# Best Hybrid Cloud Storage Solutions

  *By [Rachana Hasyagar](https://research.g2.com/insights/author/rachana-hasyagar)*

   Hybrid cloud storage solutions seamlessly connect on-premises or private cloud to public cloud. Companies use hybrid solutions to gain the scalability and cost-effectiveness of the public cloud without compromising data regulation and violating on-premises infrastructure requirements. Mid-market companies, enterprises, and governments benefit the most from hybrid cloud storage tools because they need to process big data and secure sensitive information. These software types also centralize and streamline many data access and retrieval operations. Hybrid cloud storage solutions will typically connect users to a number of file storage and sharing software, object storage software, block storage software, and backup systems. Since hybrid cloud setup can be complicated, companies can also use a hybrid integration platform (HIP) to help them set up and use hybrid solutions.

To qualify for inclusion in the Hybrid Cloud Storage category, a product must:

- Consolidate storage infrastructure across storage environments
- Allow access to private or public clouds as well as on-premises data
- Provide a storage gateway or local access point for data retrieval





## Category Overview

**Total Products under this Category:** 74


## Trust & Credibility Stats

**Why You Can Trust G2's Software Rankings:**

- 30 Analysts and Data Experts
- 1,600+ Authentic Reviews
- 74+ Products
- Unbiased Rankings

G2's software rankings are built on verified user reviews, rigorous moderation, and a consistent research methodology maintained by a team of analysts and data experts. Each product is measured using the same transparent criteria, with no paid placement or vendor influence. While reviews reflect real user experiences, which can be subjective, they offer valuable insight into how software performs in the hands of professionals. Together, these inputs power the G2 Score, a standardized way to compare tools within every category.


## Best Hybrid Cloud Storage Solutions At A Glance

- **Leader:** [Sangfor Cloud Platform](https://www.g2.com/products/sangfor-cloud-platform/reviews)
- **Highest Performer:** [Atlas](https://www.g2.com/products/opendrives-atlas/reviews)
- **Easiest to Use:** [Sangfor Cloud Platform](https://www.g2.com/products/sangfor-cloud-platform/reviews)
- **Top Trending:** [Nasuni](https://www.g2.com/products/nasuni/reviews)
- **Best Free Software:** [ExpanDrive](https://www.g2.com/products/expandrive/reviews)


## Top-Rated Products (Ranked by G2 Score)
### 1. [Sangfor Cloud Platform](https://www.g2.com/products/sangfor-cloud-platform/reviews)
  Sangfor HCI (Hyper-Converged Infrastructure) is a full-stack, software-defined infrastructure platform that consolidates compute, storage, networking, and security into a single, easy-to-manage solution. Designed for modern enterprises seeking simplicity, scalability, and resilience, Sangfor HCI helps organizations build agile, secure, and cost-effective data centers. With native anti-ransomware protection, intelligent resource scheduling, and seamless disaster recovery, Sangfor HCI enables businesses to run mission-critical workloads with confidence. It supports hybrid cloud deployment, live migration, and centralized management — all within a unified interface. To strengthen data protection and business continuity, Sangfor HCI integrates with leading backup solutions from Veeam and Veritas, offering flexible and reliable backup and recovery across diverse environments. Sangfor HCI is trusted by thousands of organizations across the Asia-Pacific and beyond, and has earned global recognition for its innovation and performance: ▪ Representative Vendor in the 2025 Gartner® Market Guide for Full-Stack Hyperconverged Infrastructure Software ▪ Sample Vendor for VMware Alternative in Hyperconverged Infrastructure by Gartner ▪ Strong Performer in the Gartner® Peer Insights™ Voice of the Customer for Full-Stack HCI Software ▪ Ranked among the Top 5 Largest HCIS Vendors by Revenue Worldwide for 2024, based on the Gartner® Market Share Report Whether you're modernizing legacy infrastructure, building a private cloud, or seeking a VMware alternative, Sangfor HCI delivers the performance, security, and simplicity needed to power your digital transformation.


  **Average Rating:** 4.7/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 63

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Low Latency:** 9.8/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 9.5/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **High Availability:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **Monitoring Tool:** 9.8/10 (Category avg: 8.3/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Sangfor Technologies](https://www.g2.com/sellers/sangfor-technologies)
- **Company Website:** https://www.sangfor.com/
- **Year Founded:** 2000
- **HQ Location:** Shenzhen, China
- **Twitter:** @SANGFOR (13,257 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/sangfor-technologies/ (2,285 employees on LinkedIn®)

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Manufacturing
  - **Company Size:** 41% Mid-Market, 33% Enterprise


#### Pros & Cons

**Pros:**

- Ease of Use (15 reviews)
- Features (7 reviews)
- Performance (7 reviews)
- Easy Setup (6 reviews)
- Networking (6 reviews)

**Cons:**

- Integration Issues (6 reviews)
- Limited Features (4 reviews)
- Performance Issues (3 reviews)
- Poor Documentation (3 reviews)
- Complex Documentation (2 reviews)

### 2. [Google Cloud Storage](https://www.g2.com/products/google-cloud-storage/reviews)
  Cloud Storage is a managed service for storing unstructured data, like videos and documents. It is most commonly used for data lakes for analytics, storing AI data, or web hosting. With Cloud Storage you can store any amount of data, and retrieve it as often as you like. New customers can use $300 in free credits to try Cloud Storage. All customers get 5 GiB of US regional storage free per month, not charged against your credits. If you’re a consumer or business looking for file sharing, check out Workspace products like Google Drive (https://workspace.google.com/products/drive/). If you’re looking for photo storage, use Google Photos (www.google.com/photos)


  **Average Rating:** 4.6/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 562

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Low Latency:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 9.1/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **High Availability:** 9.4/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **Monitoring Tool:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.3/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Google](https://www.g2.com/sellers/google)
- **Year Founded:** 1998
- **HQ Location:** Mountain View, CA
- **Twitter:** @google (31,910,461 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/1441/ (336,169 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** NASDAQ:GOOG

