The recent Google Cloud Next conference (held the last week of August 2023) saw a spate of new launches and announcements from the global cloud major.

One of the key areas of discussion was artificial intelligence (AI), with the rollout of an end-to-end GenAI Marketing Solution, among other things. Another important topic of discussion was multi-cloud connectivity, as the company announced a new solution that simplifies connectivity and security across heterogeneous IT environments. With this solution – titled Cross-Cloud Network – Google aims to solve the long-standing challenges faced by multi-cloud adopters.

The State of Multi-Cloud Adoption in 2023

According to an Oracle-commissioned study, multi-cloud is here to stay when it comes to enterprise technology. Interestingly, Oracle is among the cloud vendors to be supported by the new Google Cross-Cloud Network solution. According to the survey, 98% of businesses use or intend to work with a minimum of two cloud infrastructure vendors, and 31% are already using 4 or more.

40% of IT departments intend to use multi-cloud tactics for risk mitigation across their entire IT environment, and 38% for expansion into new regions or multinational service delivery.

Nevertheless, as per another study (which also reveals high multi-cloud adoption rates), 9 out of 10 organizations that run multi-cloud architectures report facing difficulties.

The absence of standardization and compatibility of application deployment tools is a major problem. Another obstacle is optimizing the efficacy of distributed programs that work in various settings. Maintaining uniformly enforced security policies across diverse environments is also problematic.

This is precisely what Google hopes to address with the launch of Google Cross-Cloud Network.

Understanding the Google Cross-Cloud Network Solution: What is it and How Does it Work?

Cross-Cloud Network is a worldwide cloud networking infrastructure constructed on Google’s internal backbone. It offers efficient any-to-any connectivity, better app experience, and machine learning (ML). This delivers powered protection across all users and workloads, regardless of location.

The solution functions by consolidating security and abstracting cloud-based workloads. It is intended to be a flexible and customizable networking platform that facilitates connections between multiple clouds and on-premises locations. To achieve this, it uses the following key components:

• Cloud NGFW: This is Google’s expandable, cloud-first firewall solution. It safeguards your applications with zero-trust safety measures enabled by machine learning. A Palo Alto Networks-powered intrusion detection and prevention system delivers integrated safeguards against spyware, malware, and command-and-control attacks.
• Cross-Cloud Interconnect: This feature was announced by Google in May – and is a high-performing, fully encrypted network connection. When you purchase Cross-Cloud Interconnect, Google creates an exclusive physical link between its network and another cloud service provider’s network.
• The Google Cloud infrastructure: Google Cloud offers a global, SLA-backed, encrypted backbone with significant global reach. It has more than 187 points of presence (PoPs) in more than 200 nations and territories. Utilizing service-centric, any-to-any connectivity based on Google’s core global network, accelerates application deployment and functionality.

With these three components, Google offers a fabric that links the various networks in an internationally distributed multi-cloud ecosystem. This transforms it into a central connectivity, safety, and application delivery node. By consolidating these services, you can streamline networking and mitigate the safety hazards associated with maintaining multi-cloud applications. You can also enhance the necessary connectivity pathways for your applications.

What Can You Do with Google Cross-Cloud Network?

This new multi-cloud enabler from Google potentially opens up ways to:

1. Drive consistent front-end user experiences

You’re probably using apps across multiple clouds, like on-premises. Through its global front-end services, Cross-Cloud Network enhances the application user experience. It gives you health monitoring tools to ensure that your apps are receiving data – and being administered – from the best possible location.

2. Strengthen security for data in motion between clouds

With an encrypted, high-speed private connection, Google Cloud optimizes how you connect with other clouds. By applying the Cloud NGFW (Next-Generation Firewall) in Google Cloud, on-premises, or with other clouds, you can achieve comprehensive multi-cloud networking that’s highly secure and efficient.

3. Create more sustainable hybrid work environments

Employees are a major vector for breaches of security. As more workers use hybrid work models, the risk increases. You can connect to popular Security Service Edge (SSE) operators through the Google Cross-Cloud Network’s open and interconnected partner ecosystem. SSE stacks consist of cloud access security brokers (CASB), data loss prevention (DLP), and other authentication services for safeguarding employee interactions over public networks like the Internet.

