Multi-cloud strategies

Multi-cloud strategies typically involve at least two public, infrastructure-as-a-service platforms from different providers. This deployment model can minimize downtime and maximize service options, but it also adds management complexity. Explore ways to combat common multi-cloud challenges, including with third-party management tools.

Top Stories

News 25 Jan 2022
IBM hybrid cloud strategy driving revenue growth

IBM revenue for its hybrid cloud business showed little indication of slowing down, with the company reporting sales of $6.2 billion for the fourth quarter and $20 billion for 2021. Continue Reading
Tip 24 Nov 2021
9 cloud migration security considerations and challenges

Cloud migration may seem daunting to security teams. Follow these essential practices to safely and successfully migrate infrastructure and applications. Continue Reading

Podcast 25 Jun 2014

OpenStack talk of open source town, but is it hype?

OpenStack garnered a lot of hype over the past four years, and many companies got behind the open source platform. Has it met the high expectations? Continue Reading
Podcast 19 Jun 2014

Cloud competition heating up as Amazon takes aim at VMware

In this podcast, we talk about what the AWS Management Portal for vCenter means for VMware and how to calculate true cloud computing costs. Continue Reading
Podcast 12 Jun 2014

Companies undeterred by their cloud data security woes

Many companies say they don't trust their data to cloud security, but that doesn't mean they aren't adopting public cloud. Continue Reading
Tip 30 May 2014

Seven ways to keep your cloud storage costs under budget

Cloud storage can be an effective place to house your data, but keeping it cost-efficient means putting in some work up front. Continue Reading
Tip 29 May 2014

Sizing, pricing Amazon Web Services EC2 instance types

Bill Claybrook compares complex sizing and pricing issues when choosing EC2 instance types. Continue Reading
Feature 29 May 2014

Setting the record straight on crazy cloud ideas

From confusing cloud with virtualization to starting a 'crime cloud,' you wouldn't believe some companies' misconceptions on cloud. Continue Reading
Tip 19 May 2014

Analyzing VMware vCHS for the cloud consumer

In direct competition with Amazon's IaaS, VMware vCloud Hybrid Service differentiates itself from the pack with several features. Continue Reading
Tip 08 May 2014

Amazon Kinesis benefits and alternatives

Amazon made waves with the release of Kinesis, but companies should know its ups and downs before blindly adopting AWS's service. Continue Reading
Tip 30 Apr 2014

Untangle cloud billing knots across multiple providers

Tracking your spending while using multiple cloud accounts can be a budgeting nightmare, but services are available to simplify the process. Continue Reading
Guide 28 Apr 2014

Sorting through enterprise IT's PaaS options

Platform as a service may not have achieved the widespread adoption of IaaS and SaaS, but it's still a crucial piece of the cloud. Continue Reading
News 27 Feb 2014

Cloud Foundry foundation prompts open source PaaS debate

A new Cloud Foundry foundation provokes debate about the fate of OpenStack-based PaaS efforts. Continue Reading
Tip 17 Feb 2014

AWS platform services emerge from Microsoft's PaaS failures

Amid signs that Microsoft's PaaS commitment isn't working, cloud pros are concerned about profit beyond IaaS. Reigning leader AWS may have found it. Continue Reading
Tip 24 Jan 2014

Is Amazon CloudSearch superior to do-it-yourself search tools?

Big data can be incredibly valuable for enterprise business intelligence. But to extract that value, you must choose the most appropriate search tool. Continue Reading
Feature 12 Dec 2013

Considering migration to the cloud? Answer five key questions first

In this Q&A, Todd DeCapua of Shunra Software Ltd. discusses considerations for minimizing risk and maximizing benefits in a migration to cloud. Continue Reading
News 06 Dec 2013

PaaS adoption upswing predicted for 2014; will it last?