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Who Uses This:** Software Engineer, CTO
  - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Computer Software
  - **Company Size:** 45% Small-Business, 29% Enterprise


#### Pros & Cons

**Pros:**

- Cloud Storage (35 reviews)
- Ease of Use (33 reviews)
- Security (22 reviews)
- Scalability (20 reviews)
- Features (16 reviews)

**Cons:**

- Expensive (16 reviews)
- Storage Limitations (12 reviews)
- Complexity (11 reviews)
- Cost Issues (9 reviews)
- Learning Difficulty (9 reviews)

### 3. [Nasuni](https://www.g2.com/products/nasuni/reviews)
  Nasuni is a leading unstructured data platform for enterprises where file data is mission-critical for both people and AI. We power the operational file layer where work happens — helping organizations manage, protect, and activate data so teams can work smarter, reduce costs, and operate securely without limits. Built on a patented architecture that fuses cloud object storage with enterprise file services — including permissions, versioning, and a global namespace — Nasuni delivers high-performance file access, global data availability, and a scalable, governed, AI-ready single source of truth across every major cloud. Trusted by more than 1,300 enterprises globally, Nasuni helps organizations modernize file infrastructure, strengthen data security, and support AI-driven operations. Learn more at www.nasuni.com.


  **Average Rating:** 4.5/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 61

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Low Latency:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 8.7/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **High Availability:** 9.5/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **Monitoring Tool:** 8.2/10 (Category avg: 8.3/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Nasuni](https://www.g2.com/sellers/nasuni)
- **Company Website:** https://www.nasuni.com
- **Year Founded:** 2009
- **HQ Location:** Boston, MA
- **Twitter:** @Nasuni (2,830 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/580624/ (679 employees on LinkedIn®)

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Top Industries:** Construction
  - **Company Size:** 64% Enterprise, 28% Mid-Market


#### Pros & Cons

**Pros:**

- Backup (15 reviews)
- Customer Support (13 reviews)
- Reliability (13 reviews)
- Storage Capacity (13 reviews)
- Features (12 reviews)

**Cons:**

- File Management (7 reviews)
- Limited Features (7 reviews)
- Access Issues (4 reviews)
- Difficult Learning (4 reviews)
- Expensive (4 reviews)

### 4. [Azure Storage Explorer](https://www.g2.com/products/azure-storage-explorer/reviews)
  Azure Storage Explorer Preview is a standalone app that allows you to easily work with Azure Storage data - from any platform, anywhere. It creates and manages blobs, tables, queues, generate SAS keys, and more.


  **Average Rating:** 4.5/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 58

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Low Latency:** 8.5/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **High Availability:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **Monitoring Tool:** 8.2/10 (Category avg: 8.3/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Microsoft](https://www.g2.com/sellers/microsoft)
- **Year Founded:** 1975
- **HQ Location:** Redmond, Washington
- **Twitter:** @microsoft (13,114,353 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/microsoft/ (227,697 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** MSFT

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Computer Software
  - **Company Size:** 46% Enterprise, 28% Mid-Market


#### Pros & Cons

**Pros:**

- Ease of Use (2 reviews)
- Cloud Storage (1 reviews)
- Cost Efficiency (1 reviews)
- Customer Support (1 reviews)
- Flexibility (1 reviews)

**Cons:**

- Complexity (1 reviews)
- Complexity Issues (1 reviews)
- Expensive (1 reviews)
- Time-Consumption (1 reviews)

### 5. [NetApp ONTAP Data Management Software](https://www.g2.com/products/netapp-ontap-data-management-software/reviews)
  Simplify your data infrastructure—from the edge to the core to the cloud—with the industry's leading enterprise data management software.


  **Average Rating:** 4.4/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 79

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Ease of Use:** 8.6/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **High Availability:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [NetApp](https://www.g2.com/sellers/netapp)
- **Year Founded:** 1992
- **HQ Location:** Sunnyvale, California
- **Twitter:** @NetApp (118,246 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/2105/ (12,677 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** NASDAQ

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Banking
  - **Company Size:** 46% Enterprise, 39% Mid-Market


#### Pros & Cons

**Pros:**

- Data Security (7 reviews)
- Reliability (7 reviews)
- Data Management (5 reviews)
- Cloud Services (4 reviews)
- Protection (3 reviews)

**Cons:**

- Expensive (8 reviews)
- Complexity (4 reviews)
- Complexity Issues (3 reviews)
- Complex Setup (3 reviews)
- Integration Issues (3 reviews)

### 6. [CTERA](https://www.g2.com/products/ctera/reviews)
  CTERA is a recognized leader in the GigaOm Radar for Globally Distributed File Systems for the fifth consecutive year as well as Frost & Sullivant’s 2025 Global Company of the Year for Excellence in Hybrid Cloud Storage. CTERA has a proven track record of providing solutions to global Fortune 500 organizations and government agencies that have modernized their traditional network-attached storage (NAS) across distributed sites to streamline business continuity, data protection, and disaster recovery. CTERA provides tools for user productivity with global file access and remote connectivity for a hybrid workforce. With edge caching, real-time data replication to any public, private, or hybrid cloud, global deduplication, and centralized management, organizations using CTERA reduce operational overhead associated with a distributed infrastructure, and drive cost-efficiency at scale, while maintaining client compatibility while not compromising on performance. CTERA caters to a range of sectors including financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, and public sector organizations, empowering them with tools to handle large volumes of data efficiently and securely.


