---
title: What is a hybrid cloud?
url: https://www.vmware.com/topics/hybrid-cloud
description: Learn about hybrid cloud, a cloud computing model that uses a combination of private cloud and public cloud elements.
---

# What is a hybrid cloud?

Hybrid Cloud is defined as a cloud computing model that uses a combination of at least one private cloud and at least one public cloud, which work together to provide a flexible mix of cloud computing services. Hybrid cloud computing extends infrastructure and operations consistently to provide a single operating model that manages application workloads across both environments, allowing for seamless migration of workloads from private to or from public cloud as business needs dictate.

## How a hybrid cloud works

Hybrid clouds use public and private clouds as a single combined entity, where data and application workloads can move seamlessly between platforms and share data between application workloads. This is achieved by virtualization of data and workloads, network function virtualization (NFV) or VPNs, and connectivity to one or more cloud providers.

A hybrid infrastructure, or hybrid cloud, is an IT infrastructure design and environment made up of a mix of on-premises data centers, private clouds, and/or public clouds. Operating systems and applications can be deployed on any part of this environment, depending on the business needs and requirements. Hybrid infrastructure uses hybrid IT infrastructure services, or cloud services, to help manage and monitor an enterprise’s entire IT infrastructure.

## Hybrid cloud solutions

Hybrid cloud solutions offer a single, seamless pool of resources that support modern application strategies and an organization’s digital transformation efforts. Most organizations have adopted a hybrid cloud infrastructure to reduce risk, minimize overall IT and cloud costs, support cloud migration without refactoring, data center consolidation, and meet seasonal peaks in demand for compute and storage resources.

## Hybrid cloud benefits

There are many hybrid cloud benefits to consider, including:

- **Workload migration.** Migrate workloads quickly and without refactoring, using familiar tools and processes, while accessing cloud-native services from the new cloud environment.
- **Facilitate application modernization.** With hybrid cloud, organizations can create and deploy microservices and container-based applications while continuing to operate virtual machine-based workloads on the same cloud platform.
- **Enhance scalability.** Organizations can leverage the instant agility and scale of public cloud providers in near-real time while using familiar tools and processes.
- **Enforce security and compliance mandates.** With a hybrid cloud, security policies are linked to each application, which ensures consistent adoption wherever workloads are deployed and managed.
- **Reduce IT workload.** By offering self-service to developers and line-of-business (LOB) application owners in on-site and public cloud environments, organizations can handle more requests while unburdening IT staff from mundane repetitive tasks related to spinning up new VMs or containers.
- **Increase flexibility.** For organizations with a wide range of application requirements and digital business initiatives, the hybrid cloud provides options for where and when workloads and data are deployed, which speeds up IT response to changing needs.
- **Reduce complexity.** With a single operating model across environments, IT can simplify operations to optimize the mix of capital and operating expenses, reduce operating and security risk, and improve operating efficiency while avoiding silos and skills gaps.
- **Support existing and new applications** on a single hybrid platform that works with VM and containerized workloads.
- **Increase cloud utility.** Hybrid infrastructure allows an organization to improve on-premises cloud capabilities and shift from siloed infrastructure-oriented operations to a service-based model that delivers the same services regardless of where applications are deployed.

## Hybrid cloud challenges

The challenge for organizations pursuing a hybrid cloud is to find an operating model that simplifies operations, reduces management complexity, allows interoperability to enhance flexibility, and also addresses the requirements of a wide range of application architectures and digital business objectives.

A hybrid cloud solution works best when a single set of management tools, skills, and workflows can extend seamlessly across consistent infrastructure that is common to on-site, public cloud, and hosted environments. 

