Hybrid IT management, also called HITM, is a strategy that is a combination of cloud-based and physical infrastructure designed to help you store essential data and complete business transactions. You can also use hybrid IT management to communicate with your colleagues and business partners. Hybrid IT strategy also gives companies the ability to maintain a streamlined approach while taking care of the benefits of the cloud such as lower pricing, higher performance, and scalability.
In the past six years or so, hybrid IT management has gained significant popularity. According to recent surveys, 67% of business owners use hybrid cloud. This is largely due to three factors:
- A necessity to maintain data control
- Low cost of cloud components such as storage-as-a-service and software-as-a-service
- The desire of companies to respond quickly to changing priorities and needs within the business
HITM Benefits
Hybrid IT management gives your business the benefit of maximizing both traditional and hybrid infrastructure. This makes it more convenient for you to communicate and you can be sure that your information is stored securely. HITM also gives you the ability to scale your resources while taking advantage of the collaboration features and cost-effectiveness of a cloud platform. You can accurately access the resources needed for every workload and select the ideal application to get the job done. You can also store HITM data according to regulations and security requirements. For instance, if you run a law firm, you can store private documents in a separate private cloud platform so that everyone in the company will not have access to the information.
Using a hybrid IT approach for your business also offers more customization. You can integrate the cloud with on-premise networks or utilize a static cloud connection designated for a specific company function. It’s also a good idea to have a hybrid IT strategy so you can test and develop new apps for your business in the cloud before you move them to an environment where more people will have access to them. The cloud offers on-demand access so you can make changes or deploy apps as needed.
If you’re thinking about adopting a hybrid approach, it’s usually best to test this form of IT management with a small pilot. Once you become familiar with the hybrid model you can expand and offer the proper training and instructions to your team members.
Keep in mind that even though HITM can be beneficial, it’s important to have the right management system to make the IT management system effective. Be sure you have one administrative console that controls your on-premises and cloud information. Your console must have application, user, and security policies that function together successfully.
Make sure that you know the basics when it comes to hybrid IT management. Don’t simply pick the right technology and tools for your company. Once you decide which hybrid IT system is right for you, check to see that you understand the governance regulations, data storage, and security measures that will help you accomplish effective hybrid cloud management.