Public cloud storage has, in recent years, become a necessity for both startups and big companies alike for one primary reason: cost savings. Popular cloud providers include Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure 8. While some dollars may be saved here and there, inefficiencies in cloud usage mean that many companies with cloud storage still haven’t achieved its maximum potential. Misusing cloud resources can bring in losses amounting to thousands of dollars or even more! Although there are some third-party services you can check out to help your organization cut down on costs, here are some basic and a few advanced tips you can use right away for cheaper cloud usage.
Five ways to cut down your cloud spending
Select a less-expensive cloud region
For most cloud providers, there are options to choose the area where the cloud resources are stored. Check for cheaper options closer to your organization’s location and avoid more expensive regions.
Size your cloud instances correctly
This is one of the significant factors that make companies spend more on AWS and Azure much more than they should. Since expenditure is determined by usage, oversizing your instances means that you pay for more than you require. It is essential to understand your applications, how much resources they will take up, and their performance requirements.
Evaluate your instances and decide whether they are suitable for downsizing without negatively affecting performance, especially after the usage of an instance has dropped.
Remove all zombie assets from your storage
Zombie assets are components within the cloud that are no longer in active use. While they may not significantly affect the regular usage of the cloud, they are still factored into the bill as long as they are still hosted. Since they come in a wide range of formats, the whole system needs to be evaluated to locate and terminate every non-essential component. Some of these assets may multiply with time, so it is a good idea to check your system frequently.
Shut down virtual machines when not being used
Outside of business hours, turning off your VMs can save a big chunk off of your cloud spending. Running VMs even when they are not in active usage, brings up the costs by as much as 65%! Scheduling your virtual machines to run only during office hours should be standard practice. Also, ensure that the storages associated with these VMs are shut down to avoid unnecessary costs. Turning off VMs used for development, testing, and other non-regular tasks should be kept off until they are needed.
Choose the best pricing and utilize discounts
Once your company has chosen a cloud package, signing up for reserved instances for both AWS and Azure can offer significant savings compared to standard pay-as-you-go packages.
Are you looking to manage your IT resources more efficiently and cost-effectively? Talk to our experts at tcbinc.com. We can extensively assess your existing IT infrastructure, including your cloud storage, and help you work towards a better system. Don’t hesitate to talk to us or visit our site for more information.