Unified Solutions: Integrating Hybrid Support into Existing Infrastructure

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Table of Contents

Hybrid infrastructure combines on-premise data centers, private clouds, and public clouds.

It enables seamless management of diverse data environments across sites, departments, and locations.

These include:

  • On-premises data center (or server room)
  • Private cloud (virtualized public cloud or dedicated public cloud)
  • Public cloud (cloud-native public or private clouds)
  • PaaS (platform as a service)
  • IaaS (infrastructure as a service)

This setup supports modern application architectures, leveraging secure facilities, bare metal hardware, and shared services for a flexible, scalable computing environment.

Understanding Hybrid Infrastructure

Many organizations opt for hybrid infrastructure to host their operations, leveraging its flexibility and balance.

It enables companies to store less sensitive data in the cloud while retaining critical information in-house.

This setup empowers businesses to strategically choose where to run specific systems and applications whether within their own premises or on a public or private cloud platform.

Business Outcomes

Hybrid infrastructure offers organizations a tailored blend of colocation services, bare metal hardware, edge computing, and both public and private cloud technologies.

  • This approach delivers significant benefits:

Increased Flexibility

Harness versatile cloud, network, and edge technologies while maintaining control over critical high-performance workloads.

Scalability

Quickly adapt infrastructure to meet evolving demands, ensuring on-demand performance and avoiding costly downtime.

Cost Efficiency

Optimize IT management costs with a hybrid setup that blends resources and tailors expenditures to specific organizational needs.

Improved Security

Maintain sensitive data on-premises while leveraging cloud resources for non-sensitive data, enhancing overall security and meeting regulatory requirements.

Disaster Recovery

Ensure business continuity with redundant infrastructure options, enabling quick recovery from disruptions and minimizing operational impacts.

Innovation

Quickly adopt new technologies to stay competitive, enabling agile responses to market demands and fostering innovation within the organization.

Hybrid vs. Cloud Infrastructure

  1. Hybrid infrastructure

    integrates cloud-based solutions and services with on-premise data centers. This enables organizations to manage data both locally and remotely. The configuration of a hybrid infrastructure is tailored to each organization, determining which data resides where and who has access to it.

  2. cloud infrastructure

    Specifically refers to the essential components required to operate either a hybrid or fully cloud-based system. This encompasses software, hardware, and storage capabilities. The setup varies based on whether a company opts for a fully cloud-based or hybrid cloud solution.

ROT EXISTING INFRA-HYBRID SERVICES

ROT offers a comprehensive range of solutions designed to enhance automation, streamline processes, integrate collaboration tools, facilitate flexible scaling, and bolster security measures within hybrid infrastructures.

Why Hybrid Infrastructure Matters?

Organizations adopt hybrid infrastructure to replace costly, inefficient ad-hoc systems.

By restructuring environments to securely scale connectivity and services across networks and the network edge, businesses can meet the demands of modern, data-intensive applications and high-performance workloads effectively.

This transformation is crucial for long-term operational efficiency and sustainability. Failing to embrace hybrid models can hinder adaptation to evolving business landscapes, slow technology adoption, increase vendor lock-in risks, and raise expenses.

Highlights the urgency by recommending:

    • Optimizing and restructuring costly cloud infrastructures
    • Embracing new infrastructure models for emerging applications
    • Addressing challenges in managing and integrating modern IT environments

Hybrid Inftrasturcture Network Management Phase

Equipment management

  • Configuration of ACLs
  • Distributed VLANs
  • Firewall policies
  • Integration with antivirus software
  • Intrusion detection systems, and WAFs

Designing complex networks

  • Routing firewall optimization & acceleration
  • WI-FI wireless assessment, wireless controller, guest WI-FI deployment
  • LAN, WAN
  • Switch L2/L33, VLAN, traffic shaping, intranet firewall

Installing and Configuring

  • Switches
  • Routers (modems)
  • Firewalls & VPN Concentrators
  • Access Points
  • Wireless Controllers

Reasons for Choosing Hybrid Infrastructure

Organizations opt for hybrid infrastructure to:

  • Quickly respond to market changes and customer demands.
  • Embrace emerging technologies such as AI and IoT.
  • Enhance customer experience by bringing processing closer to users.
  • Gain greater control over data for security and compliance purposes.

Choosing the Right Hybrid Infrastructure for Your Business

  • When selecting hybrid infrastructure, consider the following:

Solution Area Evaluation Criteria
Hybrid Configuration Assessment
Determine workload distribution between on-premises, cloud, and edge environments. Evaluate partner expertise in deployment, migration, colocation, and bare metal hardware utilization.
Edge Computing Capability
Assess partner capabilities in edge computing for enhanced performance and reduced latency. Consider cloud adjacency for meeting end-user performance needs.
Data and Compliance Management
Ensure the partner can meet compliance standards and manage data sovereignty in a global hybrid environment with resource-intensive distributed workloads.
Infrastructure Management and Support
Evaluate the partner’s advanced management solutions, networking capabilities, and technical skills for complex hybrid infrastructure spanning on-premises, multi-cloud, and edge computing. Consider available technical support and service level agreements.
Security and Data Protection
Confirm the partner’s security measures for physical and cybersecurity aspects of hybrid architecture.
Cost Management and Efficiency
Understand how the partner optimizes costs and provides automation tools for resource management. Align CapEx and OpEx budgeting with environment delivery and management.
Resource Scalability and Sustainability
Evaluate the partner’s scalability options for future growth and changing needs. Consider their physical presence in relation to long-term sovereignty and sustainability goals.