4. Assist in content delivery

The solution has several features to support enterprise content delivery. Using Google’s global edge network, Cloud CDN optimizes web-based apps. Media CDN employs YouTube’s architecture to deliver video streams (VOD as well as live) along with large file downloads – with an eye on faster, reliable distribution. Also, you can extract materials from any HTTP-capable resource and even assets beyond Google Cloud, like storage spaces in other clouds.

Multi-cloud Gains to Expect with Google Cross-Cloud Network

The solution offers essential benefits such as:

• Cloud-to-cloud app interconnectivity: It offers a safe, high-bandwidth, managed service that links Google Cloud to Amazon Web Services (AWS), Azure, Alibaba, and Oracle Cloud.
• Simpler security configuration: By default, network firewall regulations are global and extend to all locations. But you may establish organizational-, folder-, and project-level standards with tiered frameworks.
• Support for virtual private clouds (VPCs): The solution establishes an encrypted, private link between your VPCs and Google, other entities, or your systems. It eliminates the need to set up either a web gateway or a VPC peer link.
• Improved user experiences: It facilitates extensible load balancing in Google Cloud for HTTP and HTTPS traffic and also for TCP/SSL/UDP. You can collect load balancer analytics to learn about app and system efficiency.
• Protection for application programming interfaces (APIs): The solution also consists of Web App and API Protection (WAAP) for multi-cloud applications that depend on API connections. This is backed by Google security services like Cloud Armor, reCAPTCHA Enterprise, along Apigee.

Cross-Cloud Network Use Case: Walmart Reduces App Latency

Walmart is one of the earliest adopters of Google’s Cross-Cloud Network. At Google Cloud, Next 2023, Gerald Bothell, senior director of software engineering for Cloud at Walmart, conducted a session. During his interview with Google’s vice president and general manager of cloud networking, Bothello revealed that Walmart uses a trio of cloud service providers across several regions.

Walmart’s multi-cloud infrastructure aims to let its internal users set up operations in the best possible sites for minimal application latency. The company intended to transfer duties directly from a public cloud provider to Google. Cross-Cloud Network enabled Walmart to minimize latency and also ensured 99.99% availability.

Notably, Cross-Cloud Network will ensure a 35% dip in network latency and a 40% reduction in the total cost of ownership – compared to the numbers achieved when connecting applications without first routing traffic through Google’s network, according to the company’s announcement at the conference.

Beyond just improved cross-cloud connectivity, Bothello said that Walmart plans to employ the Google Cross-Cloud Network for data storage and artificial intelligence (AI) workloads.

Additional Capabilities for Multi-cloud Enterprises

In addition to the core Cross-Cloud Network and its three components, Google is rolling out several other capabilities that could make multi-cloud management easier – and more value-adding – for enterprise IT teams.

Cross-Cloud Network supports Google’s Network Connectivity Center, and this coordinates network connectivity across various resources. To this service, Google has added VPC spokes, an offering that will allow customers to expand their virtual private connectivity.

And, another feature called Private Service Connect offers access to managed service networking while not exiting the Google Cloud network. It supports over 20 distinct Google as well as partner-managed products and services, like Databricks, JFrog, or MongoDB.

Key Takeaways for IT Decision Makers

As multi-cloud adoption increases across the globe, seamless and secure interconnectivity will be key. Google’s Cross-Cloud Network offers high-performance, minimal latency connections to boost app efficiency across clouds. It supports cloud-native security as well. Users can administer security policies directly in Google Cloud Platform or through their preferred third-party tools. Thanks to load balancing, multi-regional dependability, and resiliency, organizations can expand with more confidence and security.

While the solution is compatible with only four major cloud vendors for now, Google Cross-Cloud Network is a step in the right direction: i.e., towards ubiquitous cloud interoperability, which is one of the most frequently believed multi-cloud myths today.