The cloud is simply the way organizations use and deploy IT today. In fact, the most common structure is a hybrid cloud infrastructure, where some processes and applications take place in the cloud, while others are hosted internally. This is actually a complex approach, producing unique challenges to IT management.
To get the most out of your investment in cloud resources, they have to be optimized. That is, they have to be able to respond to changing and growing demand and changing technologies so that your organization is not wasting money on resources it doesn’t use, while other processes languish.
Watch for these tell-tale signs that your cloud infrastructure needs optimization.
Waiting while spending
The first sign that you need to optimize your cloud resources — and this applies in general to all IT infrastructure — is underuse of capacity, whether it’s storage, bandwidth or other components, coupled with failures to handle demands in other areas or at other times. It means that your cloud infrastructure has not responded to demand when or where it’s called. If you’ve spent the budget on cloud resources and are still drumming your fingers waiting for data or processing, it’s a definite symptom of a need to optimize the whole system.
Waste
Waste resources are those that you’re paying for month after month, but are not using. Automation tools can scale down or even stop underused cloud resources, freeing up other processes that have higher demand.
Complexity
Shifting resources from underused areas to processes with high demands requires flexibility. However, if not handled correctly, it can lead to management complexity, which can slow down the enterprise’s ability to respond to the next challenge.
No enterprise-wide standards for security
Sometimes, fast growth of a company or a part of a company leads to different people making IT investments without coordinating with the central organization. When this happens, there are often no enterprise-wide standards for security. This makes for needless complexity in cloud resources and the overall infrastructure, which means higher costs.
Cloudy costs
One sure sign that your cloud resources are not optimized is that you don’t have a clear picture of your costs, or where the money is going. How much is storage costing you per month or per quarter? Why are you paying more or less this quarter than last?
Your cloud infrastructure should include analytic tools that show what resources are available and what they’re doing. This allows you to make rational decisions on expenditures. We at Broadline Solutions listen and collaborate to help you identify and implement the IT strategy that works for you. We invite you to get to know us better!