Top Reasons to Adopt Hybrid Infrastructure

Hybrid infrastructure balances cost, scalability, and performance. While hyperscale cloud offers unmatched scalability, it can be costly.

Hybrid setups let businesses use cost-effective options like colocation and bare metal for stable workloads, while tapping into cloud for flexible scaling during demand spikes.

  1. Cost and Scalability: Balance costs by using cost-effective solutions like colocation and bare metal for stable workloads, while leveraging cloud for flexible scaling during peak demands.

  2. Performance Optimization: Ensure consistent performance by avoiding resource contention in dedicated colocation or bare metal environments, while still benefiting from cloud flexibility.

  3. Geographical Flexibility: Easily expand into new markets by deploying infrastructure closer to users through cloud or bare metal providers’ global points-of-presence.

  4. Application-specific Needs: Optimize performance for different applications; for example, use bare metal for databases needing low latency and cloud for agile development environments.

Hybrid infrastructure offers a balanced approach to cost, performance, and scalability, making it ideal for meeting diverse business needs efficiently.

Achieving Quick, Strong, and Eco-friendly Operations

Bare Metal Cloud Adjacency Colocation
Select servers allowing deployment with preferred operating systems in a customizable infrastructure for full control over hardware resources.
Choose from cabinet, cage, and suite options with customizable power, connectivity, and security features to support ongoing growth and sustainability.
Utilize solutions offering easy, on-demand access to public cloud services alongside secure, high-speed connections for cost-effective agility.
Network Connectivity
Leverage a global network backbone facilitating efficient workload and data movement within and between data centers and cloud platforms.

When Hybrid Infrastructure Isn't the Best Fit?

There are scenarios where opting for hybrid infrastructure may not be advisable:

  1. Early Development Stage: When starting out and unsure where your application fits best.

  2. Stable Workloads: For predictable workload scenarios where a specific type of infrastructure is clearly suitable.

While your current needs may not align with a hybrid environment, it’s essential to anticipate future infrastructure requirements. Your needs may evolve, making a hybrid solution beneficial later on.

Conversely, if you’re already using hybrid infrastructure, there may come a time when transitioning to a single infrastructure type makes more sense.

Common Mistakes When Adopting Hybrid Infrastructure!

Setting up and managing hybrid infrastructure is generally straightforward these days, but there are common pitfalls to avoid:

  1. Scalability Considerations: Optimizing for scalability without assessing how your application performs in that environment. For instance, single-threaded, CPU-bound applications may not benefit from scaling without running multiple instances.

  2. Scaling Challenges: Planning for rapid scaling without anticipating the complexities of scaling back down. Mismanagement during scaling down can disrupt services if not handled correctly.

  3. Supplier Selection: Choosing suppliers based solely on reputation rather than aligning with specific infrastructure needs can lead to overspending or performance issues.

  4. Integration Issues: Ineffective planning for integrating different types of infrastructure, such as not having backup options when preferred instance types are unavailable.

  5. Monitoring: Using separate monitoring tools for on-premises and cloud environments can create blind spots. Effective monitoring tools that provide visibility across the entire infrastructure stack are crucial for proactive management.

Avoiding these mistakes ensures a smoother transition to and effective management of hybrid infrastructure, optimizing performance and cost-efficiency.

For Detailed Guide: Learn More About ______

https://www.servers.com/news/blog/guide-to-hybrid-infrastructure

https://stefanini.com/en/solutions/hybrid-infrastructure

What Is Hybrid Infrastructure?

Key Considerations Before Adopting Hybrid Infrastructure

Running a hybrid environment usually doesn’t require expanding your team, but it does demand specific skill sets, particularly in DevOps.

Automating workflows to efficiently scale infrastructure is crucial for success.

Without proper automation and scaling strategies, leveraging hybrid infrastructure for scalability optimization may not achieve desired outcomes.

Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework for Azure
microsoft azure Foundational Landing Zone

3.1

Foundational Landing Zone

  • Foundational Landing Zones provide a baseline environment with essential components for organizations new to Azure or starting their cloud journey. It focuses on establishing core infrastructure elements such as networking, identity, security, and management services.

Use Case

Ideal for organizations beginning their cloud adoption journey or those looking for a standardized, secure, and scalable environment to deploy workloads and applications in Azure.