A single operating model addresses the challenges related to:

- **Migration without refactoring:** If applications are migrated from dissimilar environments, then applications need time-consuming and costly refactoring during migration.  The consistent infrastructure allows fast, low-cost migration to the cloud, and easy migration back on-site if needs change.
- **VM and container workloads:** IT organizations increasingly must support containerized cloud-native application architectures in addition to existing virtual machines. A hybrid cloud management foundation should enable integrated management of both existing and new applications.
- **Making security and policies consistent:** Many security policies are tied to the underlying infrastructure. With a hybrid cloud, it is important to be able to tie security and compliance policies to the workload, so policies can be enforced consistently wherever workloads are deployed.
- **Siloed tools and processes:** If different tools and processes are used to manage applications and underlying infrastructure in various unique environments, then new functional silos and specialized skills can keep organizations from achieving their cloud goals. A hybrid cloud should extend existing IT tools and processes from the data center to the cloud to optimize operational efficiency and avoid having to train or hire new capabilities.

## Hybrid cloud security

[Hybrid cloud](https://www.vmware.com/topics/hybrid-cloud) security involves [software-defined networking](https://www.vmware.com/topics/software-defined-networking) (SDN), virtualization, and application support at all layers of the service mesh across multiple [data centers](https://www.vmware.com/topics/data-center) and hardware devices. Companies increasingly seek a “single pane of glass” administration for hybrid cloud networking that includes all of the features of traditional network administration and data center management software, with improved real-time data packet analytics. Hybrid cloud security must operate at all levels of the distributed network and include support for new, innovative software platforms that have not been thoroughly tested in production. Hybrid cloud security poses unique problems for network administrators that are best addressed through tools and utilities that are integrated within the lanes of SDN orchestration through embedded SIEM applications implementing real-time data packet scanning, monitoring, and [network analytics](https://www.vmware.com/topics/network-analytics).

IT professionals in complex enterprise organizations choose a hybrid cloud because it supports the de facto means of operation for thousands of employees or multiple software development teams in action today. Due to the way that the current IT landscape operates, business managers must evaluate between [public cloud](https://www.vmware.com/topics/public-cloud) hosts on the basis of cost for commodity hardware and support for proprietary or open-source software services. Senior business management has swiftly adopted cloud outsourcing for the majority of public-facing software services across the Fortune 500 in the last ten years. However, most of these senior decision-makers still will not permit highly sensitive data and files to be remotely hosted outside of an on-premises data center. The requirement to support [private cloud](https://www.vmware.com/topics/private-cloud) or on-premises data center hardware is the primary characteristic of hybrid cloud architecture, but this form of networking presents unique issues and challenges to security professionals.

## Hybrid cloud vs multi-cloud

A hybrid cloud includes both public and private cloud elements, with the goal to enable consistent infrastructure and consistent operations across them. A [multi-cloud](https://www.vmware.com/topics/multi-cloud) is a cloud environment that includes more than one public cloud provider, regardless of whether it is hybrid or not. Thus cloud architecture can be hybrid without being multi-cloud, multi-cloud without being hybrid, or both hybrid and multi-cloud.

IT organizations may use hybrid cloud as a subset of a multi-cloud strategy that includes dissimilar environments. With multi-cloud, IT organizations may need additional management tools and processes beyond a hybrid cloud management foundation to ensure consistent multi-cloud operations. Effective multi-cloud management helps ensure visibility and control, including cost, security and compliance, across any combination of hybrid and multi-cloud environments.

## Recommended for You

- [Private Cloud](https://www.vmware.com/topics/private-cloud)
- [Multi-Cloud](https://www.vmware.com/topics/multi-cloud)
- [Public Cloud](https://www.vmware.com/topics/public-cloud)
- [Cloud Topic](https://www.vmware.com/topics/cloud)

## Related Solutions and Products

- [VMware Cloud Foundation](https://www.vmware.com/products/cloud-infrastructure/vmware-cloud-foundation)

## Also of Interest

- [What is Platform Engineering?](https://www.vmware.com/topics/platform-engineering)
- [Why Private Cloud](https://www.vmware.com/solutions/cloud-infrastructure/why-private-cloud)
- [VMware Cloud on AWS | Deeply Integrated Hybrid Cloud Service](https://www.vmware.com/solutions/partner-managed-services/vcf-solutions-for-aws)