Page 8 - FCW, May/June 2018

HYBRID CLOUD
Maintaining hybrid cloud consistency
Agencies that rely on multiple hybrid cloud vendors risk complications due to differences in identity and access management systems, IT management and security systems, and data models and developer experiences. Rather than realizing the benefits of hybrid cloud, these agencies end up dealing with unmanageable complexities. Using uniform technologies across identity management, data management, application development, and
security means that developers and IT professionals are no longer constrained by the limitations of disconnected systems.
When considering cloud options,
IT managers should evaluate their requirements in relation to the four key elements below. Taken together, these elements provide consistent experiences for developers, data professionals, IT managers, and users:
• Identity. Common identity for on-premises and cloud apps improves productivity;
• Management and security. Integrated management and security provides a cohesive way to monitor, manage and secure the environment, giving better visibility and control;
• Data platform. A consistent data platform for datacenters and cloud gives portability for seamless access and deeper insight into data; and
• Development and DevOps. Unified development across data center and cloud enables developers to move apps between two environments for improved productivity.
Common identity improves access and security
Agencies struggle to balance access management against the need for
users to easily access the tools and
Hybrid Cloud is Key in Digital Transformation
A hybrid cloud model allows for one provider to orchestrate public and private resources to work interchangeably across on-premises and in the cloud, and between internal and external services, for better integration.
Source: Microsoft
apps necessary to do their jobs. Across government, multiple devices, numerous apps and too many logons and passwords have led to security fatigue. Ideally, users should have an identical and consistent sign-on experience that doesn’t require separate credentials, regardless of whether apps are accessed on-premises or in the cloud. Likewise, they should be able to access their apps and enjoy the same experience across all operating systems, Strausbaugh said.
“A common identity is key to hybrid cloud,” he said. “If you cannot move seamlessly between on-premises and cloud environments with a single sign- on experience and if operators cannot manage identity in a consistent way for all potential users and use cases, you’re in trouble. There’s no reason why you
shouldn’t be able to simply leverage what you’ve already built.”
Common identity within DoD also will improve security. Strong authentication helps prevent unauthorized access, including wide-scale network compromise that occurs when privileged administrators are impersonated. Cloud allows for advanced authentication ranging
from claims- and hardware-based authentication to multi-factor approaches to include biometrics, such as fingerprints.
This ensures that a single penetration of identity doesn’t compromise the entire system.
For administrators, the ability to manage access to applications is critical
to providing a consistent cross-platform experience. With a unified view of all users, it’s possible to grant appropriate access to
PRODUCED BY: SPONSORED BY: Microsoft Azure Government