Since we last wrote about the hybrid cloud, configurations that span multiple cloud platforms have become the norm for many companies. This web of data storage platforms is incredibly beneficial to companies when done right, but it has security professionals running into a problem – hybrid cloud management.

How do you maintain quality of experience for employees and security when data is stored by multiple vendors?

Best practices for hybrid cloud management

Chances are managing your company’s hybrid cloud is just one of the many duties included in your job description, so don’t make the task harder than it has to be. Effective hybrid cloud management relies on good choices, smart planning and the right tools.

1. Start with good choices

While cloud platform vendors offer security, no matter how hard you search, you won’t find one that matches your security standards exactly. The best thing you can do to reduce hybrid cloud management issues in the future is to choose the public cloud service that most closely resembles your private cloud design; the more similar they are, the easier it will be to manage several platforms as one.

2. Identify your management needs

Once you have selected your platforms, create a strategy and checklist that covers all the management domains you need to address and maintain. One of the best pieces of management advice we have heard is to write down the easy stuff in order to save room in your mind for the complex, critical thinking; for a hybrid cloud management plan, that means write down every little piece of information, no matter how easy you think it is to remember. On a stressful day, it is the easy stuff that is often forgotten, so make a checklist that includes all areas of management:

• Configuration and installment management
• Access control policies
• Budget management and reporting policies

3. Choose the right tools

Choosing the right tools is vital to hybrid cloud management, but just as the number of cloud platforms has increased, so has the number of cloud management tools. When managing the hybrid cloud, you are going to need a cross-platform tool to effectively maintain usability and security. Here are a few things to look into when shopping for a hybrid cloud management tool:

• Resource Management
• Performance Monitoring
• Automation and Provisioning
• Scalability
• Compliance and Governance
• Reporting

Hybrid cloud management is a tough job; do your research and always give yourself a reality check before taking on something new. Adapting to new technology is important, but it is even more important to do it safely and effectively.

What is your best piece of advice for managing the hybrid cloud?