“Bare Metal infrastructure has its place, but businesses are rapidly transitioning to cloud platforms due to the flexibility and scalability they offer,” says Santiago Blanquet, Growth Director at VyOS Networks. “Cloud environments like AWS, Azure, GCP, and OCI allow businesses to deploy and scale resources dynamically, while Bare Metal infrastructure comes with significant overhead, from hardware procurement to ongoing maintenance.”

Blanquet explains that in today’s fast-paced business world, companies are looking for infrastructure that can grow with their needs. “In the past, Bare Metal was the preferred choice for high-performance applications due to its reliability and dedicated resources. But the evolution of cloud platforms has closed that gap. Now, companies can get the same level of performance in the cloud, while benefiting from reduced operational costs, faster deployment times, and improved agility.”

However, this shift isn’t just about cost savings. “The move from Bare Metal to cloud is also about operational efficiency. Managing infrastructure in a traditional data center is resource-intensive. Cloud, on the other hand, offers automated tools that streamline IT operations, allowing companies to focus more on their core business activities rather than on managing hardware.”

Why are more companies embracing Hybrid Cloud environments?

While cloud adoption is growing, many organizations are choosing a hybrid model, blending on-premise infrastructure with cloud solutions. “Hybrid Cloud is the best of both worlds,” Blanquet notes. “It provides businesses with the flexibility they need to scale, while maintaining control over sensitive data that might need to stay on-premise.”

Blanquet explains that while cloud services are attractive for their flexibility and efficiency, some companies are reluctant to fully abandon their Bare Metal investments, especially when they have large amounts of critical data stored on-premise. Hybrid Cloud allows these organizations to leverage the cloud’s benefits, such as scalability and reduced capital expenditure, while keeping certain systems on Bare Metal for security or regulatory reasons.

"Many organizations, especially in industries like finance, healthcare, and government, have strict compliance requirements. Hybrid Cloud allows them to take advantage of cloud innovation while ensuring that sensitive data remains within their control. Additionally, it’s a great model for businesses that are gradually moving their infrastructure to the cloud, as it allows for a phased migration.”

Why is a Network OS crucial for managing cloud environments?

“Without a network operating system (NOS), managing a cloud or hybrid environment becomes incredibly complex,” Blanquet points out. "The shift to cloud infrastructure introduces new network challenges that traditional tools weren’t designed to handle, especially in multi-cloud or hybrid cloud scenarios."

As businesses adopt cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, GCP, and OCI, they need to ensure that their networks remain reliable, secure, and scalable. “Managing network performance, security, and automation across these platforms requires a solution that can handle the complexity of multi-cloud networks, especially when you add hybrid infrastructures into the mix.”

Blanquet emphasizes that having a robust NOS in place is critical. "With a cloud-native NOS like VyOS, businesses can seamlessly manage and automate their network across multiple environments. VyOS provides features like routing, VPN, firewall, and traffic management, all within a single platform, ensuring that businesses can maintain control and visibility over their network, regardless of where their workloads are hosted."

And how a Network OS can help in a Hybrid Cloud infrastructures?

"In a Hybrid Cloud setup, the need for a NOS becomes even more pronounced," Blanquet explains. "In addition to managing connections between cloud platforms, businesses need to ensure that on-premise systems are fully integrated into the network. Hybrid infrastructures introduce additional complexity, with data and applications spread across both cloud and on-premise environments. A reliable NOS helps unify these environments, ensuring seamless communication and security across all infrastructure components."

One key challenge in Hybrid Cloud environments is ensuring consistent performance and security across both on-premise and cloud-based systems. "In these setups, you’re dealing with different network architectures, security protocols, and performance requirements. Without the right tools, managing this complexity can become overwhelming. VyOS solves this by offering a unified solution that integrates seamlessly with both on-premise and cloud environments."

How does VyOS add value to managing Hybrid Cloud infrastructure?

Blanquet underscores VyOS’s value proposition for businesses operating in Hybrid Cloud environments. "VyOS is designed to be incredibly flexible. Whether you're running workloads on AWS, Azure, GCP, or OCI, or managing connections between these platforms and your on-premise infrastructure, VyOS provides the tools you need to ensure network reliability and scalability."

VyOS supports advanced networking features like dynamic routing, VPN, firewall policies, and traffic shaping, making it an ideal solution for businesses with complex hybrid environments. "What sets VyOS apart is its ability to integrate with any cloud provider, from public clouds like AWS and Azure to private and Bare Metal infrastructures, including platforms like Equinix. This makes it easier for businesses to manage their hybrid environments without being locked into a single vendor’s ecosystem."

Blanquet also points out the importance of VyOS’s open-source model. "Our customers appreciate that VyOS is open-source, which means they can customize it to meet their specific needs. Plus, it ensures that there’s no vendor lock-in, allowing businesses to maintain control over their infrastructure. This flexibility is especially important in Hybrid Cloud environments, where businesses need to manage both cloud and on-premise systems."

An Illustration of VyOS Managing Multi Cloud Provier’s Data Center

What advice would you give to CTOs and CIOs looking to transition to Hybrid Cloud?

“For CTOs and CIOs, the key to a successful transition is having the right tools and strategy in place,” Blanquet advises. “Start by understanding your current infrastructure and identifying which workloads are best suited for the cloud and which should remain on-premise. Once you have that mapped out, it’s critical to have a robust NOS like VyOS to ensure seamless connectivity, scalability, and automation across all platforms."

In 2024, In Australia, many companies are working with a 5-10 year IT roadmap, looking to future-proof their infrastructure. While proprietary Network OS solutions from vendors like Cisco and Juniper are popular, they can limit flexibility and come with high recurring licensing fees and feature-based costs. "The future is always changing and it could be challenging to limit the way your cloud will connect to the periphery of the outside world. Even if businesses prefer proprietary systems now for familiarity, having an open-source option like VyOS provides long-term flexibility, allowing them to easily shift as their needs evolve," says Blanquet - “as being open source VyOS is customizable and keep adding new features and platform connectivity enhancing its capabilities continuously.”

Blanquet adds, "With VyOS, there's no end-of-license surprises or inflated costs based on feature access. We offer businesses the freedom to scale their network on their terms without locking them into costly vendor ecosystems." The future of enterprise infrastructure is hybrid, and VyOS is here to make that transition as smooth as possible. We enable businesses to manage their hybrid cloud environments efficiently and securely, all while reducing operational costs and avoiding vendor lock-in - it’s not just about cost savings; it’s about freedom of choice and building a more robust, future-proof infrastructure. VyOS empowers you to scale and innovate without constraints, ensuring that your network evolves as your business does—on your terms.”

[To learn more about how VyOS can help your business manage its Hybrid Cloud infrastructure, download VyOS datasheet or contact VyOS at sales@vyos.io.]