If you’re thinking about adopting hybrid cloud, you’re probably also thinking about cost.
Every day, I speak to IT architects who are rethinking their #cloud computing strategies. Questions about cloud cost are usually at the tops of their minds.
One big advantage of working for a company like IBM is access to the latest market research. Independent reports by organizations such as Aberdeen are a great place to start reviewing how much to expect a hybrid cloud investment to cost.
No reason to fear cloud costs
In a recent analysis of how companies combine virtualization and public cloud, Aberdeen found that some IT architects are discouraged from executing a hybrid strategy because of uncertainties about costs.
These fears are misplaced. When designed correctly, the cost savings of implementing a hybrid cloud can quickly repay an initial upfront investment. Aberdeen shows that businesses using hybrid cloud are 38 percent more likely to see a reduction in overall IT expenditure.

What matters is getting the hybrid cloud blend right. For that, an organization must have a realistic sense of how its requirements can be met to deliver the best value for its environment.
Best, not cheapest
When weighing infrastructure, virtualization and hybrid options, customers are often tempted to follow the lowest cost projections, but cloud costs should always be evaluated in context. IT architects know one requirement should be considered particularly carefully: integration.
A hybrid cloud strategy is built on partnerships. The infrastructure and virtualization organizations rely on must work together to deliver to deliver the required performance while meeting projected cost and efficiency savings. The best solutions usually rely on collaboration between multiple vendors and offerings.
Check that your preferred vendors work well together first to avoid disruption later.
The real cost
Like all investments, hybrid cloud should be assessed in terms of value rather than cost. Upfront costs are only the beginning of a hybrid cloud story. Once a solution is implemented, the performance clock starts ticking. A suspiciously low price point will soon start to look expensive if reliability or security complications arise.
IBM offers the full range of infrastructural and platform solutions and integration skills, so we can afford to talk openly with customers about all their options. Over the last few years I’ve found that more and more customers are best served by the flexibility and pay-as-you go pricing of truly hybrid partnerships such as VMware on IBM Cloud.
It’s critical that this decision-making process is built on the solid foundations of data. That’s where reports by bodies such as Aberdeen and Frost & Sullivan are invaluable. Before you make the leap to hybrid, read these reports to help assess what you can help your organization to save. Or send a quick email and I’ll give you a call. The IBM Cloud team is here to consult.
Read the full report now.
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Quelle: Thoughts on Cloud