Sovereign DBaaS Decoded Season 3 Episode 4, The cloud merry-go-round, summary

In Season 3 Episode 4 of Sovereign DBaaS Decoded, host Vinay Joosery welcomes renowned cloud strategist and author David Linthicum to unpack the evolution of enterprise cloud strategy—from the rush into public cloud, to today’s growing trend of cloud repatriation and portfolio rebalancing. David shares candid insights on why so many enterprises are hitting the reset button, the hidden costs of herd mentality, and the complex realities of a hybrid, multi-cloud world.

TL;DR:

• Cloud repatriation is not a revolution but a strategic correction—helping enterprises “right-size” their workloads to match business needs, costs, and compliance requirements.
• David highlights that companies are paying 2.5 to 3 times what they originally estimated for cloud infrastructure—driving many to reconsider what really belongs in the cloud.
• The “herd mentality” of migrating en masse led to widespread inefficiencies and costly mistakes, often fueled by analysts, consultants, and vendors.
• Cloud repatriation is happening far more often than publicized, especially in Europe, where data sovereignty, compliance, and geopolitical concerns are accelerating moves away from US hyperscalers.
• Rather than abandoning cloud, successful organizations are embracing a hybrid, multi-cloud approach—strategically assessing workload placement, leveraging on-prem, CoLo, sovereign, and specialized cloud providers for the right use cases.

David posits that the shift we’re witnessing is less about retreating from innovation, and more about finally applying the critical analysis that was missing in the initial rush to cloud. Many organizations, he notes, lacked a real business case or cost analysis before migrating, and are now rebalancing for performance, cost, and control—sometimes quietly, for fear of reputational risk.

He also warns that as new hype cycles (like generative AI) emerge, the same pressures and pitfalls threaten to repeat unless decision-makers resist the urge to “follow the crowd” and instead focus on their unique business drivers.

Vinay and David’s conversation highlights a maturing perspective on digital infrastructure: while public clouds remain powerful tools for agility and scale, a one-size-fits-all mentality is out. True success means customized, data-driven strategies that balance innovation, efficiency, and sovereignty.

To hear more from David Linthicum — and gain actionable advice for your own infrastructure strategy — listen to the full episode, “The cloud merry-go-round: from cloud first to repatriation”. This essential discussion provides clarity for anyone navigating today’s rapidly shifting IT landscape.