As manufacturers continue their transformation into digital enterprises, one question that arises during the process is what form of cloud solution should be used to meet strategic goals and objectives. Thanks to the increasingly mature state of cloud computing technology, the proper answer for manufacturers is virtually always to avoid limiting themselves to just one model and rather to embrace a hybrid or multi-cloud model.

While they require a more strategic approach, hybrid cloud models take the best and most appropriate features of both private and public cloud deployments and apply them to a manufacturer’s specific needs. They are excellent foundations for cost-effective and successful digital transformation initiatives in manufacturing environments where shop floor and supply chain interact.

Meanwhile, multi-cloud deployments can be either private-private, public-public or hybrid, and are based on the specific value propositions and desired benefits of solutions from specific cloud service providers. They increase resiliency and improve a manufacturer’s ability to match the right cloud to critical workloads, driving improved productivity and reduced costs.

Whatever specific combination of cloud solutions makes the most sense for a manufacturer, the critical factor is not limiting the inherent strategic flexibility that cloud computing offers by artificially limiting it to just one specific model from one specific provider.

Hybrid and multi-cloud environments are also powerful foundations for manufacturers looking to grow past EDI and to take further control of their data and the insights it can provide through API development and deployment. In a flexible cloud computing environment, APIs can provide the highest possible value, especially when compared to the rigid, proprietary-network limitations of traditional EDI communication.

These hybrid and multi-cloud deployments are also fertile ground for developing and deploying microservices that quickly and efficiently meet specific business needs, whether it’s on the shop floor, in the back office or out in the supply chain. Cloud-native microservices can be developed and deployed in a fraction of the time of traditional software development models, giving manufacturers a powerful new capability to address specific challenges and take advantage of unique opportunities that can make a measurable difference in meeting production and profitability targets.

Interested in finding out more about what the flexibility and power of hybrid and multi-cloud solutions could do to make a difference in your bottom line? Visit our manufacturing integration site and contact us today to find out more.