The Platform as a Service market could heat up next year, but what is PaaS, exactly? And will it eventually be subsumed under other cloud categories? Continue Reading
News 14 Nov 2013

Pivotal's open source PaaS play arrives in-house

Pivotal's latest offering includes private PaaS for enterprises. Sounds great in theory, but will it work across multiple platforms? Continue Reading
News 27 Sep 2013

Private Cloud as a Service delivers OpenStack, ensures governance

SaaS-based private clouds gives enterprises the benefits of cloud -- faster development times and self-service portals -- without all the management angst. Continue Reading
Guide 09 Sep 2013

SaaS applications integration: Strategies and best practices for success

Looking to learn more about SaaS integration? Check out this guide for a collection of articles, podcasts and other resources. Continue Reading
Feature 28 Aug 2013

Eleven cloud computing industry movers and shapers

As the cloud computing industry matures, a handful of CTOs, CEOs, analysts and other IT pros stand out as the most influential in the market. Continue Reading
Tip 19 Aug 2013

If IT had a hammer: Choosing among IaaS, PaaS and SaaS

Enterprises tend to use the latest technology to solve all of its IT problems. But if your apps are nails, is IaaS, PaaS or SaaS really the hammer? Continue Reading
Tip 12 Aug 2013

Choosing among IaaS, PaaS and Database as a Service for a cloud database

Regardless of which cloud database you choose, multiple factors must come into play, ranging from costs and availability to feature support. Continue Reading
News 26 Jul 2013

IBM joins Pivotal in developing Cloud Foundry's open source PaaS

IBM will collaborate with Pivotal to develop Cloud Foundry's open source PaaS to allow enterprises to freely choose the platform they want. Continue Reading
Tip 17 Jul 2013

When IaaS won't cut it: Planning a transition to PaaS cloud

Many IT pros find PaaS meets their needs more than IaaS does. How can you ensure success? Transitioning to PaaS isn't as easy as you think. Continue Reading
Answer 17 Jul 2013

Google Compute Engine and Google App Engine: What is the difference?

Many IT pros cannot distinguish Google Compute Engine from Google App Engine. Here are the most important details you need to know. Continue Reading
News 27 Jun 2013

Cloud computing news and technical advice RSS feed is moving!

As of July 1, the Cloud computing news and technical advice RSS feed will be moving off of the Pheedo platform. Instead, please bookmark the following URL to make sure you continue to receive our content: http://searchcloudcomputing.techtarget.com/rss/Cloud-computing-news-and-technical-advice.xml Continue Reading
News 18 Jun 2013

PaaS market heats up with Red Hat OpenShift, Savvis AppFog buy

PaaS made headlines last week, but it's still difficult to gauge the true level of interest in Platform as a Service in the enterprise world. Continue Reading
Feature 06 Jun 2013

Private PaaS eases enterprise governance, cloud security concerns

Enterprise IT is seeing the value of private PaaS on the path to true public PaaS. But don't ditch your existing IaaS architecture. Continue Reading
Feature 06 Jun 2013

IaaS infringes on acceptance of true PaaS cloud architecture

Despite the many benefits of a true PaaS cloud architecture, IaaS vendors are marking their territory by offering pseudo PaaS. Continue Reading
Feature 06 Jun 2013

PaaS adoption hindered by cloud washing, market immaturity

Many cloud pros see PaaS as the next big thing, if it can overcome vendors' cloud washing tricks and market immaturity. But what makes true PaaS? Continue Reading
Tip 03 Jun 2013

Windows Azure Media Services gives YouTube junkies a new outlet

Enterprises need only look to YouTube's stats to see the value of video. Windows Azure Media Services has the benefits of video with more control. Continue Reading
Feature 29 May 2013

Focus on cloud goals and developer needs to choose the right PaaS

Companies looking to invest in PaaS are faced with more choices than ever before. Focus on cloud goals and developer needs to choose the right one. Continue Reading
Answer 23 May 2013

What are some best practices for cloud configuration?

Traditional configuration practices fall short in the cloud. Here, Chris Moyer shares some best practices for cloud configuration. Continue Reading
Feature 19 Apr 2013

Waiting for the OpenStack 'explosion'

The buzz around OpenStack has been undeniable, but it's still in early adoption phases. Word at the OpenStack Summit is that this will soon change. Continue Reading
News 16 Apr 2013

Cloud computing templates give IT teams control

Cloud computing templates can make cloud server builds easier and give IT admins some cloud control. Continue Reading
Feature 11 Apr 2013

XaaS marks the spot with enterprise IT

To promote public cloud benefits over its shortcomings, vendors are creating Anything as a Service to match specific enterprise needs. Continue Reading
Answer 10 Apr 2013

What's the difference between a private cloud and a virtual data center?

