Cloud computing enables the remote work we relied on in 2020 and so much more. No wonder a majority of organizations have at least some data in the cloud. But you don’t also want to be among the bulk of businesses that are overpaying for their cloud services.
Gartner analysts estimate as much as 70% of cloud computing spend is wasted.
Find better return on investment from your cloud computing. Our latest article offers 3 savvy ways to cut cloud computing costs.
#1 Audit for Unnecessary Licenses
Gartner analysts estimate that as much as 70% of cloud costs are wasted! That’s way too much. Check that you’re not wasting cloud spending. First figure out what cloud services your business uses. Then consider how often you use those services, who is using them, and when?
You might pay for a service that served a project or a client relationship that is no longer in the works or be wasting funds paying to store a large amount of log files that you don’t need.
You may also be paying for several licenses for cloud software but not have that many users. Maybe some employees prefer a different tool or users that you have licensed have moved on to other roles.
There could also be duplication of cloud services. You might be paying for both Slack and Teams when you don’t necessarily need both. It’s just a matter of getting your employees on board with using one of the two.
Option A: Find a lower-capacity plan.
Option B: Determine if another cloud partner could provide that same service as part of your plan.
Option C: Explore if you can do without that 10% of capacity.
#2 Avoid Overage Charges
Take a good, hard look at your computing demand. See if there are peak periods which you are pushing past capacity limits and having to pay extra. You might find times when you can schedule non-essential activity to avoid overages, or that you can turn off servers in the early hours or on weekends without disruption.
To get the most from your cloud computing:
- use heat maps as a visual tool to show peaks;
- leverage automation to schedule start and stop;
- review sizes for memory, database, computing, graphics, storage capacity, and throughput for efficiency;
- take advantage of spot-instance auctions for batch jobs or jobs that end quickly;
- archive mailboxes to free up storage space.
#3 Consult a Managed Service Provider for Unnecessary Licenses
A managed service provider (MSP) like Digital Industry can help you corral cloud computing costs, too. MSPs are IT experts that look at existing cloud usage, examine charges, and determine what you do and don’t need. They have the technical know-how to suggest more strategic use of the resources. Plus, they can find a better plan or cheaper provider without sacrificing tools your employees need.
Need help optimizing your cloud spend? Give our experts a call at 240-839-5300 or send us a message.