  **Average Rating:** 4.8/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 16

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Low Latency:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 8.5/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **High Availability:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **Monitoring Tool:** 6.4/10 (Category avg: 8.3/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [CTERA Networks](https://www.g2.com/sellers/ctera-networks)
- **Company Website:** https://www.ctera.com
- **Year Founded:** 2008
- **HQ Location:** New York, US
- **Twitter:** @CTERA (1,666 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/ctera-networks (193 employees on LinkedIn®)

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Company Size:** 56% Enterprise, 19% Mid-Market


#### Pros & Cons

**Pros:**

- Centralized Management (7 reviews)
- Features (7 reviews)
- Customer Support (6 reviews)
- Storage Capacity (6 reviews)
- Easy Setup (5 reviews)

**Cons:**

- File Management (3 reviews)
- Installation Difficulty (3 reviews)
- Complex Documentation (2 reviews)
- Poor Documentation (2 reviews)
- Time-Consuming (2 reviews)

### 7. [Dell Flash Storage](https://www.g2.com/products/dell-flash-storage/reviews)
  provide a range of independent Cloud options


  **Average Rating:** 4.5/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 17

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Low Latency:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **High Availability:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **Monitoring Tool:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 8.3/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Dell Technologies](https://www.g2.com/sellers/dell-technologies-decced23-0884-427d-88d4-718c9d1d4ea6)
- **Year Founded:** 1984
- **HQ Location:** Round Rock, TX
- **Twitter:** @Dell (796,410 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/delltechnologies/ (123,563 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** NYSE: DELL

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services
  - **Company Size:** 50% Enterprise, 28% Mid-Market


### 8. [Evergreen//One: Storage as-a-Service](https://www.g2.com/products/evergreen-one-storage-as-a-service/reviews)
  Pure's Evergreen Storage Service (ES2) delivers OPEX storage-as-a-service (STaaS) for private and hybrid clouds.


  **Average Rating:** 4.7/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 36

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Low Latency:** 8.6/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 9.1/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **High Availability:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **Monitoring Tool:** 8.5/10 (Category avg: 8.3/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Pure Storage](https://www.g2.com/sellers/pure-storage)
- **Year Founded:** 2009
- **HQ Location:** Santa Clara, US
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/pure-storage/ (6,976 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** PSTG
- **Total Revenue (USD mm):** $1,359

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services
  - **Company Size:** 61% Mid-Market, 22% Small-Business


### 9. [AWS Storage Gateway](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-storage-gateway/reviews)
  AWS Storage Gateway is a service that connect an on-premises software appliance with cloud-based storage to provide seamless and secure integration between an organizations on-premises IT environment and AWS's storage infrastructure.


  **Average Rating:** 4.5/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 57

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Low Latency:** 8.1/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 8.6/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **High Availability:** 7.9/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **Monitoring Tool:** 7.9/10 (Category avg: 8.3/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Amazon Web Services (AWS)](https://www.g2.com/sellers/amazon-web-services-aws-3e93cc28-2e9b-4961-b258-c6ce0feec7dd)
- **Year Founded:** 2006
- **HQ Location:** Seattle, WA
- **Twitter:** @awscloud (2,225,864 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/amazon-web-services/ (156,424 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** NASDAQ: AMZN

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services
  - **Company Size:** 35% Enterprise, 32% Mid-Market


### 10. [Google Hybrid Cloud](https://www.g2.com/products/google-hybrid-cloud/reviews)
  Adapt your existing technology to a hybrid cloud designed with flexibility and scale in mind.


  **Average Rating:** 4.3/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 45

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Low Latency:** 8.7/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 8.5/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **High Availability:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **Monitoring Tool:** 8.4/10 (Category avg: 8.3/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Google](https://www.g2.com/sellers/google)
- **Year Founded:** 1998
- **HQ Location:** Mountain View, CA
- **Twitter:** @google (31,910,461 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/1441/ (336,169 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** NASDAQ:GOOG

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Computer Software
  - **Company Size:** 45% Small-Business, 36% Enterprise


### 11. [Azure StorSimple](https://www.g2.com/products/azure-storsimple/reviews)
  Azure StorSimple meets the needs of performance and capacity-centric applications, and gives you a complete hybrid cloud storage solution for enterprises


  **Average Rating:** 4.0/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 20

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Low Latency:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 9.1/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **High Availability:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **Monitoring Tool:** 8.7/10 (Category avg: 8.3/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Microsoft](https://www.g2.com/sellers/microsoft)
- **Year Founded:** 1975
- **HQ Location:** Redmond, Washington
- **Twitter:** @microsoft (13,114,353 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/microsoft/ (227,697 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** MSFT

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Top Industries:** Computer Software, Information Technology and Services
  - **Company Size:** 43% Mid-Market, 33% Small-Business


### 12. [Azure Stack](https://www.g2.com/products/azure-stack/reviews)
  An extension of Azure to consistently build and run hybrid applications across cloud boundaries.


  **Average Rating:** 4.2/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 31

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Low Latency:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 8.4/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **High Availability:** 9.1/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **Monitoring Tool:** 9.1/10 (Category avg: 8.3/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Microsoft](https://www.g2.com/sellers/microsoft)
- **Year Founded:** 1975
- **HQ Location:** Redmond, Washington
- **Twitter:** @microsoft (13,114,353 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/microsoft/ (227,697 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** MSFT

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services
  - **Company Size:** 42% Enterprise, 33% Mid-Market


#### Pros & Cons


**Cons:**

- Difficult Learning (1 reviews)
- Learning Difficulty (1 reviews)

### 13. [ExpanDrive](https://www.g2.com/products/expandrive/reviews)
  ExpanDrive ends the frustration of juggling multiple cloud accounts and clunky sync tools. In today’s world, files are scattered across Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Box, SharePoint, S3, and even legacy servers. Each has its own app or web portal, forcing you to waste time downloading, syncing, and duplicating files. The result? Chaos, wasted disk space, and slower workflows. ExpanDrive solves this by mounting your cloud storage directly on your desktop. Every service — from Google Drive and Dropbox to S3, SharePoint, and SFTP — appears as a drive in Finder or Explorer. No more switching apps or logging into portals. Your files simply show up where you expect them, ready to open, edit, and save from any application. Unlike traditional sync clients, ExpanDrive doesn’t force you to download everything or clog your hard drive. Instead, it streams files on demand while letting you choose specific items to cache for offline use. Behind the scenes, ExpanDrive’s fast transfer engine ensures reliability with large files, complex folders, and long-running operations. Security comes standard, with encrypted connections and trusted authentication like OAuth and SSH keys. Whether you’re a freelancer managing client projects, a small business streamlining collaboration, or an IT pro mounting servers, ExpanDrive adapts to your workflow. And with its freemium model, anyone can get started for free — then upgrade for background sync, advanced transfers, and team features. ExpanDrive brings simplicity, freedom, and speed to cloud storage. One interface. Every provider. Zero chaos.


