A cloud deployment model combines two or more cloud deployment models (private, community, or public) that remain unique entities but are bound together by standardized or proprietary technology. A hybrid cloud allows data and applications to be moved and shared between cloud infrastructures.
In the last couple of years, hybrid clouds have become popular with large firms who want to enjoy some of the benefits of the cloud without giving up their investment in on-premise legacy ERP systems. These companies take an incremental or hybrid application approach. Some large ERP vendors sell hybrid cloud products so they can advertise a cloud solution, but implementation challenges remain, including high IT costs, and difficult and time-consuming integrations.