Qlik multi-cloud, Kubernetes options drive cloud-first vision

Qlik is transforming itself into a cloud-first, SaaS-based analytics platform, but it’s not leaving on premises behind anytime soon. The BI and analytics vendor introduced new, much-hyped Qlik multi-cloud deployment and Kubernetes-based options — available now — to give users greater flexibility.

Along with allowing users to deploy the Qlik Sense Enterprise platform entirely on its own hosted cloud services environment, Qlik will let them deploy the software on Kubernetes in the public or private cloud of their choice. This allows users to deploy and manage multiple cloud deployments as one, under a single-subscription licensing model, Qlik executives said.

For context, more than 80% of companies use a multi-cloud strategy, typically comprised of a hybrid cloud model that relies on public and private clouds, according to Rightscale’s 2018 State of the Cloud.

Doug Henschen, an analyst at Constellation Research, said he sees Qlik’s moves around its multi-cloud and SaaS-first strategy — revealed at the vendor’s Qonnections 2019 user conference — as the most important developments from the event.

“It’s a clear sign of recognition of the long-term direction of BI and analytics deployments,” Henschen said. “Today, the majority of Qlik customers remain deployed on premises. The company is not taking away any options for on-premises deployment, including Windows Server deployments, but it’s clearly preparing for the cloud future.”

Qlik multi-cloud arrives, on premises here to stay In a keynote, Qlik CEO Mike Capone stressed that despite Qlik’s SaaS and cloud-first future, the analytics vendor is no less committed to QlikView, its older on-premises offering. “We want to do this with you, not to you,” Capone said. “Cloud has a little bit of inevitability to it … but that doesn’t mean you have to jump there overnight. You can start to move things to the cloud at your pace and your schedule — and we will support that forever.