  **Average Rating:** 4.0/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 86

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Low Latency:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **High Availability:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **Monitoring Tool:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 8.3/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Files.com](https://www.g2.com/sellers/files-com)
- **Company Website:** https://www.files.com/
- **Year Founded:** 2008
- **HQ Location:** Scottsdale, Arizona
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/filesdotcom/ (83 employees on LinkedIn®)

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Computer Software
  - **Company Size:** 72% Small-Business, 16% Enterprise


#### Pros & Cons

**Pros:**

- Ease of Use (4 reviews)
- Easy Access (3 reviews)
- Cloud Storage (2 reviews)
- Convenience (1 reviews)
- Intuitive (1 reviews)

**Cons:**

- Poor Customer Support (3 reviews)
- Syncing Issues (2 reviews)
- Document (1 reviews)
- Inconvenience (1 reviews)
- Integration Difficulty (1 reviews)

### 14. [Red Hat OpenShift Container Storage](https://www.g2.com/products/red-hat-openshift-container-storage/reviews)
  Red Hat OpenShift Container Storage is software-defined storage specifically built for container environments. It is based on Red Hat Gluster Storage and highly integrated with Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform. It gives data a permanent place to live—even when containers spin up and down—and easily scales across bare metal, virtual, container, and cloud deployments.


  **Average Rating:** 4.3/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 27

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Low Latency:** 7.8/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **High Availability:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **Monitoring Tool:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.3/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Red Hat](https://www.g2.com/sellers/red-hat)
- **Year Founded:** 1993
- **HQ Location:** Raleigh, NC
- **Twitter:** @RedHat (300,026 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/3545/ (19,305 employees on LinkedIn®)

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Financial Services
  - **Company Size:** 42% Enterprise, 33% Mid-Market


### 15. [HPE Cloud Volumes](https://www.g2.com/products/hpe-cloud-volumes/reviews)
  HPE Cloud Volumes will get you there faster. HPE Cloud Volumes provides an enterprise-grade multicloud storage service for running your applications in Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure. Cloud storage that's easy to use with the enterprise-grade reliability


  **Average Rating:** 4.2/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 14

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Low Latency:** 8.0/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **High Availability:** 7.8/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **Monitoring Tool:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.3/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [HP Development Company](https://www.g2.com/sellers/hp-development-company)
- **Year Founded:** 1939
- **HQ Location:** Palo Alto, CA
- **Twitter:** @HPE (91,958 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/1025/ (85,438 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** NYSE: HPQ

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Company Size:** 43% Enterprise, 21% Small-Business


### 16. [Atlas](https://www.g2.com/products/opendrives-atlas/reviews)
  Atlas is an advanced call tracking and analytics platform designed to help businesses and marketers optimize their inbound and pay-per-call campaigns. By providing real-time insights into call performance, Atlas enables users to enhance marketing strategies, improve customer interactions, and maximize return on investment (ROI). Key Features and Functionality: - Enhanced Customer Insights: Gain a comprehensive understanding of customer behavior through detailed call analytics, facilitating more personalized engagement. - Precise Attribution: Track and attribute every inbound call to its specific marketing source, identifying which campaigns generate the most valuable leads. - Optimized Marketing ROI: Boost ROI by pinpointing top-performing channels and refining strategies with real-time data. - Intelligent Call Routing: Implement smart routing options, including target and group routing, to ensure calls are directed to the appropriate individuals or teams based on availability and priority. - Real-Time Monitoring and Analytics: Utilize an advanced dashboard to monitor call performance, track expenses, and make immediate adjustments to campaigns. - Global Reach: Expand your business's presence with toll-free and local numbers available in over 40 countries, facilitating seamless international communication. Primary Value and Solutions Provided: Atlas addresses the critical need for businesses to understand and optimize their inbound call performance. By offering precise call tracking and analytics, it empowers users to identify effective marketing channels, enhance customer engagement, and make data-driven decisions. The platform's intelligent call routing ensures efficient handling of calls, reducing missed opportunities and improving customer satisfaction. Additionally, Atlas's global reach capabilities enable businesses to connect with customers worldwide, fostering growth and expansion.


  **Average Rating:** 4.4/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 12

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Low Latency:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **High Availability:** 8.7/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **Monitoring Tool:** 8.5/10 (Category avg: 8.3/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [OpenDrives](https://www.g2.com/sellers/opendrives)
- **Year Founded:** 2011
- **HQ Location:** Culver City
- **Twitter:** @OpenDrives (597 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** http://www.linkedin.com/company/opendrives (49 employees on LinkedIn®)

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Company Size:** 50% Small-Business, 25% Mid-Market


