# Tsh Designing Multi Cloud Architecture > Design multi-cloud architectures using a decision framework to select and integrate services across AWS, Azure, and GCP. Use when building multi-cloud systems, avoiding vendor lock-in, or leveraging best-of-breed services from multiple providers. Use when this capability is needed. - Skill: `tomevault-io/tsh-designing-multi-cloud-architecture` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/tsh-designing-multi-cloud-architecture` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/tsh-designing-multi-cloud-architecture/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: DevOps & Infra - Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/tsh-designing-multi-cloud-architecture --- # Multi-Cloud Architecture Decision framework and patterns for architecting applications across AWS, Azure, and GCP. ## Purpose Design cloud-agnostic architectures and make informed decisions about service selection across cloud providers. ## When to Use - Design multi-cloud strategies - Migrate between cloud providers - Select cloud services for specific workloads - Implement cloud-agnostic architectures - Optimize costs across providers ## Cloud Service Comparison ### Compute Services | AWS | Azure | GCP | Use Case | | ------- | ------------------- | --------------- | ------------------ | | EC2 | Virtual Machines | Compute Engine | IaaS VMs | | ECS | Container Instances | Cloud Run | Containers | | EKS | AKS | GKE | Kubernetes | | Lambda | Functions | Cloud Functions | Serverless | | Fargate | Container Apps | Cloud Run | Managed containers | ### Storage Services | AWS | Azure | GCP | Use Case | | ------- | --------------- | --------------- | -------------- | | S3 | Blob Storage | Cloud Storage | Object storage | | EBS | Managed Disks | Persistent Disk | Block storage | | EFS | Azure Files | Filestore | File storage | | Glacier | Archive Storage | Archive Storage | Cold storage | ### Database Services | AWS | Azure | GCP | Use Case | | ----------- | ---------------- | ------------- | --------------- | | RDS | SQL Database | Cloud SQL | Managed SQL | | DynamoDB | Cosmos DB | Firestore | NoSQL | | Aurora | PostgreSQL/MySQL | Cloud Spanner | Distributed SQL | | ElastiCache | Cache for Redis | Memorystore | Caching | **Reference:** See `references/service-comparison.md` for complete comparison ## Multi-Cloud Patterns ### Pattern 1: Single Provider with DR - Primary workload in one cloud - Disaster recovery in another - Database replication across clouds - Automated failover ### Pattern 2: Best-of-Breed - Use best service from each provider - AI/ML on GCP - Enterprise apps on Azure - General compute on AWS ### Pattern 3: Geographic Distribution - Serve users from nearest cloud region - Data sovereignty compliance - Global load balancing - Regional failover ### Pattern 4: Cloud-Agnostic Abstraction - Kubernetes for compute - PostgreSQL for database - S3-compatible storage (MinIO) - Open source tools ## Cloud-Agnostic Architecture ### Use Cloud-Native Alternatives - **Compute:** Kubernetes (EKS/AKS/GKE) - **Database:** PostgreSQL/MySQL (RDS/SQL Database/Cloud SQL) - **Message Queue:** Apache Kafka (MSK/Event Hubs/Confluent) - **Cache:** Redis (ElastiCache/Azure Cache/Memorystore) - **Object Storage:** S3-compatible API - **Monitoring:** Prometheus/Grafana - **Service Mesh:** Istio/Linkerd ### Abstraction Layers ``` Application Layer ↓ Infrastructure Abstraction (Terraform) ↓ Cloud Provider APIs ↓ AWS / Azure / GCP ``` ## Cost Comparison ### Compute Pricing Factors - **AWS:** On-demand, Reserved, Spot, Savings Plans - **Azure:** Pay-as-you-go, Reserved, Spot - **GCP:** On-demand, Committed use, Preemptible ### Cost Optimization Strategies 1. Use reserved/committed capacity (30-70% savings) 2. Leverage spot/preemptible instances 3. Right-size resources 4. Use serverless for variable workloads 5. Optimize data transfer costs 6. Implement lifecycle policies 7. Use cost allocation tags 8. Monitor with cloud cost tools **Reference:** See `references/multi-cloud-patterns.md` ## Migration Strategy ### Phase 1: Assessment - Inventory current infrastructure - Identify dependencies - Assess cloud compatibility - Estimate costs ### Phase 2: Pilot - Select pilot workload - Implement in target cloud - Test thoroughly - Document learnings ### Phase 3: Migration - Migrate workloads incrementally - Maintain dual-run period - Monitor performance - Validate functionality ### Phase 4: Optimization - Right-size resources - Implement cloud-native services - Optimize costs - Enhance security ## Process 1. **Assess requirements** → Identify drivers (DR, compliance, best-of-breed, cost) 2. **Choose pattern** → Select from patterns above based on requirements 3. **Map services** → Use service comparison tables to select equivalents 4. **Design abstraction** → Use Kubernetes + Terraform for portability 5. **Plan networking** → Design cross-cloud connectivity (VPN, interconnect) 6. **Implement IaC** → Use `tsh-implementing-terraform-modules` skill 7. **Set up observability** → Unified monitoring across clouds 8. **Document runbooks** → Cloud-specific operational procedures ## Checklist - [ ] Multi-cloud drivers documented (DR, compliance, vendor diversification) - [ ] Service equivalents mapped across target clouds - [ ] Abstraction layer chosen (Kubernetes, Terraform, or both) - [ ] Cross-cloud networking designed and secured - [ ] Identity federation configured (single IAM source of truth) - [ ] Unified monitoring and logging implemented - [ ] Cost allocation and tracking across clouds - [ ] DR/failover procedures tested - [ ] Team trained on all target cloud platforms ## Anti-Patterns | ❌ Don't | ✅ Do | |----------|-------| | Use proprietary services for portability needs | Choose cloud-agnostic alternatives (K8s, PostgreSQL) | | Duplicate everything across clouds | Be intentional about what runs where | | Manage each cloud differently | Use unified IaC and observability | | Ignore data transfer costs | Design to minimize cross-cloud traffic | ## Reference Files - `references/service-comparison.md` - Complete service comparison - `references/multi-cloud-patterns.md` - Architecture patterns ## Related Skills - `tsh-implementing-terraform-modules` - For IaC implementation - `tsh-optimizing-cloud-cost` - For cost management --- > Source: [TheSoftwareHouse/copilot-collections](https://github.com/TheSoftwareHouse/copilot-collections) — distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io).