Are you harnessing the full potential of your multi-cloud storage strategy? With 86% of companies embracing a multi-cloud approach, it’s crucial to have a solid grasp of the technology’s fundamentals, benefits, challenges, integration strategies, management techniques, and migration considerations.
Test your knowledge with our comprehensive quiz and discover areas for improvement. By mastering multi-cloud storage, you can unlock the full potential of your cloud strategy and stay ahead in today’s competitive landscape.
Table of Contents
Question 1
What advantages does a multi-cloud storage strategy provide?
A. Flexibility
B. A way around overpriced, underperforming cloud services
C. Business continuity
D. All of the above
Answer
D. All of the above
Explanation
A multi-cloud storage strategy gives organizations the flexibility to choose the best service option for each task they want to put in the cloud. In terms of cloud services related to storage, an organization might use one cloud provider for object storage because that’s where it excels and another provider that’s strong in directory services. A multi-cloud approach provides access to the best cloud storage services, regardless of which provider offers it.
Similarly, a multi-cloud strategy enables an organization to pick and choose among services based on price. It also provides a level of redundancy not available with a single cloud service. Should one provider’s services go down, others are available to step in. And cloud resources distributed globally protect against regional disasters.
Question 2
When does hybrid cloud storage trump a multi-cloud strategy?
A. When cloud bursting is required to accommodate spikes in demand
B. When the organization’s cloud strategy doesn’t include a private cloud
C. When the goal is to minimize the integration of a private cloud with public cloud services
D. When security isn’t a concern
Answer
A. When cloud bursting is required to accommodate spikes in demand
Explanation
The terms hybrid cloud and multi-cloud are often used interchangeably. However, there are differences. A hybrid cloud is a combination of public and private clouds, while a multi-cloud includes any kind of cloud, with no requirement that anything be run on premises.
In a hybrid cloud, the private cloud is usually integrated with at least one public cloud to the extent that the underlying software stacks work together. Hybrid models tend to be more secure, because they include fewer services. The more clouds included in a strategy, the bigger the attack surface and the greater the risk.
An organization is more likely to use hybrid cloud storage when it’s running an application that needs to take advantage of the cloud bursting capabilities of a hybrid cloud. In those cases, the application runs in the private cloud until its demand for resources reaches a predetermined level. At that point, it fails over to a public cloud service.
Question 3
What’s the best approach to ensuring that a cloud platform will seamlessly integrate with the existing systems and tools your organization uses to move, store and protect data?
A. Hire a third party to do the integration
B. Don’t worry about it; integration is usually pretty seamless
C. Check that the cloud provider offers standards-based APIs compatible with your systems
D. Use tools only from the cloud provider you want to send data to
Answer
C. Check that the cloud provider offers standards-based APIs compatible with your systems
Explanation
For easy integration, check that the cloud services you’re considering use standards-based APIs compatible with your organization’s existing services, applications and tools. A compatible, standards-based API will expose the cloud platform’s services and link to your existing systems, regardless of the technology or location.
Some cloud providers offer integration services as well. Google Cloud’s Cloud Endpoints service provides tools to develop, manage and monitor APIs based on the OpenAPI spec. It works with services such as AWS Lambda to manage workloads across cloud platforms.
Question 4
Using technology such as software-defined networking, network function virtualization or network as a service is the best way to eliminate networking and connectivity issues when setting up multi-cloud storage.
A. True
B. False
Answer
A. True
Explanation
Managing connectivity among multiple cloud platforms is a big challenge. A multi-cloud storage system requires a reliable, full-featured network infrastructure to connect users, services, applications and data stores. The network must be reliable enough to handle fluctuating — and, sometimes, unpredictable — workloads, as well as different types and amounts of data. To ensure secure communication, cloud providers must support industry-standard tools, such as VPNs and dedicated internet service provider connections.
Organizations can minimize networking problems by using technologies compatible with cloud platforms, such as network function virtualization, software-defined networking, software-defined WAN and network as a service.
Question 5
What’s the best way to manage data and storage in a multi-cloud environment?
A. Your existing tools will most likely be adequate
B. Plan to do a good bit of scripting to ensure everything works together
C. Buy any one of a number of multi-cloud management tools
D. Hire a third-party service provider
Answer
B. Plan to do a good bit of scripting to ensure everything works together
Explanation
Existing tools for managing and monitoring cloud platforms usually aren’t adequate to support a multi-cloud environment. Tools on the market to manage these environments tend to be new and often cover a limited number of platforms. It may be possible to hire a third-party service provider, but even there you’ll need to do a good bit of your own planning and monitoring to ensure your multi-cloud platform is being adequately managed.
The safest approach to making everything work together is to do your own planning and scripting. That ensures your organization has all the software and tools it needs to manage the services that make up its multi-cloud infrastructure.
Question 6
What’s the best way to ensure smooth workflow management in a multi-cloud environment?
A. Check that each platform can deliver the functionality your organization requires in a distributed environment
B. Make sure each platform will work with your organization’s existing DevOps tools
C. Ensure that all the clouds support the infrastructure technologies your organization uses, such as containerization and virtualization
D. All of the above
Answer
D. All of the above
Explanation
Part of planning for your multi-cloud storage environment should include verifying each platform can deliver the flexibility, performance and reliability your organization is looking for in a distributed environment. Be sure to evaluate each platform’s ability to work with your existing DevOps tools, including provisioning, orchestration and automation tools. Also, check that each platform supports the infrastructure technologies your organization requires, such as containerization, virtualization and serverless computing.
Question 7
Which of the following is not an adequate cloud-to-cloud migration product model?
A. SaaS products
B. Free migration tools from public cloud vendors
C. Object storage software
D. Abstracting the data sources from applications
Answer
B. Free migration tools from public cloud vendors
Explanation
Free tools from public cloud vendors are not the best approach to multi-cloud migration. Cloud-to-cloud migration requires more comprehensive services. SaaS products from companies such as CloudEndure and UnitedLayer provide automated migration to and from multiple cloud platforms. Other vendors, such as NooBaa, provide software for cloud-to-cloud migration. Another approach taken by Flex.io and VMware is to abstract the data sources from the applications.
Question 8
What are key functions to look for in a cloud management platform (CMP) when it comes to optimizing storage capabilities?
A. Systems integration
B. Service management
C. Resource management
D. All of the above
Answer
D. All of the above
Explanation
A CMP is a set of software tools used to monitor and control storage and other resources in public, private, hybrid and multi-cloud environments. The functionality and capabilities they provide vary widely. The Cloud Working Group of Object Management Group has specified six functions these tools should support, including systems integration, general services, service management, resource management, governance and security, and financial management.
Systems integration requires a CMP be able to integrate with internal and external systems. With service management, the CMP must be able to monitor and report on managed cloud services, including providing capacity information on storage resources. Resource management requires features to manage and deliver cloud resources, such as discovery, tagging, asset and license management, and cloud-to-cloud migration.