### 17. [IBM Storage Suite for IBM Cloud Paks](https://www.g2.com/products/ibm-storage-suite-for-ibm-cloud-paks/reviews)
  IBM Storage Suite for IBM Cloud Paks is a comprehensive software-defined storage solution designed to streamline the deployment of IBM Cloud Pak applications within hybrid cloud environments. By integrating open-source Red Hat data services with IBM's award-winning storage offerings, this suite provides a reliable and efficient foundation for managing data across containerized applications. It supports various storage types—including file, block, and object storage—ensuring flexibility and scalability to meet diverse workload requirements. Fully tested with Kubernetes, Red Hat OpenShift, and IBM Cloud Pak solutions, the suite delivers enterprise-grade data services to business-critical environments. Key Features and Functionality: - IBM Certification: Ensures compatibility and reliability by being fully tested with Kubernetes, Red Hat OpenShift, and IBM Cloud Pak solutions. - Simplified Deployment: Offers a standardized approach for deploying, monitoring, and managing persistent storage within OpenShift environments. - Scalability: Allows seamless scaling of data resources up or down without disrupting business operations, adapting to application or workload demands. - Agility: Facilitates data mobility across environments using a single Container Storage Interface compatible with all container orchestration systems. - Flexibility: Maximizes data resource utilization by integrating with IBM Cloud Object Storage, IBM Spectrum Storage Suite, Red Hat Ceph Storage, and OpenShift Data Foundation. - Consistency: Provides a uniform Red Hat OpenShift experience for building and managing containerized applications with persistent storage and data services. Primary Value and Problem Solved: IBM Storage Suite for IBM Cloud Paks addresses the complexities associated with deploying and managing storage in containerized and hybrid cloud environments. By offering a unified, software-defined storage solution, it simplifies the integration of persistent storage into IBM Cloud Pak applications, ensuring reliability, scalability, and agility. This enables organizations to accelerate their hybrid cloud adoption, optimize resource utilization, and maintain consistent data services across diverse platforms, ultimately enhancing operational efficiency and reducing time-to-market for new applications.


  **Average Rating:** 4.2/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 10

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Low Latency:** 9.7/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 8.1/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **High Availability:** 9.7/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **Monitoring Tool:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.3/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [IBM](https://www.g2.com/sellers/ibm)
- **Year Founded:** 1911
- **HQ Location:** Armonk, NY
- **Twitter:** @IBM (709,390 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/1009/ (324,553 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** SWX:IBM

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Company Size:** 83% Enterprise, 8% Mid-Market


### 18. [Oracle Cloud Data Management](https://www.g2.com/products/oracle-oracle-cloud-data-management/reviews)
  Oracle Cloud Data Management is a comprehensive suite of services designed to help organizations manage, govern, and analyze their data across various environments, including on-premises, hybrid, and multi-cloud infrastructures. By offering a unified platform, it enables businesses to streamline data operations, ensure data integrity, and accelerate digital transformation initiatives. Key Features and Functionality: - Enterprise Data Management: Facilitates the management and governance of changes to master, reference, and metadata across the enterprise, supporting business transformations and ensuring compliance with standards. - Database Management: Provides a unified console for monitoring, performance management, tuning, and administration of both cloud and on-premises databases, enhancing operational efficiency. - Data Catalog: Offers a metadata management service that helps data professionals discover data and improve data governance, providing a searchable inventory of data assets with business context. - Data Integration: Supports seamless integration of enterprise applications, allowing organizations to streamline workflows and improve efficiency. - Data Warehousing: Enables the creation of robust data warehouses, providing a centralized repository for comprehensive analysis and reporting. Primary Value and Solutions Provided: Oracle Cloud Data Management empowers organizations to adapt and respond to change more effectively by providing tools for managing and governing enterprise data. It accelerates cloud adoption, enhances business agility, and ensures alignment of enterprise applications. By offering a system of reference for all enterprise data, it supports business transformations, de-risks mergers and acquisitions, stimulates trustworthy business analytics, promotes compliance to standards, and builds alignment between how a business runs its operations, measures performance, and plans for the future.


  **Average Rating:** 4.3/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 32

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Ease of Use:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Oracle](https://www.g2.com/sellers/oracle)
- **Year Founded:** 1977
- **HQ Location:** Austin, TX
- **Twitter:** @Oracle (827,868 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/1028/ (199,301 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** NYSE:ORCL

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Company Size:** 54% Enterprise, 30% Mid-Market


### 19. [Azure FXT Edge Filer](https://www.g2.com/products/azure-fxt-edge-filer/reviews)
  Hybrid storage optimization solution for HPC environments


  **Average Rating:** 4.4/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 17

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Low Latency:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 8.2/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **High Availability:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **Monitoring Tool:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.3/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Microsoft](https://www.g2.com/sellers/microsoft)
- **Year Founded:** 1975
- **HQ Location:** Redmond, Washington
- **Twitter:** @microsoft (13,114,353 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/microsoft/ (227,697 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** MSFT

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services
  - **Company Size:** 53% Enterprise, 35% Small-Business


### 20. [Rackspace Hybrid Cloud](https://www.g2.com/products/rackspace-hybrid-cloud/reviews)
  Sometimes the best environment for a workload is one that combines both public cloud, private cloud and single-tenant dedicated environments. That's why we've created a true hybrid cloud, with multi-cloud flexibility, so you can connect dedicated bare metal environments to the private and public clouds of your choice — such as AWS, Microsoft®, OpenStack® and VMware®


  **Average Rating:** 4.3/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 10

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Low Latency:** 8.0/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 8.6/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **High Availability:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **Monitoring Tool:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.3/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Rackspace Technology](https://www.g2.com/sellers/rackspace-technology)
- **Year Founded:** 1998
- **HQ Location:** San Antonio, TX
- **Twitter:** @Rackspace (98,442 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/rackspace-technology (7,204 employees on LinkedIn®)

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Company Size:** 50% Small-Business, 40% Mid-Market


### 21. [Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Storage Gateway](https://www.g2.com/products/oracle-oracle-cloud-infrastructure-storage-gateway/reviews)
  A simple NAS gateway for end users and applications which provides a secure, POSIX compliant, local NFS interface for cloud storage.


  **Average Rating:** 4.5/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 12

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Low Latency:** 8.0/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **High Availability:** 8.7/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **Monitoring Tool:** 7.3/10 (Category avg: 8.3/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Oracle](https://www.g2.com/sellers/oracle)
- **Year Founded:** 1977
- **HQ Location:** Austin, TX
- **Twitter:** @Oracle (827,868 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/1028/ (199,301 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** NYSE:ORCL

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Company Size:** 50% Mid-Market, 33% Small-Business


### 22. [Portworx Enterprise](https://www.g2.com/products/portworx-enterprise/reviews)
  Portworx provide a storage solution that spins up quickly and scales elastically based on application requirements it enable organizations to manage their applications at container speed, in seconds, not days; slash storage and virtual machine.


