Avoid being Locked-in to your cloud

Public cloud computing has become a popular choice for many organisations due to its flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. However, the convenience of public cloud services often comes with a risk of vendor lock-in, which can be costly and challenging to overcome. Vendor lock-in refers to a situation where a company becomes heavily dependent on a particular cloud provider, making it difficult to switch to another provider or to bring applications and data back in-house. To avoid public cloud lock-in, businesses need to plan and prepare strategically. In this article, we will discuss some strategies that can help avoid public cloud lock-in.

1. Develop a multi-cloud strategy

One of the most effective ways to avoid public cloud lock-in is to adopt a multi-cloud strategy. A multi-cloud strategy involves using multiple cloud providers instead of relying on a single vendor. By using more than one cloud provider, businesses can take advantage of the strengths of each vendor and avoid being tied down to a specific technology stack or service. A multi-cloud strategy also helps organisations reduce the risk of downtime or service disruption by having a backup plan if one of the providers experiences issues.

1. Embrace open-source technologies

Open-source technologies are not controlled by any specific cloud provider, which means that they can be used across different cloud platforms. By adopting open-source technologies, businesses can reduce their dependence on proprietary cloud services and ensure that their applications and data can be easily migrated across different cloud providers. For example, Kubernetes, an open-source container orchestration system, can be used to deploy and manage applications across multiple cloud providers.

1. Standardise on APIs

APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) are the building blocks that allow different services to work together. By using APIs that are standardised across multiple cloud providers, businesses can avoid being tied to a particular cloud platform. For example, OpenStack APIs are available across multiple public cloud providers, including AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, which allows businesses to move workloads between providers without having to rewrite the application code.

1. Adopt containerisation

Containerisation involves packaging applications and their dependencies into containers, which can be run on any cloud platform. By adopting containerisation, businesses can avoid being locked into a specific cloud provider's technology stack or infrastructure. Containers can be easily migrated across different cloud providers, making it easier for businesses to adopt a multi-cloud strategy. Containerisation also enables businesses to achieve faster deployment times, improved application portability, and scalability.

1. Plan for exit

Even with the best precautions, businesses may find themselves in a situation where they need to move their applications and data to a different cloud provider or back in-house. It's important to have an exit plan in place to ensure that the migration is as smooth and painless as possible. The exit plan should include a clear understanding of the process and any costs associated with migrating applications and data to another cloud provider or in-house infrastructure. Businesses should also ensure that they have complete control over their data, including the ability to export data in a standard format.

1. Negotiate contract terms

When signing up with a cloud provider, businesses should pay close attention to the contract terms and ensure that they have negotiated terms that allow them to avoid lock-in. Businesses should look for contracts that allow them to access their data, migrate to a different provider, or terminate the contract without incurring heavy fees or penalties. It's important to ensure that the contract terms are clear and transparent, and that they offer flexibility in case the business needs to make changes.

Conclusion

Public cloud lock-in can be a significant risk for businesses, making it essential to plan strategically to avoid it. A multi-cloud strategy, open-source technologies, standardised APIs, containerisation, planning for exit, and negotiating contract terms are all effective strategies that businesses can adopt to reduce the risk of lock-in. By taking