With more than half (55%) of companies taking the hybrid approach when it comes to their cloud computing policy, it is clear that hybrid cloud has strong appeal for organizations. A computing environment that combines the power of the mainframe with the innovation and agility of the cloud, allowing data and applications to be shared between the two, may be the best of both worlds for many companies. When done right, the benefits of hybrid cloud are undeniable: it eliminates data silos, optimizes workloads, and increases scalability, making organizations more agile and efficient.
However, these benefits remain untapped if the new hybrid cloud solution cannot efficiently capture data changes and unify multiple data stores. Optimizing data management is a crucial step in the cloud migration journey, laying the foundation for success. It enables advanced analytics and AI/ML modeling which in turn facilitates decision making based on real-time information. But the right way to achieve seamless data integration is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Companies must use the right modernization tools and create a simple, secure approach that suits their specific needs to ensure success.
Vice President of Product Management at Rocket Software.
The challenges of data integration
Traditional data integration methods can be resource intensive and have long development cycles. This not only extends the implementation timeline, but also ties up key internal resources, diverting them from other mission-critical projects. Due to these characteristics, traditional approaches are also not suitable to keep pace with changing business needs and the pace of technological advancement that we see in the market.
Even if the initial delay and lack of agility is compensated, data replication and synchronization issues frequently arise, leading to inconsistencies in data analysis and reporting. It's just not fast enough; If performance limitations hamper processing speed, any supposed real-time information is immediately obsolete. Finally, the inability to perform one-to-many replication across a variety of data types further complicates integration efforts, compromising the organization's efficient management of its digital assets.
Data replication: the key to success?
Data exists in a variety of environments. In a hybrid cloud approach, that could mean both on-premises and in the cloud. The key to successful data integration lies in a customized approach that takes into account those environments and how the data is used. While the answer will be different for each organization, the common denominators of successful data integration can be found in solutions with specific features. These include strong encryption, site-to-site VPN capabilities, security and compliance controls, filtering mechanisms, and secure connectivity features.
Data replication and synchronization is imperative for a hybrid cloud solution, allowing businesses to integrate large amounts of fragmented data from a variety of environments and create a cohesive experience. The efficiency that comes with this approach is not only limited to the user experience, but also influences cost reduction. Data replication and synchronization solutions allow any changes to the data set to be pushed directly into data lakes and warehouses, simplifying processes and improving overall capabilities. Additionally, that data only needs to be replicated once and can then be applied to multiple targets. By combining this capability with a robust catalog of code page translations and data conversions, time spent on manual coding can be dramatically reduced.
Leveraging scalable data capture and real-time synchronization
Real-time data synchronization is one of the best ways to inject agility into the business. It allows organizations to quickly detect changing market conditions and emerging trends and stay ahead. This is especially important in dynamic business environments where spotting those opportunities first makes all the difference. By leveraging real-time data for AI tools and machine learning models in the cloud while synchronizing changes with the mainframe and other core transactional systems, companies can significantly accelerate their decision-making processes and base them on data-driven insights.
Seamless integration across a wide range of IT environments is key for organizations opting for a hybrid cloud solution. It allows businesses to leverage their existing IT infrastructure investments rather than starting from scratch, while embracing the scalability and flexibility of cloud computing. This means teams can pursue innovative projects, unlock new opportunities and drive growth within the business without massive disruption to other existing critical functions. Additionally, the increased speed and ease of sharing data across departments facilitates cross-functional alignment that companies can leverage to achieve their strategic goals.
Hybrid cloud is the ideal environment to leverage data and turn unused digital assets into critical assets that help set goals, make decisions, and plan for the future. But these benefits cannot be achieved without proper data management that includes real-time data replication and synchronization. With the right solution and support, businesses can take their hybrid cloud infrastructure to the next level and unlock the full potential of real-time information.
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