  **Average Rating:** 4.4/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 16

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Low Latency:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **High Availability:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **Monitoring Tool:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 8.3/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Pure Storage](https://www.g2.com/sellers/pure-storage)
- **Year Founded:** 2009
- **HQ Location:** Santa Clara, US
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/pure-storage/ (6,976 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** PSTG
- **Total Revenue (USD mm):** $1,359

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Company Size:** 44% Mid-Market, 38% Enterprise


### 23. [Kdan Cloud](https://www.g2.com/products/kdan-cloud/reviews)
  Kdan Cloud not only enhances your experience in Creativity 365 and Document 365 suites, it also serves as a stand-alone cloud solution. Manage and organize your personal or shared files, and access them in Kdan Cloud anytime from anywhere. FEATURES • Organize your documents, PDF files, animations, videos, and other projects in Creativity 365 and Document 365 app suites • Backup files and other projects in the Creativity 365 or Document 365 app series to Kdan Cloud with just one tap • Share documents and projects in PDF Reader, Markup, Pocket Scanner, NoteLedge, Animation Desk, and Write-on Video with others via links • View PDF documents on the go • Export PDF to Markup app for advanced document editing features • View annotations extracted from PDF documents • View records of what has been shared and modified • Link Dropbox and Google Drive account to Kdan Cloud • Search by file type or special formats including native file formats of Pocket Scanner, NoteLedge, Animation Desk, Write-on Video, along with other general file formats like PDF, text, image, and video • Access your files on your iPad, iPhone, and web browser • Upload files to secure online storage with TSL/SSL and RES encryption • Share files and folders with password protection • Access offline files and folders • Request files from your contacts • Create team lists for group projects • Set up shared folders for team collaboration ABOUT CREATIVITY 365 Creativity 365 is a holistic content creation suite featuring 5 apps, including Animation Desk, Write-on Video, NoteLedge, Markup, and Pocket Scanner. With the Creativity 365 subscription, you will get an all-access pass to premium features in the suite across smartphones, tablets, and desktop devices, along with 1TB of Kdan Cloud storage, and credits for file conversion. Free trials are available. ABOUT DOCUMENT 365 Document 365 is a comprehensive, cross-device document solution aimed at improving your productivity. It includes Kdan's best PDF Reader mobile and desktop apps, along with document converting and online faxing services. With document 365, you can leverage your productivity every day. Free trials are available.


  **Average Rating:** 3.9/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 12

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Low Latency:** 5.0/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 9.4/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **High Availability:** 6.7/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **Monitoring Tool:** 4.2/10 (Category avg: 8.3/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [KDAN](https://www.g2.com/sellers/kdan)
- **Year Founded:** 2009
- **HQ Location:** Irvine, California
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/2103738/ (241 employees on LinkedIn®)

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Company Size:** 100% Small-Business


### 24. [zStorage](https://www.g2.com/products/zstorage-2025-10-01/reviews)
  Zadara is a leading provider of AI edge clouds, delivering a groundbreaking distributed cloud platform purpose-built for sovereign AI applications. Zadara platform powers advanced AI capabilities with the simplicity, agility, and flexibility of cloud computing while ensuring seamless multi-tenancy through fully automated, end-to-end provisioning of compute, storage, and networking resources. With over 500 edge cloud locations worldwide and the ability to deploy a full-scale cloud infrastructure anywhere, Zadara is uniquely equipped to meet the specialized requirements of sovereign AI workloads. Its solution ensures complete data privacy and security, adhering to stringent compliance standards while enabling both AI model training and AI real-time inference directly at the edge—ideal for service providers and modern enterprises. Zadara’s fully-managed clouds are designed to accommodate any workload, anywhere – whether on-premises, hybrid, multi-cloud or at the edge. Zadara’s cloud platform features a consumption-based pricing model with zero data egress fees, offering cost-effective scalability without hidden charges. Since 2011, Zadara has operated worldwide with a highly skilled team that provides 24/7 follow-the-sun support and services. Zadara is headquartered in Irvine, California.


  **Average Rating:** 4.3/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 26

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Ease of Use:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **Monitoring Tool:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.3/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [ZADARA](https://www.g2.com/sellers/zadara-af93d36d-6162-424a-a78e-3f9008d79731)
- **Year Founded:** 2011
- **HQ Location:** Irvine, California
- **Twitter:** @Zadara (2,488 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/zadarastorage/about (213 employees on LinkedIn®)

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services
  - **Company Size:** 54% Small-Business, 35% Mid-Market


#### Pros & Cons

**Pros:**

- Customer Support (4 reviews)
- Ease of Use (3 reviews)
- Affordable (2 reviews)
- Centralized Management (2 reviews)
- Performance (2 reviews)

**Cons:**

- Limited Customization (2 reviews)
- Limited Features (2 reviews)
- Limited Functionality (2 reviews)
- Slow Performance (2 reviews)
- Data Deletion Issues (1 reviews)

### 25. [Alibaba Hybrid Cloud Storage Array](https://www.g2.com/products/alibaba-hybrid-cloud-storage-array/reviews)
  Hybrid Cloud Storage Array (HCSA) is an enterprise-level storage array that integrates with the Alibaba Cloud storage gateway. You can use and manage cloud storage resources (blocks, files, and objects) just as you would with local storage. Cloud Cache, Cloud Sync, Cloud Tiering, and Cloud Backup all make local storage migrate to the cloud seamlessly. HCSA services provide a cost-effective, efficient and easy-to-manage hybrid cloud storage solution.


