The misconception of simplicity

In a relatively short period of time cloud platforms have increased in popularity, with many businesses and individuals touting their ease of use and simplicity. Moreover, enterprise businesses are adopting cloud based technologies with the expectation of simplicity. However, as the number of users and the complexity of workloads on these platforms have grown, it has become clear that the reality of using a cloud platform is often more difficult than the perception.

One reason for this discrepancy is the proliferation of point-and-click tutorials and other “quick start” guides that make it seem like anyone can set up and run a cloud platform with minimal effort. While these resources can be helpful for getting started, they often don’t provide a complete picture of the challenges and complexities that can arise as a workload scales up or to ensure the security of the platform and the data held within.

For example, many cloud platforms offer “full automation” features that allow users to set up and manage complex environments with just a few clicks. However, as the number of resources and dependencies grows, the complexity of the environment can quickly become overwhelming, making it difficult to troubleshoot issues or make changes without causing disruptions.

As the number of users and workloads on a cloud platform increases, the risk of security breaches and other issues also grows. Ensuring that a cloud environment is secure and compliant with industry standards can be a time-consuming and resource-intensive task, especially for organisations that are not well-versed in cloud security best practices.

Having a source of truth for a cloud platform becomes harder as use and complexity scale, there are tools to help manage this but taking shortcuts to get something done quickly can lead to problems down the line as drift occurs and a fog descends on the platform masking what should be true from the reality of what exists.

In short, while cloud platforms may appear simple on the surface, the reality is that they can be complex and challenging to manage at scale. It is important for users to be aware of the potential pitfalls and to be prepared to put in the time and effort required to properly set up and maintain a cloud environment. By doing so, organisations can realise the full benefits of the cloud and avoid the frustration and disruptions that can result from a poorly managed environment.