With many businesses now comfortable with cloud-based IT services, some are facing an increasing challenge when it comes to getting multiple clouds to work together.

Clouds

A typical mid-sized business might use one cloud provider for salesforce automation, another for accounting and a third for HR management. While each works well on its own, getting the different systems to play nicely together can be something else entirely.

One of the big promises of cloud computing is that it will reduce IT complexity and improve productivity. Yet juggling multiple clouds can actually work against these lofty goals.

Enter a new player in the IT landscape: the cloud broker. I expect we are going to see the rise of a new type of IT business adviser who can work with a business to manage all their cloud-based services. Rather than a company liaising with multiple providers, they will have a single relationship with a broker who will pull all the elements together and ensure they operate as a well-oiled whole.

Such cloud brokers could come in the form of existing IT partners, such as a systems integration company or a telco provider. Once on board, they'll become the "single throat to choke" if and when things don't work as they should.

Expect to see cloud brokers emerge in coming months as more businesses adopt multiple cloud services and need an effective way to make them work together to meet day-to-day requirements.