The cloud has long been hyped as the future of computing, offering unparalleled flexibility, scalability, and cost savings to businesses of all sizes, with the hyperscalers such as Microsoft Azure, AWS and GCP being the go-to option.

Businesses have recently been reconsidering their cloud strategies, with many opting to move workloads away from the hyperscalers. This trend of cloud repatriation is driven by a variety of factors, including security concerns, rising costs, and a need for greater control over data and infrastructure.

Data Sovereignty: Concerns about where data is being stored and who has access to it. This is particularly true for businesses operating in highly regulated industries where data privacy and security are extremely important. By repatriating workloads, businesses can have complete certainty of where data is stored and who has access to it.

Costs: While hyperscalers offer a range of flexible and consumption-based pricing models, the reality is that the costs of using public clouds can quickly add up, particularly for businesses with large data sets or complex applications. Most businesses have found that the cost savings promised early on by the hyperscalers have not been realised, mainly due to the many hidden and utilisation-based costs that are difficult to understand let alone predict.

Control: Many businesses are also moving away from the hyperscalers because they want greater control over their infrastructure and data. By bringing their workloads to their own infrastructure (physical or virtual), they have complete visibility and control over their IT environment, which can be particularly important for those with complex or unique IT requirements.

Of course, cloud repatriation from hyperscalers is not without its challenges. Moving workloads from a hyperscaler can be a complex and potentially time-consuming process. Additionally, businesses may find that they are dependent on hyperscalers for certain workloads, due to geographic reach or scale, or because they have heavily developed applications using proprietary tools and services, that simply cannot be moved away.

Despite these challenges cloud repatriation is likely to continue to grow in popularity in the coming years, as businesses seek to balance the benefits of the cloud with the need for greater control, security, and cost savings. It’s important to carefully evaluate your cloud strategy and consider a multi-cloud model that best your unique business and needs.

If you have concerns on your cloud journey, where your data is stored and how transparent your cost model is, please get in touch and we can help demystify any challenges your business faces. info@osgroup.co.uk