Optimizing the Data Center for Hybrid Cloud Deployment

Many organizations with their own data centers see the setup as a regrettable necessity. They need that room full of equipment and servers to keep the business up and running, but it’s also considered a significant expense — a “cost center” for IT operations.

While that may have been the case a few years ago, it’s no longer true today. Now, as companies migrate to the cloud, the data center has become critical to the hybrid cloud environment. Here we’ll share a few reasons why and some thoughts on how organizations can optimize their data centers to maximize the value of their cloud deployments.

Today, solutions such as HPE GreenLake Cloud Services offer consumption-based models that make data center optimization more affordable. Software-defined networking makes it easy to manage your IT infrastructure, and you can add (and pay for) or remove resources as needed, just as you would in the cloud.

Many capabilities that previously existed solely in the cloud can now be reproduced on-premises. From automation and performance-tuning to recoverability in the wake of a deletion, these features have become standard fare for IT teams focused on data center optimization.

In an optimized hybrid cloud environment, computing resources can be placed and moved according to the evolving needs of the business. Through platforms such as Microsoft’s Azure Local, for example, virtualized workloads can be run on-premises while integrating with Azure services in the cloud, and backup tools such as Veeam can be used to ensure that workload migrations go smoothly.

While cloud-based DR solutions should definitely factor into any company’s continuity plan, the data center should also play a role. This can be accomplished through the implementation of redundant servers and storage — preferably at a secondary site — and with help from failover mechanisms to move data between systems automatically and instantaneously.

It’s important to put workloads where they matter most and to ensure that they’re safe in the event of an outage. But it’s also critical to protect systems and data from unauthorized access or disclosure. An optimized data center in a hybrid cloud environment will use tools that leverage zero-trust principles to verify and authenticate every access request, and it will certainly lean on solutions designed to detect and respond to security threats. Many data centers will also require physical security measures to meet the demands of industry-specific regulations.

The bottom line is that optimizing your data center isn’t just about saving money — it’s also about having the infrastructure your organization needs to succeed today and in the future. A hybrid cloud environment, combined with strategic partnerships, is often the answer for companies that require IT flexibility and resilience. By rethinking the role of the data center as a dynamic, cloud-enabled asset rather than a “cost center,” organizations can unlock new levels of performance and agility in their hybrid cloud journey.