IT Infrastructure

The Top 7 Distributed Hybrid Infrastructure Solutions

Discover the Top Distributed Hybrid Infrastructure Solutions. Explore features such as high availability and reliability, and performance optimization.

Last updated on Aug 06, 2024

Written by Mirren McDade

Technical review by Laura Iannini

The Top 7 Distributed Hybrid Infrastructure Solutions include:

1. AWS Outposts
2. Google Distributed Cloud
3. IBM Cloud Satellite
4. Microsoft Azure Stack
5. Nutanix
6. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure
7. VMware Cloud Foundation

Distributed Hybrid Infrastructure solutions offer businesses an optimal way to blend traditional IT, private cloud, and public cloud services. This provides flexibility, scalability, and increased resilience, while maintaining control and improving cost-effectiveness.

These solutions enable companies to distribute their IT resources across various environments based on their unique needs, achieving a balance between performance, cost, and security. They often include features for IT automation, orchestration, and analytics.

Selecting the perfect hybrid infrastructure solution depends on an organization’s specific needs and circumstances. In our article of the best distributed hybrid infrastructure solutions, we have selected vendors based on their platform’s versatility, integration capabilities, ease of management, cost, and security. Each of the listed solutions caters to different company sizes, sectors, and technological capabilities.

AWS Outposts

AWS Outposts delivers AWS infrastructure and services to on-premises environments, either as rack hardware or server hardware. This solution delivers AWS infrastructure and services to virtually any on-premises or edge location, offering a consistent hybrid experience.

What We Like: We value AWS’s ability to run applications and workloads on-site using AWS’s user-friendly tools, combined with AWS’s delivery and installation of the hardware, freeing up your resources.

Best Features:

Full range of AWS services accessible locally
Integrated networking gear in the Outposts Rack
Reduced physical footprint with Outposts Servers
Offers control over data location and processing

We Recommend: We would recommend AWS Outposts for organizations requiring low-latency access to on-premises systems, like datacenters or co-located spaces. It’s especially suited for environments with limited space or service needs such as branch offices, factory floors, and retail stores.

Google Distributed Cloud

Google Distributed Cloud is a suite of hardware and software solutions designed to extend Google’s infrastructure and services to edge and data center environments. It enables organizations to control where their data is processed.

What We Like: Google Distributed Cloud caters to organizations requiring low latency or significant control over their data location. The all-inclusive service offered by Google, including hardware and software management, drastically reduces the overhead for organizations.

Best Features:

Google Distributed Cloud Edge delivers integrated hardware and software components capable of running diverse workloads
Google Distributed Cloud Edge Appliance for local storage, machine learning inference, transformation, and exporting for on-premises data
Google Distributed Cloud software based on Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) can manage and upgrade GKE clusters while retaining Google Cloud features
Flexibility to scale across multiple locations with diverse hardware and software options

We Recommend: Ideal for businesses requiring low-latency applications, mobile network infrastructure, and facial recognition. Also suitable for organizations with regulatory requirements allowing them to maintain infrastructure and services on-premise via the air-gapped version of Google Distributed Cloud.

IBM Cloud Satellite

IBM Cloud Satellite is a managed infrastructure service that allows the deployment and operation of applications across on-premises, edge computing, and public cloud environments.

What We Like: IBM Cloud Satellite facilitates data processing closer to its origin point, reducing latency and meeting data residency requirements. It also enables access to IBM Cloud services including tool-chains, databases, and AI from any location, while maintaining current network configurations and security protocols.

Best Features:

Provides Satellite Connector for running IBM Cloud services using on-premises resources
Accommodates the existing AWS/Azure/Google Cloud infrastructure or the one provided by IBM
Consolidates service provisioning, logs, access control and management within a single dashboard
Maintains data sovereignty with on-prem applications and services even over public networks

We Recommend: IBM Cloud Satellite is tailored to support large enterprise organizations, and its particularly beneficial to sectors such as financial services and telecommunications.

Microsoft Azure Stack

Azure Stack is a portfolio of products that brings Azure’s cloud services to on-premise environments and edge deployments.

What We Like: Azure Stack provides the ability to securely manage and process on-site customer data, ensuring compliance with stringent regulations such as HIPAA or FedRAMP. It offers flexible deployment across a range of environments and aids in modernizing crucial on-premise systems for a smoother transition to the cloud.

Best Features:

Azure Stack Edge offers managed hardware as a service, allowing on-site machine learning and data analysis at the edge with the option for later cloud transfer
Azure Stack HCI facilitates the deployment and running of applications and workloads, maintaining Azure’s consistent user experience in any location.
The Azure Stack Hub enables the use of cloud-based Azure services in on-premise environments, with options for both connected and disconnected deployment

We Recommend: Azure Stack is ideal for businesses that require a balance between on-premise and cloud systems such as those involved in global auditing, financial reporting, foreign exchange trading, and online gaming. It’s a top choice for organizations aiming for a secure, compliant, and flexible modernization of their IT systems.

Nutanix

Nutanix offers a unified solution for multi-cloud operations, combining computing, storage, and networking into a convenient datacentre platform. It’s a flexible choice that can accommodate any hardware, hypervisor, and public cloud environment.

What We Like: Nutanix’s platform allows seamless transfer of applications and data across multiple environments. It also offers an all-encompassing suite of data services and security across its platform.

Best Features:

Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure (NCI) offers core software-defined data services, security, recovery, and virtualization/cloud-native features
Nutanix Cloud Clusters (NC2) links on-premises environments to the AWS and Azure public clouds while maintaining constant control and management
Nutanix Cloud Manager (NCM) is a management platform for hybrid multi-cloud monitoring and operations
Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) delivers a comprehensive storage solution offering data services and security across the Nutanix Cloud Platform

We Recommend: Ideal for advanced datacenters managing hybrid multi-cloud solutions, Nutanix is a tried and tested choice, successfully implemented by over 25,000 of the world’s leading datacenters. Many of Nutanix’s services are also offered as SaaS options.

