Multicloud architecture refers to a cloud computing strategy that uses multiple cloud services from different providers to meet other requirements and needs. It allows companies to control where their data, apps and workloads are hosted.

Multicloud can improve availability, redundancy, and performance by allowing enterprises to distribute workloads among providers. Organisations can switch between service providers based on their offerings.

Multi cloud architectures allow companies to mix and match storage, network, and analytics resources from multiple providers rather than relying on one provider for all their help.

Why would you use multi-cloud environments?

Multicloud environments are an excellent option for many reasons. Cloud computing has revolutionised business practices, allowing access to computing power previously only available in large data centres or owned by large corporations.

However, to fully take advantage of the cloud's potential, companies need an infrastructure strategy that covers all aspects of IT, including storage, backup, and network capacity.

The multi-cloud strategy increases availability and resilience by distributing workloads across multiple cloud providers. It can improve performance by allowing businesses to select the best provider for each workload or task within that workload.

Multicloud also offers more options regarding features, licensing models, and migration strategies when an organisation considers its needs over time. You also have more control over how infrastructure and applications are implemented, ultimately making you more cost-effective and more efficient.

What is the fundamental pattern of multi-cloud architecture?

Multicloud network architectures can improve availability, redundancy, performance, and security. Multicloud architecture patterns are split between redundant and distributed deployments.

Distributed deployment patterns

Distributed deployment architectures spread workloads across multiple providers to improve availability, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. These patterns can be beneficial when using a cloud provider’s feature or capability.

Distributed deployment patterns include

• Tiered Hybrid: This tiering typically consists of both front-end and back-end apps.
• Partitioned multi-cloud pattern: This allows users to move workloads around as necessary and maintains portability.
• Cloud Analytics Model: This pattern places analytical tasks on the cloud and returns data as required.
• Edge hybrid: This design solves connectivity problems by performing time- and business-critical tasks at the network edge while leveraging the cloud to support other workloads.

Redundant deployment patterns

Redundant deployments provide fault tolerance by running multiple copies of the system simultaneously; redundant deployments offer fault tolerance. Users can also set up redundant deployment with automatic failover to move one instance to a backup role if the primary instance is unavailable.

Furthermore, deployment across multiple regions provides resilience in the event of a disaster striking one part and proximity to resources.

Redundant deployment patterns include

• ActiveActive: This application is hosted on multiple cloud providers in active-active multi-cloud. To manage traffic, each application would be equipped with a load balancer.
• Active-Passive This alternative cloud provider is used in the event of a server crash or service interruption. It could fail a backup server at predetermined traffic triggers. Traffic is sent to the secondary provider instead of the central server.
• Public-Private: This architecture can host public and private cloud servers. Private clouds are often equipped with firewalls and greater security to restrict access to the information that is required to be shared with them.

What are the types of multi-cloud architectures?
 

• Cloudification

This architecture allows application components to be hosted on-premises and continue functioning as before migration to a cloud. Cloudification will enable applications hosted on-premises to use cloud services from other cloud platforms to improve performance and elasticity.

• Multicloud relocation

This architecture allows companies to transfer data and applications to various cloud providers depending on their requirements. It has been done for multiple reasons, including cost savings, performance improvement, or taking advantage of new features.

Multicloud relocation allows an application on-premises to be moved to the cloud and configured to use a different service provider.

• Multicloud refactor

Multicloud refactoring is a way to make the most of multiple clouds' cloud bursting, high availability, and failover capabilities. To do this, applications must be re-architected to be deployed in multi-cloud environments. Multicloud relocation may allow applications to be deployed on multiple platforms without modification.

Multicloud refactoring will mean that applications are redesigned to work in different environments. Individual components are then scaled separately. You can quickly provision high-usage components independently from low-usage ones.

• Multicloud rebinding

Multicloud rebinding can also include re-architecting software to migrate to a multi-cloud architecture. Multicloud rebinding is a way to create fault-tolerant, highly available systems. It can increase performance by spreading workloads across multiple clouds.

This architecture is split between cloud resources and on-premises components. Some components are kept on-premises, while others are moved to the cloud.

• Multicloud rebinding and cloud brokerage

A cloud brokerage service can help connect multiple cloud services in a multi-cloud rebinding scenario. This architecture allows an application re-architected to be partially deployed on multi-cloud infrastructure. It improves availability by eliminating any single point of failure for any application.

• Modernisation of multi-applications

Multi-application modernisation involves re-architecting multiple apps to create a portfolio and then deploying them in a multi-cloud architecture. It is different from merely rearchitecting one application for multi-cloud deployment.

Multicloud architecture has many benefits.

Multicloud architecture has many benefits. Multicloud architecture allows enterprises to use all resources efficiently without vendor lock-in. It also makes it easier for them to be more flexible with IT investments and reduces operational costs.

• Avoid vendor lock-in

It is possible to avoid vendor lock-in by not being tied to one provider. It will enable an organisation to use multiple providers, which may offer different services. It will allow companies to select the best provider for their needs.

• Flexibility and agility increase

Multicloud architecture will allow enterprises to be more flexible and agile. This setup allows companies to switch cloud platforms to suit their changing needs.

• Improve disaster recovery

This setup allows companies to improve disaster recovery capabilities by distributing workloads across multiple cloud providers.

• Optimise cloud costs

Multicloud architecture saves you money by hosting your applications on the best cloud for your organisation.

You can skip paying for every service provider to keep things running smoothly. Organisations can also scale up and down according to their current needs.

Multicloud vs. Hybrid Cloud: What's the Difference Between Them?

Because multi-cloud and hybrid cloud both use multiple cloud environments, it can be confusing. A multi-cloud strategy can use various cloud providers to achieve different goals, while hybrid clouds integrate on-premises and cloud resources.

Multicloud architecture uses multiple cloud computing services within a single heterogeneous IT environment. A hybrid cloud architecture, on the other hand, integrates private, public, and on-premises cloud services into one integrated infrastructure.

The level of abstraction required from an IT environment will determine which approach is best. Multicloud strategies allow businesses to select the right fit for their workloads. A hybrid design gives more control over workload placements and customisation options.

Multi-cloud architectures are different to Computer architectures. Read our article explaining the definition of computer architecture.