Someone recently pointed me to this article on Tech Week Europe on "How To Explain Hybrid Cloud To A Five-Year-Old". It was not shared because of its awesomeness, but how ridiculous some of the explanations were. I completely agree, but unfortunately it made me want to create my own analogies! What a sorry state of affairs!
Of course, Massimo Re Ferre asked the obvious question "Why would anyone want to explain this to a 5 year old anyway??". As a father of two kids, brought up to ask questions and challenge their father, I reckon I've probably already been challenged to explain to them what it is that I do! But more importantly, if you can't explain this fluffy concept in simple enough terms, there's a good chance you might leave your customers, managers, executives or users with an unsettled mind about what Hybrid Cloud is all about, why they should use it, what it is NOT, and how to figure out if it's working the right way.
Anyhow, I came up with two and felt the need to share. I'm sure they are terrible, but I like them. So please feel free to let me know better ones!
(1) Hybrid Cloud is like a perfect lunch at school. You have some food you've brought from home, because that's what Mum gives you and maybe it's cheaper, or healthier or maybe you can't eat peanut butter because you're allergic, and your Mum looks after you! And then you also get some money to spend at the school canteen for a nice cold chocolate milk, or a fresh cookie. You can choose what you feel like on each day. But when you put together your healthy lunch from home and your special fun things from the canteen - you have a perfect lunch in front of you!
(2) Hybrid Cloud is like your home. At home you have your own bedroom where you sleep and keep your toys and no one is allowed in if you don't want them to. Sometimes you play there, but sometimes you play out in the family room with everyone else. In the family room there's more space, and the big TV and other people - but that also means sometimes your toys get stepped on, or you fight with your sister, or you can't have the room all to yourself. So, you play sometimes in your room, sometimes in the rest of the house, and you have toys everywhere (but your special ones are safe in your room)! And every day, you can choose where to play!
