“Hybrid Cloud Model Offers Flexibility And Scalability”

In this exclusive interview, Sanjay Agrawal, Head Presales and CTO at Hitachi Vantara India and SAARC, and Chair of SNIA, shares his insights on the transformative power of cloud computing. Discussing its pivotal role in digital transformation, especially post-pandemic, Sanjay highlights current trends, the maturity of Indian organizations in hybrid cloud adoption, and essential priorities for CIOs. In a candid discussion with Onkar Sharma, he also addresses security risks and recent innovations in cloud technology.

Onkar Sharma: How do you see cloud enabling enterprises to adopt digital transformation, especially in a post-pandemic world?

Sanjay Agrawal: The pandemic significantly accelerated cloud adoption. Businesses needed automation to function without human intervention, which the cloud provides. This shift towards automation and cloud services will continue, as they improve operational efficiency, customer experience, and business model innovation. Cloud technologies, both on-premises and public, have become essential in this transformation.

Onkar Sharma: What are the current trends in cloud adoption and digital transformation?

Sanjay Agrawal: Digital transformation addresses three key areas: operational efficiency, customer experience, and business model innovation. Many organizations are automating tasks and improving efficiency through cloud technologies. The hybrid cloud model, combining on-premises and public cloud services, is becoming increasingly popular as it offers flexibility and scalability.

Onkar Sharma: How mature are Indian organizations in handling hybrid cloud infrastructure?

Sanjay Agrawal: Indian organizations are quite mature in adopting automation tools and cloud technologies. However, determining the right cloud for specific workloads is still evolving. Many organizations are experimenting to find the optimal balance between on-premises and public cloud workloads.

Onkar Sharma: What should CIOs prioritize when building cloud-native applications on a hybrid cloud?

Sanjay Agrawal: CIOs should first identify the characteristics of their workloads. Applications with stable resource usage might be better on-premises, while those with variable demands can benefit from hybrid cloud solutions. For frequently updated digital applications, modernizing to a microservices-based architecture offers better agility and scalability.

Onkar Sharma: What are the key security risks in hybrid cloud environments and how can they be mitigated?

Sanjay Agrawal: Ransomware attacks are a major concern. Organizations should use technologies like immutable snapshots and data versioning to protect against such threats. Ensuring robust endpoint and network security is also crucial. Platforms with native capabilities for data integrity, compliance, and governance are essential for managing large volumes of data securely.

Onkar Sharma: What are the recent innovations in cloud technology?

Sanjay Agrawal: Innovations include the development of near cloud solutions with enhanced SLAs tailored to customer needs, and the mainstream adoption of cloud storage object storage for hybrid data lakes. Future advancements will focus on native data mobility within hybrid clouds, enabling seamless data integration across private and public clouds.

Onkar Sharma: What are your top three messages for organizations leveraging cloud platforms?

Sanjay Agrawal: First, ensure the right cloud strategy for your specific workloads. Second, focus on security measures to protect against ransomware and other threats. Third, stay informed about innovations and trends in cloud technology to continuously optimize your cloud infrastructure.

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