Cloud bursting is a hybrid cloud deployment model or approach wherein certain applications running on a private cloud or on-premises will redirect or burst into the public cloud when there is a spike or overflow in computing capacity, ensuring continuity and preventing interruptions.
This occurs when an organisation encounters a surge in the demand for application deployment, such as increased website traffic at specific times. Rather than investing in fixed extra resources that will only be used temporarily and infrequently, companies can leverage the on-demand nature of cloud bursting, significantly reducing costs.
With cloud bursting, organisations can also reallocate workloads within their data centres or private clouds to prioritise business-critical applications. By doing so, businesses can temporarily deploy non-critical applications holding non-sensitive information to the public cloud, freeing up resources for essential tasks.
After meeting peak demands, organisations can return to their on-premises or private cloud solutions for computing capabilities until the next need arises to utilise cloud bursting. This approach alleviates concerns about maintaining extra resources in the environment, as the public cloud handles peaks in a pay-per-use model.
However, cloud bursting also presents limitations. When deploying applications to another cloud infrastructure, organisations risk exposing sensitive data because public cloud computing service providers may not inherently offer environments compliant with various regulatory and security protocols.
Moreover, compatibility challenges may arise for applications when moving workloads between IT environments. Therefore, when utilising cloud bursting, it is crucial to differentiate between critical business applications and data that require protection and those that do not.
To mitigate these risks and challenges, organisations should implement robust security measures, ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, and carefully assess application dependencies and performance considerations before implementing cloud-bursting strategies.
