybrid cloud spawned a wide variety of market models, enabling large and medium-sized businesses to virtualize on-demand services.

Based on hybrid cloud, enterprises can:

The hybrid cloud allows the enterprise to move from a control computer to a control service. The result is increased efficiency and reduced funding. With a properly managed hybrid cloud, users can work on any device anywhere.

Facilitates delivery of ubiquitous equipment

The growing number of networked devices such as smartphones and tablets, coupled with the growing use of cloud-based services, provides a ubiquitous delivery environment that has led many organizations to switch to self-contained devices (Bring Your Own Device, BYOD) mode. BYOD mode allows users to access company resources using their personal devices. This growth has been driven by increased variability and flexibility of work arrangements, telecommuting and increased mobile applications.

BYOD also prompts IT to reassess the technology deployment process. Today's architecture solutions must meet the expectations that users and businesses can work on any device, anytime, anywhere. The adoption of BYOD gives you an opportunity to reduce costs and increase efficiency, so companies are moving quickly to mobile-friendly enterprise services to integrate mobile applications.

Security becomes a major issue when personal devices are used on a corporate network. Currently, it uses a managed desktop paradigm that allows users to centrally manage applications, but this model does not work in BYOD environments. It does not control the decision of which application or game the user installs or maintains on his or her personal device, which poses a significant security risk.

To address this problem, an enterprise application programming interface (API) management is developed that allows secure BYOD mobile access to existing enterprise services. This new technology is a result of rethinking application deployment, which allows organizations to move from management workstations to adapting to new user environments. Because tokens are the core of API access management, they are also necessary components of Enterprise API management. The token management requirements during a handshake are related to the access to the API, enabling the information to be accessed by other APIs to manage the component. Enterprise API Management creates a secure environment for the use of BYOD.

Structural aspects

The network configuration of the mixed cloud is determined by the array of cloud-based applications used. For example, software as a service (Software as a service, SaaS) relies on a private cloud of Web browsers. For infrastructure as a service (infrastructure as a service, IaaS), workloads actually exist in the cloud. This functionality requires the involvement of the virtual machine (VM) identity. The IP and Media Access control (MAC) addresses of the VM are available for identification. Each device within the Ethernet network has a unique MAC address. MAC based address filtering restricts user access to the network.

The Ethernet network architecture is also ideal for hybrid clouds, resulting in better performance, more efficient utilization, and higher levels of availability. Traditional Ethernet architectures are slow and unresponsive because ISL bandwidth is limited to independent logical connections in traditional Ethernet network switches or switching between links (Interswitch links, ISL). Multiple connections are not allowed. Even if you enhance a linked aggregation group (LAG) to allow multiple links between switches, links must be manually configured at each end of the LAG, which limits their flexibility. Within the Ethernet network, the control path replaces the spanning tree Kyoto with link state routing. Furthermore, the data path provides multipath forwarding for such costs.

The hybrid model is completely dependent on the Internet. The composition of the hybrid cloud must provide the best functionality. This approach must notify each aspect of the architecture and design.

Resources

Enterprise data is the basic component of all information processes. It must be properly secured and protected throughout its lifecycle, from design and creation to archiving and deletion. The use of mixed clouds does not change this fundamental axiom. In fact, data lifecycle management is more critical in the cloud because it is more risky to steal, lose, or destroy in a cloud environment than the layer behind the enterprise firewall that you develop.

The hybrid cloud allows you to keep some data in the cloud while maintaining additional data behind the firewall, allowing you to maintain control over data that is too sensitive to entrust to others. Since there is no absolute standard to help you decide whether you should move specific data into the cloud, you must develop sophisticated data management policies to ensure that data is protected before moving any data. The data control within the cloud is to determine what data should be allowed to migrate.

If compliance is considered, the physical location of the data is also critical. Although you may have adequate protection for all data, compliance requirements require your support. Several requirements require documentation of the exact location of the data, and in some cases these requirements require that data be maintained at home. This requirement is a huge challenge for international cloud service providers.

Confidentiality is also critical. What happens if an electronic discovery request is made? Does your cloud service provider simply deliver data? What about Backup? Does your provider properly back up your data? What is the disaster recovery plan? How does the data recover after a natural disaster or any other critical failure? How is your provider's employees: does the provider's recruitment and review process guarantee your data security? Before handing over data control, there are a number of questions you need to answer for your business. For each type of data, you need to evaluate the risks involved in pushing it into the cloud.