Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFidelity’s 2017 hybrid-cloud lesson was to make applications easier to target across private and public infrastructure, rather than treating a particular server or cloud as their permanent home. In a Network World interview, Fidelity executive Maria Azua Himmel emphasized automation, repeatable processes, APIs and horizontal scaling—not loyalty to one infrastructure tool. That is a dated account of Fidelity’s approach, not a description of its present-day architecture.
What “application flexibility” means in a hybrid cloud
Application flexibility means designing and operating software so it can be deployed in more than one kind of environment without extensive redesign. It does not mean every application can move anywhere unchanged. Dependencies, operational processes and the application’s architecture all affect how portable it is.
Himmel summarized the distinction in the 2017 interview: “Cloud is not about infrastructure,” she said, adding, “Cloud is about automation; it’s about the application pipeline, standardizing processes and scaling horizontally.” The emphasis is on defining what an application needs and automating how it is built and operated, rather than tying it to a fixed infrastructure destination. Network World’s October 24, 2017 report presents this as Fidelity’s engineering approach at the time, not as a measured portability or cost result.
What Fidelity was reported to use in 2017
The Network World account described a mixed stack rather than a single standardized platform. Fidelity reportedly built applications in Docker containers; used an OpenStack private cloud for applications that needed to remain on company premises; and used AWS and Microsoft Azure as public-cloud platforms. For infrastructure management, the report named AWS CloudFormation, OpenStack Heat templates and Terraform. It also described Cloud Foundry as a platform-as-a-service layer spanning public and private clouds.
#1 Best Overall
- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
- Convert USB-A Ports to USB-C: Designed to connect USB-C earphones, cables, flash drives, card readers, and other USB-C accessories to standard USB-A ports. Plug-and-play with no drivers or software required.
- Aluminum Alloy Housing: Built with a sturdy aluminum alloy shell that aids in heat dissipation and protects against daily wear and scratches. Designed to maintain a stable and secure connection.
- Compact & Travel-Friendly: The ultra-compact design allows the adapter to stay plugged into your device without blocking adjacent ports or adding bulk, reducing wear and tear on your original USB ports.
- 12-Month Warranty: Backed by a 12-month manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. Designed to meet strict quality control standards for reliable everyday performance.
| Layer or need | Tools and approach reported in 2017 |
|---|---|
| Application packaging | Docker containers |
| Private cloud | OpenStack for applications that needed to stay on premises |
| Public cloud | AWS and Microsoft Azure |
| Infrastructure management | AWS CloudFormation, OpenStack Heat templates and Terraform |
| Application platform | Cloud Foundry, described as spanning public and private clouds |
The report explicitly said Fidelity had not standardized on one technology. The list is a snapshot from 2017; it should not be read as a current inventory of Fidelity’s vendors or platforms.
How the approach was meant to reduce infrastructure lock-in
Declare dependencies and treat services as attached resources
The report connected Fidelity’s approach with the 12-Factor App methodology. Its relevant principles include declaring and isolating dependencies, treating backing services as attached resources, and designing processes to be stateless and disposable. These practices can make an application’s requirements clearer and deployment more repeatable, though they do not remove every environment-specific dependency.
Rank #2
- 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
- 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
- Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
- 4K HDMI Display: Enhance your visual experience with a hub capable of delivering 4K resolution at 30Hz in both mirror and extend modes. Please note that this hub is compatible with MacBook (macOS 12 and newer), Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and laptops equipped with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. Note: This device is not compatible with Linux.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Automate the pipeline and control infrastructure through APIs
Software-defined infrastructure and APIs let teams express infrastructure changes in code and automate provisioning. A repeatable application pipeline can then apply consistent steps across development, staging and production. The 2017 report described similarity among those environments as a goal, not as proof that Fidelity achieved identical environments or universal portability.
Build for horizontal scaling
Horizontal scaling adds or removes application instances to respond to demand, rather than relying only on a larger individual server. In the interview’s framing, disposable instances and standardized processes support this operational model. Whether a specific application can scale this way depends on its design and its dependencies.
