In a digital world where infrastructure flexibility is critical, hybrid IT is proving to be not just a stopgap, but a destination.
In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, hybrid IT has emerged as a strategic advantage, offering enterprises the flexibility to place their computing resources and data where it makes the most sense—whether on-premises, in the cloud, or through colocation. For many organizations, especially those navigating complex governance or compliance needs, keeping sensitive data in-house ensures tighter control.
Meanwhile, the scalability of cloud and colocation environments allows them to dynamically spin up or down computing resources—something traditional data centers can’t match in terms of speed or cost-efficiency. With capital and operational expenditures continuing to climb, hybrid IT lets businesses access the infrastructure they need without heavy upfront investments.
Sascha Giese, Global Tech Evangelist, Observability, SolarWinds, notes that hybrid IT offers the best of both worlds—combining the control of on-premises systems with the agility of the cloud. For many organizations, going fully cloud-native simply isn’t practical or compliant, especially in highly regulated sectors like government, BFSI, and healthcare. Hybrid IT enables flexibility to scale and modernize at their own pace while retaining sensitive data on-premises. It also supports smarter cost optimization—leveraging SaaS where agility matters, and self-hosted infrastructure where control and performance are critical. As SolarWinds puts it, “It’s not just about adapting to change—it’s about doing so in a sustainable, secure, and strategic way.”
Organizations have realized that a “cloud-first” approach isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Many are now pivoting to a more nuanced approach—often called “cloud smart”—where use cases are carefully evaluated. What should stay on-prem? What can go to the public cloud? Cost is one of the main drivers of this shift. In the public cloud, doubling your consumption typically doubles your bill. On-premises, however, the economics can be different, especially with modern options that bring cloud-like benefits to local infrastructure.
Bharani Kumar Kulasekaran, director of technology, ManageEngine, reinforces this view:
“In my experience, hybrid IT adoption is primarily driven by the need to balance agility, regulatory compliance, and cost-efficiency. In the UAE, data localization mandates like the PDPL often compel organizations to retain sensitive data on-premises, while cloud platforms offer scalability for less sensitive workloads.”
He also points to multi-cloud strategies gaining traction to avoid vendor lock-in—boosting resilience and flexibility. Increasingly, the integration of AI and automation into IT operations is accelerating this shift as businesses seek both efficiency and deeper data insights. Hybrid IT, they say, has become foundational to modern digital transformation.
David Boast, General Manager – UAE & KSA, Endava, adds that the move to hybrid is not just transitional—it’s the destination. “In markets like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, where digital transformation is a national priority, businesses are strategically combining cloud agility with on-premise control to meet compliance and security requirements.”
He identifies three core drivers behind this shift: regulatory demands (especially around data sovereignty), heightened customer expectations for seamless digital experiences, and a growing need for predictable IT costs in an economically complex world.
Striking the Right Balance: On-Prem vs. Cloud
Fred Lherault, EMEA field CTO at Pure Storage, acknowledges the difficulty in maintaining the right balance between on-prem and cloud environments.
“Every time you add a cloud, you risk increasing complexity. Each cloud has its own tools and management stack, which adds operational burden.”
He advocates for the use of abstraction layers, which reduce the overhead by standardizing interactions across environments.
“You don’t want to double your admin load just by adding another cloud. That’s why we use abstraction layers across storage and containers. It’s also essential to think hard about where your data lives, because while software is easy to redeploy, data is hard to move.”
Sascha emphasizes that architecture should follow business needs—and visibility is key.
“You can’t manage what you can’t see. As hybrid environments become more complex, full-stack observability gives you the proactive insight to monitor, preempt, and optimize both on-prem and cloud systems.”
Mohammad Jamal Tabbara, Head of Solutions Architects, Middle East, Turkey & Africa at Infoblox, takes a similar view but frames it as a question of orchestration over choice.
“It’s not about picking sides—it’s about unifying environments through centralized visibility and control. DNS, DHCP, and IP address management (DDI) play a critical role here, especially when layered with automation.”
What are some common misconceptions about hybrid IT that you often encounter?
Sascha from SolarWinds says: That it’s all about infrastructure, and set in stone. In truth, hybrid IT reshapes how teams work, collaborate, and structure responsibilities. Furthermore, what works fine today might need to be changed next week, which adds to the already existing complexity. When paired with full-stack observability, organisations can unlock better scalability, cost control, and resilience—not just for today, but well into the future.
Bharani Kumar says hybrid IT is often misunderstood as merely a transitional phase toward full cloud adoption. In truth, hybrid environments are becoming the long-term reality for most enterprises. Another common misconception is that cloud migration automatically reduces costs; however, hidden expenses from data transfer, management complexity, and security can diminish these savings. Many also assume that cloud providers handle all aspects of security, but organizations must stay vigilant and actively manage governance. Dispelling these myths is essential for organizations to make informed decisions and fully capitalize on the flexibility and strategic value hybrid IT offers.
Key Challenges in Hybrid IT—and How to Solve Them
Bharani Kumar from ManageEngine outlines several roadblocks to effective hybrid infrastructure.
“One of the biggest challenges I see is ensuring data synchronization and visibility across environments. Businesses often lose track of their data post-migration, which complicates compliance and operations.”
He recommends investing in centralized management platforms, automating compliance enforcement, adopting Zero Trust models, and using AI-driven tools to reduce manual workloads and maintain consistent oversight.
David from Endava says the technical challenges of interoperability, data integration and security are well-known. But the real challenge is operational coherence. Hybrid IT works best when you stop thinking in silos and start thinking in systems and outcomes.
In the UAE and KSA, we’re seeing organisations build internal capability through Centres of Excellence or cloud-native enablement teams, often wrapped with FinOps governance to track and optimise spending across environments.
“Success comes when teams are equipped to operate in both cloud and on-prem worlds with a shared toolset, shared visibility, and clear accountability. That’s how you build long-term delivery resilience.”
Mohammad Jamal from Infoblox agrees implementing and managing a hybrid infrastructure isn’t without its hurdles. Visibility gaps, inconsistent (security) policies, and the rise of shadow IT are common pain points. Many organizations also struggle with latency and performance issues when workloads are spread across multiple environments. Overcoming these challenges requires a strategic approach.
How should businesses approach scalability when workloads are distributed across cloud and on-prem environments?
David says scalability isn’t just about adding infrastructure—it’s about designing the right architecture. Businesses should aim for intentional elasticity, not accidental sprawl.
In a hybrid model, this means containerising workloads, decoupling services, and investing in monitoring and orchestration tools that offer real-time visibility across environments. With a robust DevSecFinOps framework in place, organizations can scale efficiently—leveraging the cloud when needed while keeping tight control over costs and carbon impact.
That last point is especially important in the GCC, where sustainability targets are closely tied to national strategies. In such markets, scalability must consider not only computational efficiency but also environmental responsibility. A hybrid approach provides the control needed to build greener, smarter IT ecosystems.
Sascha from SolarWinds adds that scalability in hybrid IT isn’t just about increasing capacity—it’s about strategic foresight. “Start by auditing existing systems to identify gaps in flexibility and visibility. Set clear scalability objectives and adopt the right mix of SaaS and self-hosted solutions to meet them.”
He adds integrating AIOps can further enhance scalability by automating decisions and optimizing performance in real time. But above all, scalability should be treated as an ongoing process. With continuous monitoring and a mindset of iteration, businesses can turn scalability into a streamlined, stress-free advantage.
