Cloud computing has transformed how we work, but it can be limiting to rely on a single cloud solution. The most forward-thinking startups are adopting multiple clouds to make their business more flexible and innovative.
Cloud technology has become a cornerstone of modern business infrastructure. It’s fast, secure and cost effective, and allows startups to quickly scale resources up or down to meet demand.
However, a single cloud platform can be restrictive as your startup grows. It’s risky to be locked into one vendor because you’re more exposed if they raise prices, change their product offering or if their systems go down.
You can also become overly dependent on the vendor, which makes it hard to replace your cloud platform if it’s no longer meeting your needs. Settling for an inefficient technology set-up can impact your startup’s flexibility and, ultimately, create roadblocks to innovation.
A better option for the long term is to use multiple clouds (known as multi-cloud) across your startup. With multi-cloud, you’ll use services from more than one cloud provider at the same time, allowing you to create a mix of public and private cloud environments.
While larger companies often use multi-cloud, there are plenty of benefits for startups that shouldn’t be overlooked. Bringing in multiple clouds at an earlier stage will help you to unlock new efficiencies and build a more resilient, agile business for the future.
Multi-cloud can be daunting for founders who don’t have the time to continually switch up technology. But it’s crucial to think about your future strategy and growth – getting the right infrastructure in place will lead to time-saving efficiencies in the long term.
One of the main goals of multi-cloud is to increase your flexibility so that you can streamline your operations for each area of your business. Rather than using a one-size-fits-all solution, you can utilize the best features of each system to improve specific workloads.
You might use one cloud solution for its speed and another for its robust security protocols and governance features. The idea is that you don’t have to sacrifice your requirements to find an all-round solution – you’re matching the best cloud service to your specific business need.
As your business grows and your operations become more complex, you’ll likely find that you need a more customizable cloud solution. That’s where private clouds come in, which are built solely for your company’s requirements and give you even greater flexibility and control over your cloud environment.
If you want to explore this option for your business, look for fully managed solutions. With these solutions, your cloud infrastructure and security is fully managed by IT experts, so you don’t need to worry about having in-house tech expertise.
If you want to be more innovative, multi-cloud can provide a strong base for your efforts. By accessing best-in-class capabilities in each area of your business, you’ll create more dynamic, agile systems.
Improving your efficiency not only frees up time to test innovative ideas, but simplifies how you roll them out. Rather than trying to stretch the capabilities of one cloud, you can use the best solution for the task, whether you’re looking for speed, reliability or security. It’s a powerful way to keep your momentum and create a competitive advantage.
Using multi-cloud also gives you access to new technology as it emerges. You won’t be limited to the features of just one provider, so you can tap into cutting-edge innovations across the sector. These innovations can be used to develop your own offering and stay ahead of the curve.
If you want multi-cloud to optimize your startup’s systems and build resilience, it’s vital to be intentional with your strategy. The aim is to simplify your startup’s tech environment by choosing the best service for each application, but it goes without saying that it can easily become complicated. A haphazard approach can result in a fragmented infrastructure and data silos, where information becomes isolated and hard to access.
Think carefully about your multi-cloud strategy and the benefits it could bring to your business:
What are the restrictions with your current cloud set-up?
How could you better tailor your cloud infrastructure to your needs?
What specific features could support greater innovation?
How will your startup grow in the next five years and what capabilities will you need?
Mapping out your needs first will help you to choose the combination of cloud solutions that helps your business become more agile, secure and ready for its next stage of growth.