Cloud computing services have done a great deal to streamline workflow and increase working efficiency across a broad spectrum of businesses, but it’s not a perfect system. When you have something that’s designed to do everything, it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly what you’re paying for, with many businesses overspending year after year.
The question is, what can you do to rectify the issue? In this article, you’ll learn how to plug the gaps.
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The Issue with Built-In Calculators
Platforms like Microsoft Azure or Google Cloud really can do everything, even offering built-in tools to calculate your pricing plans for the system. The idea is that by using the calculator before you select certain services, you can minimize the risk of spending too much.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t always go to plan. There are a lot of elements missing in the calculator’s ability to truly identify what you’ll need: it doesn’t account for certain inefficiencies that you may only discover are problems later on down the line, as it’s only based on predicted usage.
The best way to negate this problem is by using aftermarket calculators, such as those provided by Critical Cloud. These models are much more sophisticated, allowing for ongoing monitoring and more detailed breakdowns.
Understanding Hidden Costs
There are also hidden costs to consider. For example, it’s key to be mindful of which storage plan you’re going to go for, as inevitably, some of that storage will go underutilized, and you’ll still have to pay for it. Then, there are neglected resources; when you’re paying for such a large package, it’s easy to just let things tick over from year to year, with no real evaluation of whether or not you have the same requirements you did several years ago.
This can lead to you paying for packages that are no longer useful, simply because you haven’t even realised you still have them as part of your plan. For this reason, it’s key to regularly take the time to find out who’s using what resource, and whether or not the funds for a particular package can be reallocated.
How to Choose the Right Package
Aftermarket calculators will help you drill into the details, but there are a few things to bear in mind regardless.
Number one is keeping the size of your business in mind at all times. One of the most common pitfalls is choosing a package that far exceeds your needs just in case you need it, but this almost always leads to poorly utilized resources. Connected to this principle is being mindful of the skillset of your team: think about what each person on your staff needs to use, and if you can’t guarantee a given service will be useful for at least one person right now, don’t subscribe to it!
Wrapping Up
Understanding the ins and outs of cloud computing is complex, and this article only really scratches the surface. Hopefully, though, you now feel a little clearer, and can approach the issue with a bit more clarity. Good luck!