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure provides a flexible, distributed solution that allows businesses to seamlessly integrate services across multiple cloud regions, their data center, and Oracle’s public cloud platform.

What We Like: Oracle provides cloud infrastructure solutions that are modular, customizable, and consistent with equitable pricing models.

Best Features:

Dedicated Region offers all Oracle Cloud Infrastructure’s services in a self-maintained, independent cloud region at a location of your choice
Hybrid Cloud unifies on-premises and cloud infrastructure into one environment, segmenting data and applications to comply with regulations, without the need for architectural rebuilding
Over 100+ services are offered by Oracle
The Private Cloud platform offers an entirely private, isolated cloud, giving businesses a secure environment disconnected from all other networks

We Recommend: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure is best suited to enterprise-level clients looking for comprehensive, secure, and flexible cloud infrastructure solutions.

VMware Cloud Foundation

VMware Cloud Foundation is a modern cloud infrastructure solution that provides data center deployments with a cloud operational model for standardization, consistency, and scale.

What We Like: This solution incorporates leading VMware products into a single solution, provides secure computing, and offers network virtualization for large-scale workloads. It also allows for small-scale deployments that can increase as necessary.

Best Features:

Secure, high-availability server virtualization designed for enterprise workloads, powered by vSphere
Encrypted, high-throughput and scalable storage, powered by vSAN
Network connectivity, operations, and scale across data centers and clouds, with NSX
Intelligent IT operations management, automated service delivery, secure cloud configurations for risk and compliance, powered by Aria

We Recommend: VMware Cloud Foundation is ideally suited for enterprise organizations looking to modernize their data centers with a comprehensive cloud solution.

The Top 7 Distributed Hybrid Infrastructure Solutions

Everything You Need to Know About Distributed Hybrid Infrastructure Solutions (FAQs)

What Is A Distributed Hybrid Infrastructure Solution?

A distributed hybrid infrastructure is a computing environment that brings together on-premises data centers as well as public and private cloud resources, facilitating a connection across multiple locations.

This setup means that organizations can more easily leverage the benefits of different infrastructure types, allowing them to make the most of scalable architecture and the cloud’s inherent flexibility. Benefits can also include management and security capabilities. This allows for seamless data and application mobility, bolstering performance, improving cost efficiency, and strengthening resilience. Overall, distributed hybrid infrastructure solutions support business continuity, accelerate innovation, and enable better resource optimization.

How Do Distributed Hybrid Infrastructure Solutions Work?

Distributed Hybrid Infrastructure solutions work by combining traditional IT infrastructure, private, and public cloud services. They employ automation and orchestration technologies to allocate resources where they are required, facilitate data movement, and optimally manage workloads across the entire IT landscape. These solutions employ advanced networking to make sure that data flow is secure and efficient, while also centralizing management platforms to provide better visibility and control over resources.

By distributing workloads across diverse environments, a distributed hybrid infrastructure solution supports business continuity, enhances resource utilization, and adapts to various operational needs. This hybrid approach enables organizations to more effectively leverage the benefits of both on-premises and cloud infrastructure, which enhances flexibility and resilience.

What Features Should You Look for When Choosing Distributed Hybrid Infrastructure Solutions?

When choosing a Distributed Hybrid Infrastructure solution, look for the following capabilities:

Interoperability and Versatility. This means the ability to seamlessly integrate and manage a mixture of on-premises, public cloud, and private cloud resources. This is an important feature for a distributed hybrid infrastructure solution to have as this allows organizations to adapt to changing workloads, efficiently allocate resources based on needs, and optimize overall performance.
Manageability. In a distributed hybrid infrastructure solution, manageability means that the solution is easy for administrators to use, is efficient, and allows them to monitor, control, and maintain the infrastructure’s diverse components, without being overly complex. This is important for ensuring consistent performance, security, and reliability across on-premises and cloud environments.
Security. Robust security measures can include strong encryption, identity and access management, firewalls, continuous monitoring, and compliance with industry standards. This security implementation helps to safeguard sensitive information, protecting against cyber threats, and maintaining integrity and availability of critical business operations.
High Availability and Reliability. This is achieved through redundancy, failover mechanisms, and load balancing across on-premises and cloud environments. These features help to ensure that services remain operational, even if there is a failure in one component. This is necessary for better business continuity, reduced service disruption, and better user trust and satisfaction.
Performance Optimization. The ability to optimize performance involves using tools and techniques for monitoring, analyzing, and enhancing the performance of applications and infrastructure components. In practice, this may include managing resource allocation alongside real-time performance metrics. This helps to reduce latency and maximize resource utilization, for a smoother user experience.
Support and Maintenance. A good distributed hybrid infrastructure solution should provide reliable technical support and maintenance services. Both of these are important for addressing issues promptly and keeping infrastructure running smoothly.

Mirren McDade

Senior Journalist & Content Writer

Mirren McDade is a senior writer and journalist at Expert Insights, spending each day researching, writing, editing and publishing content, covering a variety of topics and solutions, and interviewing industry experts. She is an experienced copywriter with a background in a range of industries, including cloud business technologies, cloud security, information security and cyber security, and has conducted interviews with several industry experts. Mirren holds a First Class Honors degree in English from Edinburgh Napier University.

Laura Iannini

Cybersecurity Analyst

Laura Iannini is an Information Security Engineer. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity from the University of West Florida. Laura has experience with a variety of cybersecurity platforms and leads technical reviews of leading solutions. She conducts thorough product tests to ensure that Expert Insights’ reviews are definitive and insightful.