Cloud Integration: Everything You Need To Know

Cloud integrations can vary a great deal, with different rules for different types of data, the sensitivity of that data and how each service uses that data. Here are some of the most common types of integrations.

P2P, or “direct” integration, is developed via a proprietary piece of code that connects two different services. This method allows you to integrate without using an integration management tool, but requires you to make changes when use cases evolve, making it difficult to scale.

This model designates a “hub,” to which each “spoke” of a cloud service connects. The hub acts as a clearinghouse for integrations, enforcing rules and managing access control between each service. If one service needs data from another, the data routes through the hub. However, this can make the hub a bottleneck which struggles under increased load. Using a large number of services can also increase complexity and reduce efficiency.

This approach focuses on creating reusable APIs that connect different cloud services. Because APIs can help “universalize” integrations, this method allows you to rapidly group and integrate services as needed. You’ll need to update APIs as data types, volumes and use cases change, which makes it challenging to use a large number of APIs at scale.

This approach allows you to integrate services running both on-premises and on public clouds. It offers the “best of both worlds,” allowing you to stay compliant and secure while harnessing the scalability and localized data processing benefits of the public cloud.

Here are just a few of the ways that a well-provisioned cloud integration strategy can increase your speed, reliability and ROI.

Data collected, stored and processed in one cloud service can be automatically made available to other services, allowing users or clients to access it without going through time-consuming manual requests.

Cloud integrations allow you to manage rules and access without having to manually write code, saving you time and resources.

Integrating your cloud services empowers your team to gain invaluable insights from data more quickly, allowing you to make better products, react to client needs and resolve issues faster.

Cloud integration can create unique challenges if you don’t have the right cloud integration platform. Here are some you might encounter and strategies to handle them.

The real time spread of data through multiple systems can expose that data to risk. Redacting data as it passes from one system to another, limiting user access and monitoring data usage using a zero trust security model can help minimize potential attack surfaces.

The array of services, data types and rules in a cloud integration solution can create a high level of complexity, particularly in hybrid cloud environments. Utilizing pre-built solutions which offer defined integration rules and continuous monitoring can help reduce that complexity.

Governance and compliance rules require you to store and process data in a particular place and limit access, which can create bottlenecks. Cloud integration tools can manage access rules and keep sensitive data off of non-compliant systems.

Organizations in many different sectors have begun using cloud integration. Here are some of the industries where it’s having the largest impact.

Studies have shown that a typical hospital produces an average of 50 petabytes of data per year, a large percentage of which falls under HIPAA regulations. Cloud integrations used in conjunction with healthcare data standards like TEFCA and FAIR can improve patient outcomes, enhance insights and make sure data is available while managing data privacy concerns.

Cloud integration allows finance organizations to provide high quality products and services backed by data-driven research. Leveraging internal and third party data, finance firms can use AI to provide personalized investment advice and assess risk, all while managing sensitive data and meeting compliance expectations.

Getting started with cloud integration? Here are some steps you can take to make the most of it.

It’s critical that you break down the relevant use cases and understand which metrics will determine whether your efforts are successful. For example, if you have an integration which routes sales leads from ads to your lead capture and CRM, you might measure how much faster your sales team reaches out to leads or increases conversions.

Most organizations look for solutions which can operate seamlessly at scale without requiring continuous hand-coding. Platforms like Snowflake Openflow allow you to set up integrations and pipelines between services, change access rules and scale with a bring your own cloud (BYOC) solution.

The free flow of data can be both a boon to productivity and a security risk. You’ll need to continually conduct security audits and assess integration risks to make sure that data isn’t flowing to services where it shouldn’t be.

Getting the most out of your integrations requires you to think through the cadence of data transmission, data lifecycles and quality control. Integrations allow you to monitor and manage data quality and usage, helping you ensure that data is both accurate and relevant to each use case.

Successfully using cloud integrations requires you to invest in continuous monitoring and improvement. For example, you might find that customers are underutilizing a specific integration. This could prompt you to train your customers to help them understand the value of this service, or it might indicate a mismatch of customer needs, allowing you to reallocate resources elsewhere.