Designing the architecture for deploying a hybrid multi-cloud model that spans AWS and Azure requires careful planning and consideration. The following are some steps that need to be taken:
Identify the requirements: The first step is to identify the business requirements, such as scalability, high availability, and disaster recovery. It is also important to identify the security and compliance requirements.
Select the necessary cloud services: Based on the requirements, the appropriate cloud services need to be selected from both AWS and Azure. For example, AWS Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) and Azure Virtual Machines (VMs) can be used for compute, AWS Simple Storage Service (S3) and Azure Blob Storage can be used for storage, and so on.
Choose the right connectivity option: A reliable and secure connectivity option is essential for a multi-cloud architecture. AWS Direct Connect and Azure ExpressRoute can be used to establish a private and dedicated network connection between AWS and Azure.
Implement a load balancer: A load balancer can be implemented to distribute traffic between the instances running in both AWS and Azure. AWS Elastic Load Balancing (ELB) and Azure Load Balancer are the respective load balancers for each cloud platform.
Implement monitoring and logging: Monitoring and logging are essential to ensure the smooth functioning of a multi-cloud architecture. AWS CloudWatch and Azure Monitor can be used to monitor the performance and health of the services running in both clouds.
Implement security and compliance: Security and compliance are critical for any architecture. AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) and Microsoft Entra ID can be used for IAM. AWS Security Hub and Azure Security Center can be used for security and compliance management.
Test and validate: Once the architecture has been designed and implemented, it is important to test and validate it thoroughly to ensure that it meets the business and technical requirements.
Designing a multi-cloud architecture on AWS and Azure requires expertise in both cloud platforms and the ability to seamlessly integrate them. By following these steps, businesses can design a reliable, scalable, and secure multi-cloud architecture that meets their requirements.
The following figure shows a sample migration that can be performed as part of moving to a multi-cloud model:
Figure 14.3 – Multi-cloud rebinding
This diagram illustrates the evolution of an IT infrastructure from a single-cloud setup to a multi-cloud hybrid model. Before migration, we see a traditional on-premises platform with application components, AC1 and AC2, directly interacting with AWS services, including S3 for storage and EC2 for compute. Azure’s cloud storage is also in use, indicating a nascent hybrid state, but without a sophisticated integration between the clouds.
Post-migration, the architecture transforms into a more complex multi-cloud environment. A load balancer has been introduced on-premises, signifying an upgrade in traffic management and distribution. This suggests a move to a more resilient and scalable system as the load balance can dynamically distribute workloads not just between on-premises servers but also across cloud providers.
The application components are now configured to interact with both AWS and Azure, showcasing a true hybrid cloud scenario where services from both providers are utilized in tandem. This kind of setup allows for flexibility in resource utilization and can be a strategic move to optimize costs, enhance disaster recovery capabilities, and ensure regional compliance by leveraging the geographical spread of both AWS and Azure. It epitomizes a modern enterprise architecture that is agile, resilient, and designed for optimal performance across multiple cloud environments.
Now that we have obtained a good understanding of migrating to a multi-cloud hybrid deployment, we can look at moving data from IoT Core to S3, which will be important to know as part of creating hybrid cloud models.