  **Average Rating:** 4.4/5.0
  **Total Reviews:** 9

**User Satisfaction Scores:**

- **Low Latency:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
- **Ease of Use:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **High Availability:** 8.1/10 (Category avg: 8.8/10)
- **Monitoring Tool:** 7.8/10 (Category avg: 8.3/10)


**Seller Details:**

- **Seller:** [Alibaba](https://www.g2.com/sellers/alibaba)
- **HQ Location:** Hangzhou
- **Twitter:** @alibaba_cloud (1,175,020 Twitter followers)
- **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/1218665/ (4,817 employees on LinkedIn®)
- **Ownership:** BABA
- **Total Revenue (USD mm):** $509,711

**Reviewer Demographics:**
  - **Company Size:** 70% Small-Business, 30% Enterprise




## Parent Category

[Storage Management Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/storage-management)



## Related Categories

- [Object Storage Solutions](https://www.g2.com/categories/object-storage-solutions)
- [Cloud File Storage Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/cloud-file-storage)



---

## Buyer Guide

### What You Should Know About Hybrid Cloud Storage Solutions

### What are Hybrid Cloud Storage Solutions?

Hybrid cloud storage solutions connect data storage operations between on-premises storage (private storage) and public cloud (shared storage). By integrating workload between these two environments, companies can store their sensitive data in their IT infrastructure to meet compliance and security requirements. Other less sensitive data can be transferred to public cloud data centers. Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) providers will store these data at a low price and scale based on need. This hybrid approach is very flexible as it allows users to scale their operations based on cloud computing and storage demand. 

Common connection methods for hybrid cloud storage include virtual private network (VPN), wide area network (WAN), and hybrid cloud application programming interface (API). The most widely used option is VPN. This type of network offers a private and secure connection like a private internal network. Another type of network is the WAN which sends traffic over multiple connection types. WAN is the most flexible connection method because it accepts traffic from personal computers and the Internet of Things (IoT). The last type of network option is a dedicated network from cloud providers. Vendors can create their API to incorporate a dedicated bandwidth and low latency connection. Organizations can use all three connection methods or just one, depending on their needs.

One challenge companies face is designing a compatible hybrid cloud architecture that runs smoothly. A complex hybrid cloud environment needs to connect hundreds of different pieces of hardware to multiple public clouds across the globe. Companies need to plan out for compatibility to make sure that all hardware and software integrate with ease. Hybrid cloud solutions provide visibility into complex environments so that companies know how to allocate their resources. A correct hybrid setup should automatically manage this process so that the workload operations on both environments are seamless and efficient.

### What are the Common Features of Hybrid Cloud Storage Solutions?

The following are some core features within hybrid cloud storage software that can help users in setting up their hybrid cloud operation:

**System integration:** Hybrid cloud storage solutions synchronize on-premises and public cloud infrastructure. The goal is that data should flow seamlessly across multiple environments. However, there are always technical differences between onsite hardware and third-party cloud. Hybrid cloud solutions bridge these differences by synchronizing different big data. These solutions integrate data from multiple sources so that users can manage workload operations in multiple cloud environments.

**Encrypted connection:** Network connections are the most important part of a hybrid cloud design. Company infrastructure and data centers connect either through a private network or public internet. Hybrid cloud solutions usually offer VPN and API connections. A cloud VPN allows employees to securely access company applications and data in the cloud through providers’ websites or applications. Unlike traditional VPNs, a cloud VPN doesn’t require infrastructure. It’s globally accessible and easy to deploy. API connection is a dedicated network from cloud providers. They incorporate a dedicated bandwidth and low latency connection. However, API connectivity varies by vendor, so users should demo all vendors’ API connections before purchasing. 

**Central management:** Hybrid cloud can be complicated to manage because it integrates numerous private clouds and public clouds. These cloud solutions all have different API and service-level agreement (SLA) requirements. Therefore, a central cloud management tool is critical in a multi-cloud environment. These tools oversee all cloud operations in a single dashboard so users do not have to manage each cloud separately.

### What are the Benefits of Hybrid Cloud Storage Solutions?

**Data compliance:** Hybrid cloud storage solutions allow users to keep sensitive data on-site without sacrificing scalability. Rather than relying on all aspects of third-party cloud infrastructure, companies can separate their data between what they want others to see and what they need to keep to themselves. Since hybrid cloud connections and on-site data remain private, this also fits many compliance requirements.

**High scalability:** Hybrid cloud storage is a cost-effective solution because it is similar to public cloud storage services. These cloud storage solutions are highly scalable because they can rapidly allocate cloud resources up and down based on computing demand. This helps companies to use public cloud computing for high-performance workloads and keep clients happy by providing a hassle-free online experience. 

**Flexible cost:** Companies only pay for the extra resources when they need to compute more data. They will also save on cloud infrastructure investment and optimize costs by working with a cloud provider.

**No vendor lock-in:** Without a full commitment to public cloud, companies can migrate their public cloud data to their private server when needed. This reduces the dependency on a single public cloud provider. Multiple public cloud options are also available once hybrid cloud architecture is set up. With the correct hybrid configuration, companies should be prepared to quickly switch from one cloud provider to another when a better rate or service is available.

**Business continuity:** Many businesses are utilizing hybrid cloud storage as disaster recovery. Cloud backup software will replicate data in case of an unexpected disaster. For organizations that require data protection, they will benefit from a mix of on-premises and public cloud solutions to meet their SLAs in case one solution goes down.

### Who Uses Hybrid Cloud Storage Solutions?

**IT teams:** Most companies would have their IT teams set up the hybrid cloud design. Depending on the size of the company, the design complexity can range from a couple of IT developers to dozens of IT professionals.

### What are the Alternatives to Hybrid Cloud Storage Solutions?

Alternatives to hybrid cloud storage software can replace this type of software, either partially or completely:

[Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)](https://www.g2.com/categories/infrastructure-as-a-service-iaas): IaaS describes the various ways in which third-party vendors provide cloud-driven, cloud-hosted infrastructure to businesses. IaaS vendors provide public cloud storage, which is the base layer of hybrid cloud storage. Users would need to set up their public cloud before connecting to hybrid. If the users don’t need to work with private cloud storage, then they can use public cloud storage without a hybrid cloud setup.