While virtualization is key to private cloud, the two are not synonymous. Features such as self-service provisioning will take your virtual data center to cloud. Continue Reading
Feature 05 Apr 2013

Cloud computing services: Lease vs. own

Many services and applications can be handled by cloud computing providers. But enterprises should look carefully at cost before deciding whether to lease or own. Continue Reading
Tip 05 Apr 2013

Five things to consider before moving legacy development efforts to PaaS

Managing your own development infrastructure takes time away from designing and coding. A move to PaaS can be helpful, even for a legacy development. Continue Reading
Tip 04 Apr 2013

Platform as a Service vendors help cloud market evolution

Platform as a Service vendors continue to evolve offerings to keep up with customer needs. Which provider is the right fit for your organization? Continue Reading
Feature 04 Apr 2013

BMW accelerates private to hybrid cloud

Even established companies like BMW have cloud questions. But, with the help of the OCDA, BMW revs up on the path to hybrid cloud. Continue Reading
Tip 29 Mar 2013

Application portability in PaaS: Problems and solutions

Even in the early stage of cloud adoption, users of PaaS services are already questioning the portability of the applications. Continue Reading
Feature 29 Mar 2013

Wrestling with the concept of private PaaS

Enterprise IT pros anxious about maintaining security and control in public cloud are looking to private PaaS, but it may not alleviate all worries. Continue Reading
News 29 Mar 2013

Rackspace woos developers with Exceptional acquisition

Rackspace hopes its Exceptional purchase -- its second acquisition in as many months -- will increase its appeal to application developers. Continue Reading
Feature 04 Mar 2013

Thirteen cloud service providers to watch in 2013

Amazon Web Services may be the talk of the cloud computing market, but these cloud service providers are making inroads and starting buzz in 2013. Continue Reading
News 28 Feb 2013

Rackspace puts Object Rocket in its pocket

Rackspace's play on Object Rocket puts it in the same Database as a Service air space as Amazon and SoftLayer. Is this the boost it needs to compete? Continue Reading
Feature 27 Feb 2013

Bare-metal approach may ease enterprises into cloud

Enterprises hesitant to move workloads to public clouds because of security and cost may find some relief in SoftLayer's bare-metal approach to cloud. Continue Reading
Tip 25 Feb 2013

Security considerations for IaaS cloud

Learn about the necessary security considerations for IaaS cloud environments. Continue Reading
Feature 21 Feb 2013

Six cloud computing industry leaders to follow on Twitter

Want to eavesdrop on what cloud computing leaders are saying about industry trends? Follow these six Twitter accounts for expert opinions and scoops. Continue Reading
Tip 30 Jan 2013

Building redundancy into your cloud outage strategy

Any effective cloud computing strategy should include measures to protect against outages. The best defense you can have is to plan for redundancy. Continue Reading
Feature 10 Dec 2012

Snapshots from AWS re:Invent 2012

Did you miss AWS re:Invent? Suffering from post-conference letdown? This slideshow captures some of the finer points of Amazon's cloud conference. Continue Reading
Feature 06 Dec 2012

AWS re:Invent 2012 conference coverage

For the latest cloud computing news and features from Amazon Web Services' premier global partner and customer show, check out our AWS re:Invent page. Continue Reading
News 08 Nov 2012

Cloud collaboration ousts 'Office Space' mentality

Cloud collaboration software could be a natural fit for the increasingly mobile workforce and global reach of a modern business. Continue Reading
Tip 07 Nov 2012

Re-defining the Windows Azure cloud computing message

A weak marketing message may be behind some Windows Azure confusion and slower-than-expected adoption rates. Continue Reading
Feature 06 Nov 2012

Tracking the cloud computing landscape in enterprise IT

Cloud computing adoption is on the rise in enterprise IT. Exploring its uses and adoption trends can give IT admins a peek into cloud's future. Continue Reading
Feature 24 Sep 2012

Experts weigh in on Platform as a Service adoption

Amid claims that PaaS adoption will take off in the coming year, our cloud experts weighed in on its pros and cons -- and what the future will hold. Continue Reading
Feature 20 Sep 2012

The complete IaaS reference guide

School's back in session -- and the lesson plan includes IaaS. Study up on one of the three basic cloud service models. This guide can help you sort through IaaS providers, news and helpful tips. Continue Reading
News 31 Aug 2012

SDN as a first-class citizen in the data center

This blog post discusses the new path of software-defined networking that VMware speakers talked about at VMworld 2012. Continue Reading
Feature 30 Aug 2012

Seven minutes of terror in cloud performance testing

NASA turned to SOASTA and its cloud testing software to ensure a successful stream of its Mars landing earlier this month. Continue Reading
Quiz 15 Aug 2012

