The good old days were a lot simpler than modern times. There was one big machine, and it lived in the data center. Then things became more complicated, with smaller machines in different places depending on the network to connect them. Today things are even more complicated, with machines in the data center and in the cloud, some under your control, some not.

Cloud Complexity Challenges

IT teams continue to make their environments even more complex, sometimes through a carefully considered decision to implement multicloud. More often, they struggle with complexity that’s developed through happenstance and multiple, individual decisions about cloud migrations, destinations, and strategies. However the complexity arose, teams have to handle challenges including:

Lack of skills

No one can master every single tool, and most teams can’t afford to dedicate one employee to develop expertise in every single product. As a result, teams lack the skills and knowledge to make smart technology choices and to cope with challenges when they arise.

Lack of tools

Every environment and platform provides its own interface. The data teams need is there, but there are few tools that pull it together and provide a comprehensive overview of system status and insight into potential problems.

Lack of money

Cloud is often sold as a cost-saving measure, but complex infrastructure that’s difficult to manage requires smart people and sophisticated tools that may not be in the operations team’s budget.

Lack of stability

With so many systems, there are a lot of unknowns. It’s difficult for the operations team to ensure reliability of the architecture. The interactions between the different systems are complicated, difficult to track, and difficult to manage.

Lack of security

Multiple platforms with many different interfaces provide a broad attack surface. Different approaches to security on the different platforms make it hard to apply a security strategy consistently.

Coping with Cloud Complexity

There are two aspects of coping with cloud complexity.

The first is to reduce the complexity by reducing the number of systems on different platforms. This requires taking time to do a detailed analysis of all your IT infrastructure and assessing where it makes sense and where there could be consolidation. Before moving new systems to the cloud, consider how its placement will impact support and operations personnel.

The second is to take steps to make the complex cloud more manageable. Rather than relying on vendor-provided tools, look for third-party cloud management platforms that are able to provide an integrated view over the entire infrastructure. In addition, use DevOps procedures and automation tools to help ensure consistency across the platforms.

Invest in training IT employees so they develop a deeper understanding of the tools being used. Partner with an IT consulting or managed services firm like Prescient Solutions, which can bring expertise to design, implementation, and support of a cloud architecture that meets business needs without overwhelming the IT team with complexity.

Prescient Solutions provides cloud services to businesses in the Chicago and Schaumburg areas. Contact us to learn more about how cloud expertise from Prescient Solutions can solve your cloud complexity challenges.