Cloud Cost Optimization: Why You Should Be Mindful?

As businesses continue to move to the cloud, cost optimization will become the focus for the key business stakeholders. Some businesses have been able to do cloud cost savings effectively. Some businesses fail to apply cost reduction tactics. It is even worse when businesses don’t understand the spikes in their cloud cost bills. One of the most overlooked areas is the VM sprawls. Left unmonitored, the virtual machine sprawls can easily go out of control. Each byte of data storage and data transmissions can cost you heavily!

VM Sprawl: Is It Dangerous?

Virtualization Sprawl (often referred to as VM sprawl) is a consequence where the administrator could no longer handle the number of virtual machines (VMs) on a network.

Like physical machines, virtual machines exhibit the same compliance issues. VMs can easily be created as they have licensing, security and support as physical machines. On VMs, it is easy to create workloads. However, a virtualized infrastructure is needed. The deployment of the workloads orchestration mechanism is essential. When virtualized infrastructure and orchestration mechanism isn’t possible, then virtual machine sprawl occurs.

If you are a small team with less than 20 VMs, virtual sprawl issue can be managed. Excel spreadsheets and good interaction within a team can solve the sprawl issue.

Conversely, if you are large team using more VMs, it is critical to monitor the VM sprawl. If you fail to do so, it will increase your overall cloud cost bill.

Managing sprawl ineffectively costs lots of time, money and frustration. Overlooking the same is disastrous to your business.

From a business and IT management perspective, virtualization can be a beneficial. You can manage the virtualized environment efficiently with a centralized resource centre. Monitor virtualization efficiently, with tools and methodologies well-implemented from one central resource centre. VM sprawl can stay under control and will ensure smooth functioning of operations.

Why VM Sprawl Should Be Prevented?

1. Business costs would be impacted with sprawl.

2. Unnecessary VM’s that are not in use should be deleted.

3. If VM sprawl can be prevented, over provision could be prevented.

4. Changes in workload can easily monitored.

By following the steps outlined below, VM sprawl can be prevented for cost optimization on cloud:

1. Archive unused or under-utilized VMs: To restrict virtualization sprawl, archive the under-utilized VMs. Avoid keeping the unused or under-utilized VMs inside the production environment. Use your backup solutions

2. Tools for cloud cost reduction: Cloud management tools provide the administrators with a dashboard user interface (UI). The interface highlights the number of virtual machines that are currently running on a network along with their stored location. User can view the software or operating system (OS) license associated with the virtual machines. The details of the physical machines on which the VMs are hosted, and who created them are tracked.

Virtual machine life-cycle management (VMLM) tools support the administrators to oversee the delivery, implementation, maintenance and operation of virtual machines in real-time.

3. Audit resources: Production IT environments often use a plethora of platforms, databases, applications and other tools. The engineers find it hard to keep a tap on resource usage. Run routine audits to monitor the resources in use on cloud. For example, monitor the unused vs. under-used EC2 instances in AWS cloud.

4. Automatic tools to avoid manual cost: To minimize the downtime, VMware supports with a feature called vSphere vMotion. This technology helps in live migration of the virtual machines to ensure smooth VM availability. In case of an automated, dynamic data center which shows self-optimization capabilities, VMware vMotion is turned into a solid element.

5. Management of administration charge: To overcome the negative implications of VM sprawl, it is essential to enforce management. VM management practices do not guarantee to avoid the sprawl. Each VM created has a different reason. The VM management helps to minimize the negative impact of sprawl on your cloud infrastructure.

6. Rescue Idle Resources: As a rule, it is vital to identify any idle VMs that exhibit high co-stop percent because of the scheduling contention. You should repurpose these idle VMs for another definite application, shut down, or reduce their provisioning to control the expenses.

7. Uninstall unnecessary hybrid cloud to control price: Numerous clouds applications and plentiful resources results in sprawling in many places and different user accounts. Regularly monitor what resources are being used and and its location. On the contrary, if you come across any idle or unnecessary resources attached to the hybrid cloud infrastructure, uninstall it.

Even a short amount of downtime can cost a fortune to your company. We recommend you to delete/uninstall unnecessary resources to avoid unexpected downtime. This will help maximize cost optimization opportunities on cloud.

By the way, if you need any help with understanding more hidden ways to bring down your cloud cost bill, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

AWS, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure, the cloud services experts at Flux Networks specialise in helping small and medium businesses understand the best ways to optimize their business on cloud with more cost savings. Talk to us today.