How to Create Operational Resiliency in the Cloud

There's no end in sight for growth in the cloud computing market, with its size expected to increase from more than $676 billion this year, according to Fortune Business Insights, to roughly $2.29 trillion by 2032, and reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.5%.

In addition, based on findings by the IDC Worldwide Semiannual Public Cloud Services Tracker, the global revenue generated by the public cloud services continues to grow with software-as-a-service (SaaS) making up 45% of the market in the first half of 2023.

One key reason for this growth is that cloud capabilities enable organizations to attain a resilience level that is often more cost-efficient and dependable compared to conventional on-premises solutions.

The cloud by its very nature is resilient because of its failover mechanisms, backup and recovery capabilities and redundancies. Unlike conventional systems, which often require scheduled downtime for upgrades and maintenance, cloud-based solutions typically demand little, or no, downtime.

Maximizing Cloud Resiliency

Managed and overseen by external data centers such as Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud Platform (GCP), cloud systems offer round-the-clock availability. This article looks at best practices to maximize the value of resiliency in the cloud.

Security in the cloud: Resiliency and redundancy mean always being up to date on the latest security patches. Strong security protocols help ensure high availability and minimize downtime for operations, which is crucial in business today. Cloud providers continuously monitor for vulnerabilities and promptly release security patches, providing a proactive defense against zero-day threats.

With dedicated security departments, cloud providers can swiftly respond to emerging threats, deploying patches across all systems without requiring user intervention, enhancing the overall security posture of organizations utilizing cloud services.

Access to comprehensive IT support is essential because you can benefit from outsourced IT staff, including infrastructure experts, security operations personnel and system administrators, relieving the burden of managing these resources internally.

Scalability and monitoring analysis: In the cloud, you get the flexibility to scale computing power according to software needs, allowing for efficient resource allocation. Without careful monitoring and control mechanisms, however, costs can quickly escalate. Implementing tollgates sets predefined spending limits, automatically halting usage once the threshold is reached. It's important to not go too far because stringent tollgates may inadvertently slow system performance, causing disruptions for users. Maintaining a balance between resource utilization and cost control is a key part of creating operational resiliency in the cloud.

Scalable infrastructure solutions offered by cloud services further optimize operations by eliminating the need for in-house hiring or outsourcing to multiple service providers. By leveraging cloud services, organizations can focus on their core objectives while strengthening their security defenses and gaining access to a diverse pool of IT expertise tailored to their specific needs.

Top 3 Best Practices

These best practices are recommended as part of business strategies across industries:

1. Patches: Cloud systems should be designed and built with the flexibility to implement patches seamlessly, without the need for system downtime. This approach allows for continuous operation while ensuring that software remains up-to-date and secure.

2. Usage monitoring and optimization: It's crucial for optimizing resources and avoiding unnecessary costs to set guardrails on usage and monitor system performance. By tracking usage patterns and identifying underutilized resources, organizations can scale up or down as needed, maximizing efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

3. Cost awareness: It is essential for stakeholders to understand that cloud services come with associated costs. Organizations can effectively manage expenses and resources when they promote accountability within engineering, product and IT teams.

Operational resiliency is fundamental to cloud architecture, relying on a combination of redundancy, failover, backup and recovery mechanisms. These components are vital for maintaining uptime and scalability, which are essential for meeting the demands of modern businesses and users.

In the cloud, organizations can focus on their core business while strengthening their security defenses and gaining access to a diverse pool of IT expertise tailored to their specific needs, such as through a cloud monetization platform.

As technology continues to evolve, the importance of resilience in cloud systems will continue to grow. By implementing best practices in patch management, usage monitoring and cost awareness, businesses can enhance reliability and efficiency in their operations.