Unless your business is stagnating, and hopefully this isn’t the case, the load you’re placing on your IT infrastructure is constantly growing.
You’re constantly adding new software and boosting system performance. You’re even adding more servers to help handle the increasing workload. Suddenly, your IT department is overwhelmed and you may even be running out of places to connect and store the equipment. Okay, this analogy may be a little extreme but it gets the point across
Managing cloud scaling is something every business should be familiar with. Even if you’re just now taking advantage of cloud computing, scalability should be something you’re familiar with. If you’re not sure what scalability is or how to manage it to benefit your business, we’ll take a look at this and more.
Understanding Scalability
If you think scalability refers to being able to increase and decrease system performance to meet changing market demands, you’re correct. Scalability allows you to add or take away hardware and software in real time, meaning that you can respond to changes as soon as they happen.
However, businesses have different needs; some may need to boost internal performance, while others may need to increase server capacity. This is when you’ll want to take a look at vertical and horizontal scaling.
If you need the best of both, then consider diagonal scaling. The hybrid solution allows you to develop your existing infrastructure until you reach its limits. Once this happens, you can add additional resources to your existing servers.
Whichever type of scalability you choose, there are benefits. You can improve performance, eliminate bottlenecks, and reduce operating costs.
What’s Your Optimal Cloud Scalability
Since every business is unique, what works for a competitor isn’t always a good fit for your organization. So, how do you find the scalability that’s right for your needs? Thankfully, this isn’t a guessing game or trial and error process. You can follow a few steps.
Evaluate Demand
Before you can even guess the amount of scaling your business needs, you need to know the demand. This refers to the current demand being placed on your services or applications.
Once you have an idea of the current demand, start looking at the future. We’re talking about a few years down the road. If you only plan for a few months in advance, you’ll be repeating this step. The demand will give you a good idea of the amount of scaling your business needs to grow and stay competitive.
Research Scalability Options
Okay, you’re familiar with horizontal, vertical, and hybrid scaling. Now, think about which type is best suited for your business. Do you think you’ll need to increase server capacity in the coming months and years? If so, vertical scaling may be the ideal solution. If you’re only looking at boosting your current performance, then a hybrid model is probably going to be a good fit.
However, if you need something from each model, hybrid scaling may be the right option. Don’t rush your decision. Take your time and research the pros and cons of each option. You may discover what you think is the best option isn’t a viable long-term solution.
Testing
Congratulations, you’re working with a cloud scalability solution. However, before you start patting yourself on the back, you’ll want to make sure your applications or services are scalable. This means running some tests under varying conditions. The last thing you want is to encounter an issue that shuts your systems down.
Along with ensuring everything runs smoothly, make sure your systems can handle the loads. If you discover you need to make some adjustments, no worries. This is why you’re running the tests.
Automate Your Scalability Processes
As you’re implementing automated processes make sure to specify the conditions. You want to set parameters, don’t let the processes go off and do their own thing. The goal with automation is for it to either maintain or improve performance.
If you’re not sure which parameters to set, some examples can include triggering user thresholds or the number of requests the application can process at one time. If your business handles a lot of data, you may want to place a parameter on the amount of information being processed.
Addressing Challenges of Cloud Scalability
Even though cloud scalability comes with multiple benefits, you can run into some challenges. Instead of being surprised when a challenge pops up, you should be prepared to meet them head-on. So, what are some of the common challenges?
Performance can be a concern. Even automated processes still require monitoring. This includes tracking the availability of your cloud-based resources to ensure they’re not being overwhelmed. If you notice performance is slowing down, it may mean taking a look at vertical scalability.
Another common potential issue is consistency. This goes hand-in-hand with performance. As workloads increase and decrease, you want performance levels to remain the same. So, how do you ensure consistency?
- Using standardized processes and protocols across all of your nodes and servers can effectively prevent conflicts. This can be an issue as you integrate various applications and services. In other words, you don’t want these processes overlapping each other or for one service to work against another one.
- You can effectively reduce the chances of errors by automating your cloud scalability. This can make the cloud environment easier to maintain and boost delivery speeds.
- Compliance with industry standards should always be a concern. Simply because you’re sending everything to the cloud doesn’t mean you can relax your security protocols. Keeping your policies consistent across all users and applications is an effective way of ensuring your business meets all industry standards.
Don’t forget about your staff: training and education is an essential part of successfully managing your organization’s cloud scaling. Whether it’s holding team training sessions or ensuring everyone has access to necessary information, keeping everyone informed is a crucial part of successful cloud scaling management.
Grow Your Business with Cloud Scaling
Choosing the right cloud scaling model requires careful consideration to align with your business needs and objectives. With this in mind, it’s vital to not rush this decision-making process.
Additionally, conducting thorough testing is essential to ensure that the chosen model functions seamlessly under various conditions, thereby preventing potential disruptions in your operations. Investing time in research and employee training can significantly enhance your team’s ability to leverage cloud scalability to its full potential.