Cloud Repatriation: Key Benefits and Essential Steps
As businesses increasingly migrate to the public cloud, many are now facing rising costs and concerns about efficiency and control. This shift has led to the trend of cloud repatriation — the process of moving workloads from public cloud environments back to on-premises or private cloud infrastructures.
In this blog, we explore the reasons why companies are repatriating workloads, the benefits of cloud repatriation, and the key steps you need to take if you’re considering moving your workloads back from the public cloud.
Why Are Companies Repatriating from the Public Cloud?
While public cloud services offer scalability and flexibility, they can also become expensive for businesses with steady workloads. For instance, companies like Dropbox discovered significant cost savings by bringing workloads back on-premises. Dropbox reduced costs by taking control of their own infrastructure and tailoring it to their unique needs.
Many companies are now rethinking their cloud strategy, opting to repatriate workloads in search of better cost control, improved security, and greater flexibility over their infrastructure.
Key Benefits of Cloud Repatriation
Cost Reduction
Public cloud expenses can spiral quickly. Many organizations have found that moving to private or on-premises solutions can lead to massive savings, especially for workloads with predictable usage. For example, while a $500,000 server investment might seem large upfront, it can lead to significant savings over time compared to paying $900,000 annually to a public cloud provider.
Security and Compliance
For companies with stringent compliance and data sovereignty requirements, public cloud providers may not offer the necessary level of control. Repatriating workloads allows businesses to meet their security and compliance needs without relying on third-party cloud providers.
Optimized Performance
Owning your hardware opens up opportunities for optimization that public cloud services may not provide. Companies like Dropbox found that they could optimize applications and services better when they managed their own infrastructure, leading to improved performance and efficiencies.
Steps to Successful Cloud Repatriation
Assess Your Requirements Before moving workloads, assess your current and future infrastructure needs. Factors like high availability, scalability, and compliance will shape your cloud repatriation strategy.
Define Hardware and Infrastructure What kind of hardware will you need to support your workloads? Consider the upfront costs and how long the hardware will last, comparing that against ongoing public cloud expenses.
Select the Right Repatriation Strategy Repatriation isn’t one-size-fits-all. Companies typically choose between three major options:
Hosted private cloud, which mimics public cloud services but with greater control.
Colocation, where you own the hardware but host it in a third-party data center.
On-premises infrastructure, which gives you maximum control but requires more resources to manage.
Prioritize Your Workloads Plan the repatriation process in phases, starting with workloads that can be migrated with minimal disruption, such as development environments or containerized applications.
Optimize Post-Repatriation Once your workloads are back on-prem or in a private cloud, continuously assess your infrastructure for new optimization opportunities to maximize efficiency.
Cloud repatriation offers businesses a way to regain control over their infrastructure, reduce costs, and improve security. If you’re considering repatriating your workloads, careful planning and execution are essential. With the right strategy, you can achieve significant cost savings and better align your infrastructure with your business needs.
Looking for support with your cloud repatriation? Mirantis offers private cloud solutions and expert guidance to help you make the transition smoothly. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your organization optimize its cloud strategy.
