Hybrid cloud has emerged as the default technology infrastructure strategy for the world’s leading companies with its ability to leverage the benefits of multiple industry-leading cloud providers. “60.9% of organizations globally are already using or are in the process of piloting a hybrid cloud solution, and a further 32.7% plan to implement a hybrid solution within the next 12-24 months,” NTT reported this year.
Many Hawaiʻi companies, regardless of size, have hesitations about moving to “the cloud,” even if they have experienced the benefits of migrating a specific workload, like email, for example, to a cloud service such as Microsoft Office 365. According to IDG, most organizations report legacy systems as the #1 barrier to the cloud. With hybrid cloud, those organizations can continue to digitally transform while still supporting their legacy infrastructure. Hybrid cloud also extends the life of legacy systems by adding layers of built-in data storage and advanced cyber-security protection to existing environments. By embracing the hybrid cloud, paths to pursue innovation and nurture a formidable workforce emerge.
Why now?
The pandemic skyrocketed demands for remote work and other ways of working, along with education and training capabilities across the globe. Hawaiʻi was no exception. While the abrupt changes brought on challenges, they also accelerated digital transformation by driving rapid adoption of new tools, platforms, and other technologies. While we see more aspects of “normal life” returning, technologically, the demand for these and other new capabilities continues to grow. Hybrid cloud can provide the best environment for these technologies, with collaboration, security, and storage at its foundation.
Pursue Innovation
Hybrid cloud is flexible, customizable, and scalable and provides an environment to easily add new capabilities. It also respects the significant investments organizations have made in still critical, on-premise systems. Businesses can keep workloads that should remain on-premise in a hybrid infrastructure and leverage the public cloud to test new technologies or resources as needed, when needed, with immediate scalability. Do you need to expand quickly or for a limited time? Retailers for instance may need to significantly expand just for the holidays. The public cloud provides the agility to scale quickly and for whatever timeframe is required.
Hawaiʻi’s Workforce
Along with the rest of the world, our local workforce faced unprecedented challenges last year. Despite all the hardships, shifted landscapes, and subsequent pivots, they proved how quickly people can learn and adapt to new tools and scenarios. Imagine the possibilities if we prepared people to leverage these new technologies.
Conclusion
Amidst the challenges of 2021, opportunities for growth have emerged and more are yet to be uncovered. Now is the time for Hawaiʻi organizations to change their mindsets and embrace hybrid cloud to safeguard their operations, compete worldwide, and foster a thriving workforce.