Build hybrid and multicloud architectures using Google Cloud

This architecture guide provides practical guidance on planning and architectingyour hybrid and multicloud environments using Google Cloud. This document is thefirst of three documents in the set. It examines the opportunities andconsiderations associated with these architectures from a business andtechnology point of view. It also analyzes and discusses many proven hybrid andmulticloud architecture patterns.

The document set for hybrid and multicloud architecture patterns consists ofthese parts:

You can read each of these architecture articles independently, but for themost benefit, we recommend reading them in sequence before making anarchitectural decision.

The rapid pace of change in market demands has increased the requirements andexpectations that are placed on enterprise IT, such as dynamic scale, increasedperformance for optimized user experience, and security. Many enterprise-levelcompanies find it challenging to meet these demands and expectations using onlytraditional infrastructure and processes. IT departments are also under pressureto improve their cost effectiveness, making it difficult to justify additionalcapital investments in data centers and equipment.

A hybrid cloud strategy that uses public cloud computing capabilities provides apragmatic solution. By using the public cloud, you can extend the capacity andcapabilities of your computing platforms without up-front capital investmentcosts.

By adding one or more public cloud based solutions, like Google Cloud, toyour existing infrastructure, you not only preserve your existing investments,but you also avoid committing yourself to a single cloud vendor. Also, by usinga hybrid strategy, you can modernize applications and processes incrementally asresources permit.

To help you plan for your architectural decision and hybrid or multicloudstrategy planning, there are several potential challenges and designconsiderations that you should consider. This multi-part architecture guidehighlights both the potential benefits of various architectures and thepotential challenges.

Note: This guide doesn't discuss multicloud architectures that use SaaSproducts, like customer relationship management (CRM) systems or email,alongside a cloud service provider (CSP).

Overview of hybrid cloud and multicloud

Because workloads, infrastructure, and processes are unique to each enterprise,each hybrid cloud strategy must be adapted to your specific needs. The result isthat the termshybrid cloud andmulticloud are sometimes usedinconsistently.

Within the context of this Google Cloud architecture guide, the termhybrid cloud describes an architecture in which workloads are deployed acrossmultiple computing environments, one based in the public cloud, and at least onebeing private—for example, an on-premises data center or a colocation facility.

The termmulticloud describes an architecture that combines at least twopublic CSPs. As illustrated in the following diagram,sometimes this architecture includes a private computing environment (that mightinclude the use of a private cloud component). That arrangement is called ahybrid and multicloud architecture.

Diagram of the three architectures discussed in this series: hybrid, multicloud, and mix of hybrid and multicloud architectures.

Note: The termhybrid and multicloud refers to any combination of the threearchitectures displayed in the preceding diagram. However, where possible thisseries attempts to be specific when discussing architecture patterns.

Contributors

Author:Marwan Al Shawi | Partner Customer Engineer

Other contributors:

Except as otherwise noted, the content of this page is licensed under theCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 License, and code samples are licensed under theApache 2.0 License. For details, see theGoogle Developers Site Policies. Java is a registered trademark of Oracle and/or its affiliates.

Last updated 2024-10-24 UTC.