SaaS technology and strategy quiz

See how well you really understand SaaS. If you need help, check out our SaaS Technology Guide. Continue Reading
Tip 31 Jul 2012

Peeling back the layers of the Platform as a Service market

The PaaS market can be split into traditional IT vendors and independent, niche providers. Which choice offers an enterprise long-term cloud health? Continue Reading
Feature 18 Jul 2012

Guide: Ground rules for moving apps to the cloud

It's easy to misfire when moving applications to the cloud. With the help of expert advice, you'll have all the tools for a successful migration. Continue Reading
Tip 29 Jun 2012

Implementing SOA in the cloud

Learn why there is confusion surrounding implementing SOA in the cloud. Continue Reading
Feature 21 Jun 2012

Ten cloud terms you can’t ignore

Merriam and Webster don't have all the answers, especially for cloud computing. If IT jargon baffles you, our cloud definitions could clear things up. Continue Reading
News 04 Jun 2012

Choosing a PaaS: Questions to ask PaaS vendors

PaaS vendors have flooded the market with information -- some good, some bad. Enterprise IT managers would be prudent to know what questions to ask of any potential suitors. Continue Reading
Feature 23 May 2012

Public vs. private cloud applications: Two critical differences

Private cloud applications are similar to public cloud applications, but there are a few key considerations, experts warn. Continue Reading
Quiz 20 May 2012

Test your Windows Azure IQ

Windows Azure will be an integral part of Microsoft’s cloud strategy going forward. How high is your IQ on the product? Find out by taking our quiz. Continue Reading
Tip 08 May 2012

PaaS selection starts at the programming language

The PaaS market is growing without a single leader or approach. Picking a model should involve more than just saying, ‘Eeney, meeney, miney, moe.’ Continue Reading
Feature 25 Apr 2012

Top 10 cloud providers of 2012

After a year of acquisitions and growth, the cloud market has a few clear frontrunners. These vendors figure to shape the direction of cloud in 2012. Continue Reading
Tip 23 Mar 2012

Examining the state of PaaS in the year of ‘big data’

Either more vendors are offering ‘big data’ capabilities or they have creative marketing teams. Which PaaS provider’s big data cloud is the real deal? Continue Reading
Feature 22 Mar 2012

Top 10 cloud computing leaders in 2012

Our cloud leaders list includes the usual suspects and some surprises, ranging from cloud architects to CEOs to those with influence in the cloud. Continue Reading
Tutorial 21 Feb 2012

An essential guide to HP in the cloud

HP's path in the cloud has been bumpy at times. Our team compiled all its twists and turns, including cloud moves, news, tips and more in this guide. Continue Reading
Tutorial 27 Sep 2011

Managing and monitoring cloud computing services

Keep your cloud services operating at optimal performance levels with advice from this collection of cloud management and monitoring resources. Continue Reading
Tip 13 Jul 2011

The importance of identity federation in the cloud

IT shops need to focus on uptime and stability in the cloud to keep a competitive advantage. Identity federation can help maintain technological efficiency and business competency. Continue Reading
Tip 03 Jun 2011

Three questions to ask when considering Microsoft Azure

Is Microsoft Azure a no-brainer cloud choice or impossible to adopt? Ask these three questions to determine if the cloud platform is right for you. Continue Reading
Tip 07 Apr 2011

Securing virtual machines in the cloud

Finding protection for a virtual infrastructure may seem unnecessary, but it's increasingly important to ensure the security of virtual machines in cloud-based environments. Continue Reading
News 01 Apr 2011

Cloud computing brokers are doomed, Savvis exec says

The chief at cloud hoster Savvis says cloud computing marketplaces won't fly in big IT shops. Not everyone, however, agrees; the answer is naturally more nuanced. Continue Reading
Tip 29 Mar 2011

Defining and allocating vCloud Director resources

For IT shops configuring VMware vCloud Director, here are the first four steps needed to make the service aware of a vSphere environment. Continue Reading
News 23 Mar 2011

Windows shops wake up to cloud realities and challenges

IT managers are more comfortable with the private cloud options that Microsoft presented at its annual management confab this week than the public cloud options presented last year. Continue Reading
Feature 16 Mar 2011

Piecing together VMware's cloud strategy

Can VMware's lead in server virtualization translate to cloud supremacy? A bevy of challengers will make VMware's goal of bringing cloud to the enterprise a difficult one. Continue Reading
Feature 08 Mar 2011

Can you trust your public cloud provider?

