Trusted cloud strategies for digital transformation

🚨 The single-cloud dream is dead. For years, companies tried to bet everything on one cloud provider. Stability, simplicity, cost savings — that was the promise. But in 2025, reality looks very different: Outages don’t just cost money, they destroy trust. Vendor lock-in is a tax on innovation. AI workloads don’t fit neatly in one cloud. That’s why multi-cloud isn’t optional anymore — it’s survival. Here’s how I advise enterprise clients to de-risk in 2025: 1️⃣ Run mission-critical ERP on OCI for performance + cost efficiency 2️⃣ Place AI/ML workloads on Azure or GCP where GPU availability matters 3️⃣ Use AWS selectively for niche services + burst compute 👉 The result: flexibility, leverage in vendor negotiations, and resilience against failure. 💬 Question for you: If your company had to drop one cloud provider tomorrow, which one would it be — and why? #Cloud #Oracle #AI #MultiCloud #DigitalTransformation

Cloud migration is no longer a "nice to have" — it's a strategic imperative. But not all workloads are created equal, and neither are the paths to the cloud. Choosing the right strategy can mean the difference between a smooth transformation and costly disruption. If you're planning a move to the cloud, here are 7 essential strategies to help guide your decision-making and ensure long-term success: 1. Re-hosting (Lift and Shift) The fastest way to migrate. Move your applications to the cloud as-is, with minimal changes. Ideal for quick wins and early cloud adoption. 2. Re-platforming Make light modifications — like upgrading databases or switching to managed services — without rewriting your app. Think: “lift, tinker, and shift.” 3. Re-purchasing Switch from legacy software to a cloud-native SaaS alternative. Often used for CRMs, ERPs, and other systems where buying new is smarter than migrating old. 4. Refactoring (Re-architecting) Redesign and optimize applications to fully harness cloud-native features like serverless or microservices. It’s resource-intensive but powerful. 5. Retiring Use this migration as a cleanup opportunity. Identify and shut down outdated or unused applications to simplify your environment and reduce costs. 6. Retaining Not everything should move. For some workloads — due to compliance, complexity, or business dependencies — it makes sense to keep them on-prem (at least for now). 7. Relocating Move virtual machines from on-prem to the cloud without redesigning the app. A good option when speed matters and deeper modernization comes later. Why this matters: Choosing the right strategy (or a mix of them) can help you: ✅ Accelerate your cloud journey ✅ Control costs and risks ✅ Maximize long-term value There’s no one-size-fits-all path to the cloud — but these 7 strategies can help you migrate smarter, not harder. #CloudMigration #CloudStrategy #DigitalTransformation #AWS #CloudComputing #7Rs #ITLeadership #EnterpriseTech Source: Riyaz Sayyad

Came across a recent article entitled: "Data Sovereignty and Clouds: Not an Oxymoron. Anymore" by DQ India Online - Pratima Harigunani which i found resonated with what we at Core42 have been deploying in the UAE with Microsoft. Data sovereignty and cloud innovation are no longer mutually exclusive. At Core42, we’ve partnered with Microsoft to create what we refer to as "Sovereign Public Cloud" [certainly an oxymoron on first glance!]. The offering that ensures UAE public sector and regulated entities can adopt public cloud services while maintaining compliance with local laws and regulator sovereignty requirements. Here's how we deliver this with a multi-layered approach: Core42's Sovereign Controls Platform – "Insight": This purpose-built tool enables organizations to leverage public cloud infrastructure’s scalability and feature-set while meeting strict sovereignty and compliance requirements. "Insight" establishes a root of trust outside the cloud provider through a secure and sovereign landing zone architecture on Azure. Leveraging technologies like Confidential Compute, it provides hardware-based encryption for data in-memory and in-processing, ensuring sensitive data remains secure. Data Residency and Compliance: All data is hosted within UAE-based data centers designed to meet the needs of government and regulated sectors. With 175 technical sovereign controls in place, Core42 ensures sensitive data remains within UAE jurisdiction and is fully aligned with local regulations, addressing concerns about residency and access. Advanced Security Measures: With the ability to provide encryption (at rest, in transit, and in processing), continuous compliance monitoring, and integration with Azure Managed HSM and customer-managed HSMs, we safeguard sensitive data. Even in scenarios of external access requests, our controls ensure data remains encrypted and protected against unauthorized access. By combining these capabilities, Core42 delivers a solution that empowers innovation while prioritizing sovereignty, security, and compliance. Our collaboration with Microsoft ensures that government and regulated industries in the UAE can achieve their digital transformation goals confidently. Read more about the importance of data sovereignty and how the right cloud solutions are addressing these challenges: 🔗 Data Sovereignty and Clouds: Not an Oxymoron. Anymore #DataSovereignty #CloudInnovation #DigitalTransformation #Core42 a G42 Company For more information on this offering please contact Mohammed Adnane Retmi who along with his team own this product at Core42.

Great cloud architecture isn’t just about choosing the right tools, it’s about delivering real 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 through strategic, purposeful, and secure design. This process helps ensure your architecture aligns with business goals, addresses operational needs, and supports long-term growth: 𝟭. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 Understand the organization’s goals, challenges, and what success truly looks like. Business insight always comes before technology decisions. 𝟮. 𝗘𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 Assess the existing infrastructure, workflows, integration points, and constraints. Identify pain points and dependencies to inform your approach. 𝟯. 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗮 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Select the best-fit architecture, whether private, hybrid, public, or multi-cloud, tailored to the business needs. Consider tradeoffs and long-term impact. 𝟰. 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Develop a clear, low-risk migration plan. Define tools, resources, staffing, and training needed for smooth execution. 𝟱. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 & 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 Embed security, compliance, and governance from the start. Design for sustainability with clear structures for ongoing change and control. 𝟲. 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Communicate your solution with clarity. Gain stakeholder buy-in, finalize approvals, and prepare for implementation success. Want to be more than a builder? Learn to be a strategic cloud architect. I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Follow Michael Gibbs for more. #CloudArchitecture #DigitalTransformation #TechStrategy #HybridCloud #MultiCloud