Clouds offer significant advantages over traditional cluster computing architectures including flexibility, high-availability, ease of deployments, and on-demand resource allocation – all packed up in an attractive pay-as-you-go economic model for the users. However, cloud users are often forced into vendor lock-in due to the use of incompatible APIs, cloud-specific services, and complex pricing models used by the cloud service providers (CSPs).

Cloud management platforms (CMPs), supporting hybrid and multi-cloud deployments, offer an answer by providing a unified abstract interface to multiple cloud platforms. Nonetheless, modelling applications to use multi-clouds, automated resource selection based on the user requirements from various available CSPs, cost optimization, security, and runtime adaptation of deployed applications and services still remain a challenge.

In this tutorial, we provide a practical introduction to the multi-cloud application modelling, configuration, deployment, and adaptation. We survey existing CMPs, compare their features, modelling methods, and, not the least, provide a practical hands-on training for getting your applications ready for the multi-clouds using selected tools. By the end of this tutorial, attendees should be able to understand various tools and technologies available for the multi-clouds, and prepared to spin-off their first multi-cloud ready application.