Secure public cloud services aren't a pipe dream; service providers just have to connect some of the dots. How close are we to regulatory compliance in the cloud? Continue Reading
Tutorial 01 Mar 2011

Cloud computing development for beginners

Cloud newbies that find themselves navigating unfamiliar terrain should check out this collection of tips, tutorials and news for a cloud development orientation. Continue Reading
Tip 25 Feb 2011

Choosing from the major Platform as a Service providers

Many organizations prefer Platform as a Service offerings for their cloud needs. Our expert compares options from Google, Microsoft and Amazon. Continue Reading
Tip 23 Feb 2011

Ten questions to ask when storing data in the cloud

Concerned about the security and privacy of your data in the cloud? Ask these 10 questions of every cloud provider to ensure that they'll keep your data safe and flexible. Continue Reading
Feature 21 Feb 2011

The last cloud computing definition you'll ever need

What is cloud computing? This overview defines cloud for once and for all -- until the next round of vendor hype. Continue Reading
Feature 16 Feb 2011

Top 10 cloud computing providers of 2011

Which cloud computing provider leads the pack? This top 10 list takes all the big names and ranks their impact on the cloud world. Continue Reading
Feature 10 Feb 2011

Comparing four cloud computing strategies

It's important for prospective cloud adopters to know what the key vendors are planning. Our expert explains what to expect from four different offerings. Continue Reading
Feature 24 Jan 2011

Why is cloud computing so hard to understand?

In this chapter excerpt, see why cloud computing can be considered both a tangible delivery model and a buzzword for advanced IT services. Continue Reading
Tip 13 Jan 2011

Connecting to virtual servers in the cloud

For IT shops that must move content from an enterprise network or desktop to a cloud-based server, here's how to set up remote connections to virtual servers. Continue Reading
Blog Post 01 Nov 2010

How Azure actually works, courtesy of Mark Russinovich

Mark Russinovich -- Microsoft technical fellow, a lead on the Azure platform and a renowned Windows expert -- took pains at PDC '10 (Watch the "Inside Windows Azure" session here) to lay out a ... Continue Reading
Blog Post 07 Oct 2010

Amazon does not oversubscribe

Amazon CTO Werner Vogels said on Twitter that AWS does not oversubscribe its services. "If you launch an instance type you get the performance you ask (and pay) for, period. No oversubscription," ... Continue Reading
News 24 Sep 2010

RightScale lands $25 million to support cloud computing demand

Cloud management service provider RightScale just landed a third round of funding, but this time, it's to handle growing demand. Continue Reading
News 12 Aug 2010

Salesforce.com and CVM do supply-chain management in the cloud

Salesforce.com rolled out the red carpet for its collaboration with CVM Technology when it put the company's supply-chain management tool on Force.com. Continue Reading
News 22 Jun 2010

Salesforce Chatter is officially live

Chatter, Salesforce.com's cloud-based social application, is now in general availability, but real-world reactions from users are mixed at best. Continue Reading
Feature 26 Mar 2010

Cloud computing resources center

Cloud standards organizations, open source cloud projects, cloud computing and social media and more, all explained in this compendium of cloud resources. Continue Reading
Tip 23 Mar 2010

Intrusion detection in a cloud computing environment

Make sure that your cloud computing environment is equipped to detect and respond to attacks with the appropriate intrusion detection systems. Continue Reading
Report 09 Mar 2010

Cloud management tools guide for beginners

Get a better understanding of the major players in cloud infrastructure management and provisioning, including RightScale, Kaavo, Zeus and Scalr. Continue Reading
News 25 Feb 2010

The Daily Cloud: Did Salesforce.com just become the biggest cloud computing company ever?

Marc Benioff is bragging about running the biggest enterprise cloud company on planet Earth. Is he telling the truth? Continue Reading
News 18 Feb 2010

Salesforce users respond to Chatter private beta

Salesforce.com's new Chatter collaboration tool is just coming online, but some users already question its usefulness. Continue Reading
Tip 21 Jan 2010

Understanding cloud compliance issues

Concerns about compliance have made companies wary of storing their data in public cloud environments. Continue Reading
News 14 Jan 2010

Microsoft, HP link arms in $250 million cloud kumbaya

HP and Microsoft trotted out the big guns to trumpet a data center partnership, but analysts say the move is mostly feel-good and not feature-heavy. Continue Reading