  • Features:
    • Core networking setup (virtual networks, subnets)
    • Basic identity and access management (Azure Active Directory)
    • Fundamental security controls (network security groups, encryption)
    • Basic resource management (provisioning, monitoring)
Deploying Landing Zones Using the Azure Portal

5.1

Deploying Landing Zones Using the Azure Portal

Deploying Landing Zones using the Azure Portal involves manually configuring and provisioning resources within Azure to establish the foundational infrastructure environment.

While this method may not be as automated or scalable as using Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools like Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates or Terraform, it provides a straightforward approach for smaller deployments or for those who prefer a more hands-on approach.

Here’s a general overview of the process:

 

1 - Prepare

Before you begin deploying resources in the Azure Portal, it's essential to have a clear understanding of your organization's requirements, including networking, identity, security, and compliance needs. Ensure that you have the necessary permissions and access to create resources within your Azure subscription.

2 - Sign in to the Azure Portal

Log in to the Azure Portal using your Azure account credentials.

3 - Create Resource Groups

Resource groups are logical containers that hold related Azure resources. Create one or more resource groups to organize the resources for your Landing Zone deployment. Navigate to "Resource groups" in the Azure Portal and click "Add" to create a new resource group.

4 - Deploy Networking Resources

Configure networking resources such as virtual networks (VNets), subnets, and network security groups (NSGs) to establish the network infrastructure for your Landing Zone. Navigate to "Virtual networks" in the Azure Portal to create a new VNet and associated subnets.

5 - Set Up Identity and Access Management (IAM)

Configure Azure Active Directory (AAD) for identity management, including user accounts, groups, and roles. Assign appropriate permissions and access controls to users and groups based on their roles within the organization. Navigate to "Azure Active Directory" in the Azure Portal to manage users, groups, and roles.

6 - Enable Security Controls

Implement security controls such as encryption, threat detection, and monitoring solutions to protect resources and data within your Landing Zone. Configure security settings for virtual machines, storage accounts, and other Azure services to ensure compliance with security best practices.

7 - Deploy Core Services

Deploy core services such as Azure Policy, Azure Monitor, and Azure Security Center to enforce governance, monitoring, and security controls across your Landing Zone. Navigate to the respective services in the Azure Portal to configure and enable these features.

8 - Monitor and Manage

Once your Landing Zone resources are deployed, monitor and manage them regularly to ensure they are functioning as expected. Use Azure Monitor and Azure Security Center to monitor resource performance, detect security threats, and remediate issues as needed.

Note

While deploying Landing Zones using the Azure Portal offers a more manual approach compared to using IaC tools, it provides flexibility and control over the configuration and provisioning of resources within your Azure environment.

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ROT For Existing Hybrid Infrastructure

Hybrid infrastructure offers an ideal solution for modern data center needs. ROT Cloud Services enable organizations to migrate critical applications and services to the public cloud while maintaining control, availability, and security.

The software-defined infrastructure (SDI) model supports hybrid cloud computing, providing scalability, agility, and cost-efficiency.

We typically secure their on-premises assets by transitioning them to private cloud environments, ensuring protection and enabling scalable operations.

ROT’s services facilitate seamless migration to public cloud environments, ensuring continuous availability and robust security.

Final Thoughts

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FAQs

Alternative Names for Hybrid Infrastructure

Hybrid infrastructure is also known by several other terms, including:

  • Hybrid cloud
  • Hybrid architecture
  • Hybrid cloud infrastructure

It’s important to distinguish between hybrid infrastructure and cloud infrastructure, as these terms are related but not interchangeable. In the next section, we’ll highlight the key differences between them.

Q: What is hybrid infrastructure?

  • A: Hybrid infrastructure combines multiple types of hosting environments, such as on-premises, colocation, bare metal hosting, and cloud hosting, to meet diverse IT needs.

Q: Why would an organization use hybrid infrastructure?

  • A: Organizations use hybrid infrastructure to balance cost and scalability, optimize performance, meet specific application requirements, and manage geographical considerations effectively.

Q: What are the key benefits of hybrid infrastructure?

  • A: Flexibility to choose the right infrastructure for different workloads, scalability to handle varying demands, cost efficiency by leveraging different hosting options, and performance optimization.

Q: How does hybrid infrastructure improve disaster recovery and business continuity?

  • A: It enhances disaster recovery by offering redundancy across different environments (e.g., on-premises and cloud) and supports business continuity by enabling quick recovery in case of failures.

Q: What challenges should organizations consider when adopting hybrid infrastructure?

  • A: Complexity in managing diverse environments, ensuring consistent security across different platforms, effective cost management, and the need for specialized skill sets.

Q: How does hybrid infrastructure support global operations?

  • A: It allows organizations to deploy resources closer to users globally, improving latency and compliance with local data laws, without the need for physical data centers in every region.

Q: What factors influence the choice between on-premises, colocation, bare metal, and cloud hosting in a hybrid environment?

  • A: Factors include performance requirements, scalability needs, data security and compliance requirements, and cost-effectiveness based on workload patterns.

These short answers should help provide a clear understanding of hybrid infrastructure and its relevance to organizational IT strategies.

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