Demystifying hybrid cloud solutions

When we think of digital transformation, perhaps no other technology comes to mind as quickly as the cloud. Many businesses have, in some form or another, been migrating their operations to the cloud for years now. But that doesn’t mean legacy systems suddenly cease to exist. A 2022 survey of business leaders by Rocket Software found that 56% of decision-makers said mainframe solutions still make up a majority of their IT infrastructure. Relying strictly on mainframe or cloud solutions prevents businesses from capturing the full power of their tech stacks.

So how do organizations tap into that power to drive new innovations and greater business value? Hybrid cloud solutions hold the key. Hybrid cloud brings much needed agility and resiliency that can help businesses stay ahead of the curve when it comes to innovation. But getting a hybrid cloud implementation right isn’t a straightforward task.

So, what should you know when starting down the path to hybrid cloud? Here are a few things to consider along the way.

Hybrid cloud optimizes workloads and cuts costs

Over time, digital transformation creates layers of tools and data that ends up stacking on top of each other each time a process is modernized, or a new tech is implemented. So, it’s easy to imagine how over the course of years, a company’s tech stack can become increasingly complex and bogged down by the sheer weight of those layers—particularly on the mainframe where much of early enterprise modernization has happened.

With hybrid cloud solutions in place, the mainframe no longer needs to be the sole home for all a business’ data storage needs. This is important when you consider that not all data is created equal. Some data can be more effectively utilized in the cloud while other data is best secured on the mainframe. Moving data into the cloud is also highly cost-effective, reducing the cost of maintaining mainframe systems and freeing up capacity for mission-critical storage. Transferring some of that content into the cloud not only frees up capacity but also greatly reduces strain on the mainframe itself.

Hybrid cloud puts an end to data siloes

No matter the size of the business, they all deal with huge amounts of data. But, due in part to years of modernization projects and new technologies, not all that data may be visible across the enterprise, making a wholesale cloud migration complex, if not totally impractical. Obviously, if you want to make the most of your company’s data you need to have total visibility into where it all exists. With that in mind, hybrid cloud strategies are one of the most effective tools for breaking down and preventing those siloes from emerging.

With hybrid cloud solutions, businesses gain the ability to connect their mainframe with the broader organization, enabling more people to utilize that data. Coupling mainframe and cloud technologies in a hybrid approach allows for the creation of newer interfaces that can demystify aspects of the mainframe for new waves of employees, ensuring that no data goes unnoticed or underutilized.  

Hybrid cloud drives better value for mainframe data

In such a competitive world, businesses need to capitalize on every advantage they have. And for businesses, a lot of potential lies in their data, much of which can be used to increase opportunities and drive new innovations. But with the problem of data siloes looming, it often lives in very disparate locations. This makes deciphering and harnessing that data easier said than done. Harnessing that data means companies need to not only gather it but also look at it in a way that creates meaningful insights.

Hybrid strategies allow businesses to bring mainframe data into cloud-based analytical tools, generating new value without risking potentially sensitive information. And with tools like Rocket Data Virtualization (RDV), that data can be pulled into new views capable of being analyzed by anyone, whether it’s IT staff, business analysts, or leadership. Tools like RDV bring data together in a way that greatly simplifies access and interpretation of information, no matter the source.

Hybrid holds the key to your data’s true potential

At a time where every business is looking for ways to beat out the competition, hybrid cloud strategies and solutions may hold the answer. There’s no greater asset for enterprises than their own data, and hybrid cloud solutions give them the tools to fully tap into that potential.