[Virtual private cloud (VPC)](https://www.g2.com/categories/virtual-private-cloud-vpc): VPC is a public cloud environment that a host isolates as part of its resources for a specific user. Since a VPC is part of a public cloud, it shares the same cloud infrastructure as the public cloud, but only the user can access it. Therefore, VPC is a safer storage environment than the public cloud. Users can consider VPC storage if they don’t have on-premises storage requirements.

#### Software Related to Hybrid Cloud Storage Solutions

Related solutions that can be used together with hybrid cloud storage tools include:

[IoT edge platforms](https://www.g2.com/categories/iot-edge-platforms) **:** IoT edge platforms help facilitate localized computer processing on IoT devices. These devices constantly analyze streams of data, including information about networks, actions, and anything else the device is connected to or interacting with. Hybrid cloud architecture establishes IoT Edge connection by linking local hardware and cloud servers. 

### Challenges with Hybrid Cloud Storage Solutions

**Integration:** Hybrid cloud storage can be difficult to set up if companies are using different vendors for hybrid cloud storage and public cloud storage. Many top IaaS cloud providers offer hybrid cloud solutions that are native to their cloud environment. However, bundled cloud storage services will result in vendor lock-in. Therefore, many customers don't use hybrid solutions from their IaaS providers. However, they need to hire additional staff who understand different vendor technologies to integrate both hybrid cloud and public cloud systems.

**Load balancing:** Load balancing is a network management method that distributes global and local network traffic among different servers. When one cloud is receiving much more load than another cloud, it drives up costs and reduces performance. By redistributing the loads to the underutilized cloud, this situation can be avoided. In hybrid cloud and multi-cloud environments, users need to efficiently distribute resources across different cloud infrastructures. Companies might need to buy a platform-agnostic, multi-cloud [load balancing software](https://www.g2.com/categories/load-balancing) that can distribute traffic regardless of the underlying infrastructure and the cloud services being used.

**Compliance:** Part of the reason why a company may go for a hybrid cloud instead of a public cloud is because of data compliance issues. Sensitive data are kept on-premises and data that requires heavy computing resources are stored in the public cloud. IT teams need to learn how to keep sensitive data secured and separated from public cloud data. Companies shouldn’t assume that their cloud developer already knows this process. They need to be trained on how to keep compliance to avoid a future data leak.

### How to Buy Hybrid Cloud Storage Solutions

#### Requirements Gathering (RFI/RFP) for Hybrid Cloud Storage Solutions

Hybrid cloud storage solutions can differ significantly depending on use case and vendor selection. Whether a company is looking for its first hybrid cloud storage software tool or looking to replace an existing one, g2.com can help buyers find the best tool.

The effectiveness of hybrid cloud solutions depends on how well the business integrates them into its environment. Infrastructure and use case requirements are critical to a successful hybrid approach. Infrastructure requirements should cover application integration, network connectivity, security, accessibility, scalability, hardware consumption, and so on. Companies need to build a hybrid cloud solution based on their infrastructure, not the other way around. If they don’t consider these requirements, they would have to buy additional software to integrate with the hybrid cloud architecture, which would waste time and money. 

Use case requirements should cover specific goals of the hybrid cloud setup: business continuity, edge connectivity, data compliance, and others. No cloud solution can do it all so businesses should prioritize which business goal is the most important first. A clear and focused business use case makes the development process faster and easier. Once the initial implementation is successful, then businesses can think about growing their hybrid cloud capability into other areas.

#### Compare Hybrid Cloud Storage Solutions

**Create a long list**

There are hundreds of IaaS providers that offer hybrid cloud tools. Companies should start with software that fits their infrastructure requirements. For companies that already have public cloud storage, they can first also start by looking into their cloud provider’s hybrid cloud offering for comparison. Based on these requirements, companies should select 5-10 vendors for initial use case assessment.

**Create a short list**

For those solutions that meet the infrastructure criteria, buyers can try to apply vendor pricing to their use case. How much would a fully functioning hybrid setup cost based on the estimated workload? This should give buyers a budget of how much the solution will cost and filter out the ones out of the price range.

**Conduct demos**

System integration is the most important consideration. Businesses need to demo the solution in their environment. It doesn’t matter how well the hybrid cloud solution performs in the vendor's controlled environment since hybrid architecture is highly customizable. This is also a chance to see how easy it is to manage the whole system. Users should be able to manage multiple hybrid cloud infrastructures by using a centralized dashboard. The last thing any IT team wants to do is to fix a complex bug through different cloud management tools. After the business ensures that the hybrid solution will run smoothly in their system, they can select the best solution based on price and quality of service.

#### Selection of Hybrid Cloud Storage Solutions

**Choose a selection team**

The IT team, purchasing team, and other teams who will be using the hybrid cloud tools should be included in the selection process. The IT team provides technical expertise. The purchasing team needs to ensure that the vendor contract aligns with other software vendor contracts. For example, there is no reason to buy a hybrid cloud software specifically for an application that will expire in a month. Users of the hybrid cloud tools can participate in product demo for questions and feedback.

**Negotiation**

Since every hybrid cloud architecture is different, pricing is highly customizable and comes down to negotiation. Many vendors offer complete storage platforms, including hybrid cloud storage. Companies can choose what part of the service they need for the best pricing or buy the whole solution for a discounted price.

**Final decision**

The CTO and IT managers should be the final decision-makers. They need to consider the ease of implementation for the business use case. Selecting a complex hybrid solution that no one knows how to implement is suboptimal. It is important to perform a trial run if possible with a small selection of IT professionals or developers. This will help to ensure that the selected solution integrates well with an IT administrator’s systems setup or a developer’s day-to-day work. If the tool is well-liked and well-utilized, the buyer can take that as a sign that their selection is the right one. If not, a reevaluation of the options may be necessary.