Systematic Review of Integration Techniques in Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure Projects

The growing adoption of hybrid cloud infrastructures combining public and private cloud environments has introduced complex integration challenges for organizations striving to optimize performance, scalability, and data security. This systematic review aims to evaluate and synthesize the current landscape of integration techniques used in hybrid cloud infrastructure projects, with a focus on interoperability, orchestration, data synchronization, and security compliance. This examines peer-reviewed literature, technical white papers, and industry reports published between 2015 and 2024 to identify dominant patterns, frameworks, and tools employed in hybrid cloud integration. Findings indicate that integration strategies in hybrid cloud environments often rely on middleware platforms, API gateways, container orchestration (e.g., Kubernetes), and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools. Middleware and APIs serve as critical enablers for seamless communication between heterogeneous systems, while containerization ensures portability across cloud boundaries. Moreover, service mesh architectures and microservices-based designs are increasingly adopted to enhance scalability and observability. Security and compliance integration techniques, including identity federation, encryption standards, and policy-as-code frameworks, are also frequently cited to address regulatory requirements. The review highlights a growing interest in using AI-driven automation to manage integration complexity, especially for real-time monitoring and anomaly detection. Despite significant advances, challenges remain in achieving seamless hybrid cloud integration, particularly in areas related to latency, data governance, and vendor lock-in. The review concludes with a proposed research agenda and best practices for selecting integration techniques based on organizational needs, application architecture, and compliance considerations. By providing a consolidated view of current practices and emerging trends, this review offers valuable insights for IT professionals, cloud architects, and decision-makers involved in hybrid cloud projects.