Today public and private cloud operating models offer islands of IT operating efficiency that can be highly desirable for applications and services specifically designed for the cloud or which are already virtualized.  Yet for the vast majority of multi-tier applications the cloud is still a pipe dream of promises and expectations.  The problem isn't with the cloud service providers per se, but rather with the vast gulf of manual processes required to migrate and operate apps (and their services) into and between data centers, colocation facilities and various public clouds.

For a review of the manual processes involved with cloud migration check out the One Hybrid Cloud^TM overview on the CloudVelocity website.  I also further discussed the implications of hybrid cloud operating models in Top Five Cloud Predictions for 2013.

When robust hybrid cloud solutions are generally available, the public versus private cloud marketing game becomes meaningless and the early commercial adopters of hybrid cloud will have unprecedented IT flexibility and agility. They will be able to move their apps and services between regions, between providers and even between data centers and multiple clouds faster and with lower risk than their "cloud-stranded" peers.

That is what I meant when I suggested that Hybrid Cloud is a Game Changer.

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