What defines a hybrid solution in cloud architecture?

A hybrid solution in cloud architecture is characterized by the ability to integrate on-premises resources with cloud services, such as those offered by Azure or another public cloud provider. This integration allows organizations to leverage both local data management and the extensive capabilities of the cloud, enabling better resource utilization, scalability, and flexibility.

The essence of a hybrid architecture lies in its support for a seamless connection between on-premises infrastructures and cloud environments. This enables businesses to maintain sensitive data on-site while still taking advantage of cloud benefits—such as cost management, disaster recovery, and the ability to handle fluctuating workloads. By allowing for such integration, organizations can make more strategic decisions regarding where to keep their workloads based on performance, compliance, or cost considerations.

This understanding of hybrid solutions clarifies that options focusing solely on on-premises resources without any cloud integration or specific use of Azure Stack do not represent a hybrid architecture. Similarly, while combining systems from Azure and another public cloud may sound hybrid, true hybrid functionality fundamentally requires the connection with on-premises resources.