5 ways to boost the efficiency of the cloud services you use

21.11.2019 1,631 1

Martin Deshev

“Efficiency is priority number one, people. Because waste is a thief”. If you know where that quote comes from, then… well, rules number one and two say we can’t talk about it.

But what we can talk about is the aforementioned efficiency. It’s often pointed out as one of the top priorities and benefits of cloud services. And it can be profound when the cloud is “done right”. And if you go about it the wrong way, then you risk achieving the exact opposite. So, how to make sure the cloud services you use improve your overall efficiency? Let’s find out, shall we?

Analytics

In order to make sure you’re utilizing your cloud services’ full potential, you need data. Most cloud providers give you access to a dashboard with several analytics about the resource usage and more. You also have to explore the costs you have incurred and saved during a period of time. Doing all of this will provide you with a better understanding of whether you’re using your cloud services efficiently or not. And it will also give you more insight on what to change and whether you’ve picked the right services or not. All of this is something that you should do regularly.

Structure

The more cloud services you use, the more complex things can be. This is why you have to create a governance structure. It may not be that important for a small business, but it’s vital for a larger organization. Use this structure to set up access and authorization levels, meet compliance and regulatory requirements and even pinpoint inefficient cloud usage cases. Having a structure will help you see if everyone is doing what they are supposed to.

Reinvest

When you do start reaping the benefits of cost savings thanks to the cloud, you’re not done. In fact, you should take some of those cost savings and reinvest them in the cloud. Use the money to further improve the things you need to improve as identified by your analysis and structural changes. Plus, you can invest in new areas of cloud computing to start not only saving, but adding value and creating new opportunities. It’s also a good way to rework and improve any apps and other processes that are using or can use the cloud, too. The cloud is not a one-and-done type of investment.

Prep the team

Using cloud services means some changes for the team, too. While most of their activities should be similar as before, there will always be new things to get used to or learn. At the very least, using the cloud means that a lot more changes will ocurr more often and new technologies will be making their way more quickly to the team than before. So, employees should be ready for all of this – from getting their feedback to providing additional trainings. This way your team will be able to take full advantage of the cloud.

Mindset change

In order to do all of the things above, you need to make sure your mindset is right. The cloud’s essence is faster changes, more flexibility and adaptability. It allows you to act more quickly, add resources on the go and much more. This means changes in planning, goals and so on. Even the business models could change in order to adapt and enable the new digital opportunities the cloud brings.

All of this allows you to see the cloud not as a “problem”, but as an “enabler”. Instead of spending time solving IT problems, you can basically spend time solving business problems and creating new opportunities.