Understanding Anthos: Google’s Comprehensive Multicloud Platform for Seamless Integration and Management Across Cloud Environments

Google recently unveiled Anthos, a platform designed to enable users to run applications not only on Google Cloud but also across other cloud providers like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure. Announced at the Cloud Next conference in San Francisco in April, Anthos marks Google’s official foray into the data center space. During the event, CEO Sundar Pichai emphasized that Anthos was built on the principle of “write once, run anywhere.” The importance of this new hybrid multi-cloud platform is underscored by the fact that it was highlighted by Google’s top executives, including Pichai, Thomas Kurian, and Urs Hölzle, among over 100 other announcements made at the conference.

In the same year, Google introduced new features for Anthos, including the ability to connect with other cloud platforms (beginning with AWS), consolidating on-premise operations. Before diving into these latest updates, it’s crucial to understand the core components that make Anthos a powerful player in the multi-cloud space.

What is Anthos?

Although it gained attention at Cloud Next, the Anthos announcement was somewhat vague, with limited documentation available at the time. While it’s clear that the platform facilitates multi-cloud application deployment and hybrid connectivity, there is still much to uncover about Google’s Anthos.

In short, Anthos isn’t a single product but an umbrella brand encompassing several services. These services are aimed at cloud migration, application modernization, and multi-cloud or hybrid cloud management. Built on Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), Anthos focuses on container management for Google Cloud Platform. One of its key advantages is that it prevents vendor lock-in, offering flexibility across different cloud providers.

Building Blocks of Anthos

At the heart of Anthos is Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE), which acts as the central command center. However, there are several additional components that enhance its power and functionality:

Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE): The central component that allows customers to manage distributed infrastructure across on-premise data centers, Google Cloud, and other cloud platforms.

GKE On-Prem: A Kubernetes-based platform compatible with a variety of hardware, allowing users to manage infrastructure and deploy the latest Kubernetes updates, patches, and upgrades.

Istio Service Mesh: This component enables federated network management, allowing seamless integration of applications across GCP, data centers, and other clouds. Istio works with various software-defined networks, including ACI, VMware NSX, and Google’s Andromeda.

Velostrata: A cloud migration technology acquired by Google, enabling the conversion of existing VMs into Kubernetes Pods and streaming on-premise virtual or physical machines into Google Cloud instances.

Anthos Configuration Management: Simplifies the configuration of Kubernetes deployments, ensuring that configurations are consistent and secure across various clusters.

Stackdriver: A monitoring platform that provides observability for both Anthos infrastructure and applications, offering centralized logging, tracing, and health checks.

GCP Cloud Interconnect: Facilitates high-speed connectivity between enterprise data centers and Google Cloud, with the option to use Telco networks for additional flexibility.

GCP Marketplace: A selection of open-source and ISV applications that are compatible with Kubernetes and can be deployed with ease, making it easier to integrate services like GitLab and Cassandra.

Google’s Enterprise Focus

The presence of VMware and Cisco executives at the Cloud Next conference highlighted Google’s commitment to appealing to enterprise customers. With Kubernetes often perceived as a platform suited for developers and tech experts, Google is working to present Anthos as an enterprise-ready solution, emphasizing its reliability and compatibility with hybrid cloud environments.

To truly succeed in the enterprise market, Google will need to collaborate with key industry players and prove that Anthos can meet the diverse needs of large-scale businesses.

Redefining the Cloud-Native Ecosystem

Anthos is poised to redefine the cloud-native ecosystem. While Google’s goal may be to become the “VMware of Kubernetes,” the market dynamics have shifted since VMware’s rise. With the rise of open-source software, Google must leverage the broader tech community, including startups offering niche products that complement the cloud-native stack. Such collaborations will benefit both Anthos and the startups involved.

Anthos represents a significant opportunity for system integrators and service providers, from small startups to multinational corporations like Accenture and Cognizant. Google’s hybrid multi-cloud offering could reshape the cloud-native ecosystem, attracting a wide range of players eager to capitalize on its potential.

What’s New in Anthos

Managing applications across multiple cloud platforms can be challenging, especially when different teams are involved. Anthos offers solutions to some of these challenges, helping organizations manage multi-cloud deployments effectively.

Anthos Features and Benefits:

Consistency Across Clouds: Anthos uses Kubernetes to enforce orchestration and policies across on-premise and multi-cloud environments, allowing organizations to manage their services holistically.

Flexibility and Choice: Anthos avoids vendor lock-in by allowing businesses to choose their cloud provider and switch between them as needed. It integrates seamlessly with AWS, enabling users to install Anthos directly into their existing AWS VPC.

Key Features of Anthos:

1. High Reliability: Clusters can be deployed in high-availability (HA) mode across multiple availability zones.

2. Auto Scaling: Nodes can be resized based on traffic demands, ensuring organizations only pay for what they use.

3. AWS Integration: Anthos integrates smoothly with AWS, allowing users to leverage existing security groups and manage workloads across Google Cloud and AWS from a central location.

4. Operational Consistency: Policy enforcement and service mesh integration provide consistent management across cloud environments.

A Leap into the Future

As the creator of Kubernetes, Google is well-positioned to drive the future of container management. With Anthos, the company is shifting the focus of modern application deployment from VMs to Kubernetes, marking a bold move into hybrid, multi-cloud platforms.

Though comparisons to AWS and Microsoft Azure Stack are inevitable, Anthos stands apart due to its robust technological foundation in Kubernetes and containers—areas where Google has established its leadership.

Impact on the Future

If Google’s vision for Anthos unfolds as planned, the platform could quickly become the preferred solution for running enterprise workloads. The wider tech community, including the open-source ecosystem, stands to benefit from the broader adoption of Kubernetes, and Anthos could serve as a key catalyst for that growth.

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