Multi-cloud is a strategy where an organization uses services from two or more public cloud providers. It helps avoid dependence on a single vendor, improves flexibility, and allows workloads to run where they perform best or meet compliance needs.
How Multi-Cloud Works
In a multi-cloud setup, you may use one provider for infrastructure, another for analytics, and a third for SaaS applications. These services are accessed independently, though some integration may exist. Teams manage different environments through separate dashboards or through unified management tools.
Multi-cloud is different from hybrid cloud. Hybrid combines public and private clouds, often with workload movement between them. Multi-cloud uses multiple public clouds, usually for different use cases, geographies, or pricing benefits.
Why Multi-Cloud Is Gaining Ground
No single cloud provider is best at everything. With a multi-cloud approach, you can:
- Run apps closer to users by choosing regional availability zones
- Meet compliance or data residency rules by selecting providers with local presence
- Improve resilience by avoiding vendor lock-in
- Optimize cost by comparing offerings across platforms
It also helps when different departments or teams prefer specific tools, or when mergers bring in systems built on other clouds.
Multi-Cloud in the Indian Context
Indian enterprises are increasingly adopting multi-cloud, especially in IT services, BFSI, telecom, and manufacturing. Regulatory requirements, competitive pricing, and the need for geographic redundancy drive this trend.
As local cloud regions expand, businesses gain more choice in where to host and scale workloads.
What You Should Know
Managing multi-cloud environments adds complexity. Security, cost visibility, data integration, and performance monitoring require a clear strategy. Proactive helps you build and operate a multi-cloud architecture that aligns with your business priorities and simplifies control across platforms.