Rank #3
- Sleek 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: Features an HDMI port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-C data port, each providing 5Gbps transfer speeds. It also includes a USB-C PD input port for charging up to 100W and dual SD and TF card slots, all in a compact design.
- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
- Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Himmel’s other short formulation was “Process trumps tools”: the argument was that consistent application processes mattered more than choosing one particular infrastructure product.
How to think about workload placement
The 2017 interview offered a qualitative rule of thumb, not a pricing model: continuously running applications could generally be more efficient internally, while short-term workloads or those with spikes in resource needs were described as more natural public-cloud candidates. The report provided no workload measurements or cost benchmarks, so this should not be treated as current Fidelity policy or universal financial advice.
Rank #4
- Dual Converters, Infinite Potential：Includes 2× USB C male to USB A female adapters and 2× USB A male to USB C female adapters. Perfect for a wide range of uses—tablets with Bluetooth keyboards, expand USB ports on macbook, and more. Two different converters for all your daily needs
- Next-Level 10Gbps & 3A Charging: No more slow 480Mbps, this usb to usb c adapter has a transfer speed of up to 10Gbps, allowing you to do more transferring in less time. This usb adapter fits both USB A and USB C charger, supporting up to 3A fast charging
- Upgraded Exquisite Craftsmanship: With an aluminum alloy housing and metal connector, the usbc to usb adapter is extremely durable and sturdy. Rigorously tested to withstand more than 10,000 times of plugging and unplugging, ensuring long-lasting performance
- Broad Compatible: The usb c to usb adapter widely supports all USB C/ USB A devices like laptops, tablets, cellphones, car chargers, and phone chargers. Such as compatible with MacBook Pro/Air 2023/2022, Thunderbolt 4/3 Devices,Apple MagSafe Watch 9/8/7/SE/Ultra, iPad Pro 2022/2021, Samsung Galaxy S23/S20/S10, and iPhone 17/16/15 Pro. Plug and play
- Please Note: To reach 10Gbps speed, keep the cable under 3.3 ft. For USB A Male to USB C adapters, try flipping the USB C connector. USB C Male to USB A adapters support bidirectional 10Gbps transfer within 3.3 ft
| Placement consideration | Question to ask | What the 2017 account supports |
|---|---|---|
| Workload duration | Does the application run continuously or only for a short period? | The interviewee contrasted always-on workloads with short-term public-cloud candidates; no cost data was provided. |
| Demand variability | Does resource demand stay steady or spike? | Workloads with resource spikes were described as more natural public-cloud candidates. |
| Scaling model | Can the application scale horizontally? | Horizontal scaling was a stated engineering emphasis, not a guarantee that every workload supports it. |
| Portability effort | What refactoring or operational changes would moving require? | The report described practices intended to help with flexibility; it did not quantify portability or rework. |
| Location constraints | Must the workload remain on company premises? | The report said certain applications were kept on premises and ran on Fidelity’s OpenStack private cloud. |
These questions help frame a placement decision, but the report does not compare AWS with Azure or establish a formula for choosing among providers.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What Fidelity’s current public continuity information establishes
Fidelity’s Business Continuity page says applications in its cloud use multi-region zones and multiple geographic locations provided by cloud providers. It also describes application replication and storage and database replication to support continuous availability. This is a limited public statement about continuity practices: it does not identify a specific provider or topology, give a recovery-time objective, or confirm that the tools listed in the 2017 report remain in use.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
What the case study does—and does not—show
- It documents a 2017 strategy and a set of technologies reported at that time; it does not establish Fidelity’s current architecture.
- It describes design practices intended to make applications more portable; it does not show that every Fidelity application could run in every environment.
- It offers a qualitative workload-placement heuristic but no comparative cost or performance benchmark.
- It provides no current Fidelity-specific figures for portability rates, workload distribution, cloud savings or deployment speed.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
