Cloud Optimisation

risualmarketing | 23rd January 2020 | Cloud

Intro to risual

In recent years we’ve done a lot of transformation projects across a lot of different customers. Last year we re-launched our portfolio to centre around our offerings and the transformation scenarios we have seen.

The primary focus of this blog is Cloud Transformation (Cloud Optimisation) which is split into two main pillars: Modern Workplace and Cloud Platform.

Cloud Transformation is all about transforming IT services to cater for cloud delivery, the focus of today’s blog is our service optimisation offering.

But let’s not forget Business and Digital Transformation. Business Transformation focusses on employee driven services (HR, Finances, Marketing etc). The aim is to drive process automation and enhance digital skills across the entire business we work with not just one department.

Digital Transformation is about utilising artificial intelligence, machine learning, custom developed apps – about managing the services that face the clients of our clients. Gaining insights and really using the data the client already has to target and innovate their services.

Our key values are Openness, Honesty and Trust – we strive to embed these in all of our projects and really showcase our passion for transforming businesses. We’re always on the edge of what Microsoft are exploring or innovating, most recently looking at Digital Twins – making things smarter, more efficient and more optimised.

The key theme underlining our Cloud Optimisation is our rMS (risual Managed Service) team. We want to highlight the capabilities we have within our rMS team, highlighting the benefits our clients could see from working with our rMS team to improve their systems, apps and culture.

Our rMS team already has experience in working with a lot of varied clients, we’ve got the knowledge and the experience to work and adapt to multiple industries, sectors and scenarios. Over 40-ish technical people within our rMS team we have over 300 different Microsoft qualifications, really showcasing what we are capable of.

 

Industry Insights

It’s now 2020, it’s strange to think that in 2010 when Microsoft said the mouse and keyboard would go into the past and touch-screen would take over that a lot of companies and tech leaders laughed.

But here we are.

In the last 5 years so much change has happened, in terms of Cloud that is something that very much used to be a trend but has no moulded into a default choice for a lot of businesses. Whether that be hybrid, full-cloud or bursting some cloud services it is within everything. In amongst all this, there are three foundational forces:

  • Modernising Legacy Core Systems
    • An awful of organisations who run legacy systems are finding that the capabilities of the modern cloud is addressing all their current challenges.
  • Transforming the Business of Technology
    • People often talk about IT leading the business but recently it’s really changed to the business leading the business. Business people driving change and driving the transformation through technology.
  • Evolving Cyber Security Strategies
    • In the last 5 years we’ve seen a massive growth in the amount of cyber security incidents. The whole object of cyber risks has gone beyond the capabilities of on-premise technologies, Microsoft is now making multi-billion dollar investments into their security – so why would you take advantage?

In the next 5 years we predict there’s going to be immense amount of change, and we’ve narrowed it down to 3 key areas (not to say more change won’t happen… because it most likely will):

  • Digital Realities
    • Things like augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality, Internet of Things, immersive technologies are no longer ideas but are delivering real business value and it’s only going to increase from here onwards.
  • Blockchain Technologies
    • A lot of people are wondering is it worth investing time and effort into brand new technologies – market leaders are discussing whether to invest in things like blockchain and bitcoin and so far, the verdict is positive.
  • Cognitive
    • Cognitive technologies are coming forward into the modern age, things like machine learning, neural networks, robotic process automation, bots, natural languages are designed to enhance the services people use day-to-day.
    • It’s not about replacing the human aspect of working it’s about augmenting the capabilities of what humans can do through technology. Looking into the broader domain of artificial intelligence.

If you’re not looking at moving to the Cloud, then you’ll miss out on the opportunities your competitors will take advantage of. If you can offer your services in the modern way, then you’ll gain the advantage and really provide the latest and greatest products or services.

Over the last five years we’ve narrowed down the key six triggers of Cloud Transformation. People don’t want to have to implement or organise a whole new contract each time they come to renew their services. It’s painful and time consuming and in a modern world we shouldn’t have to do it.

The six triggers of Cloud Transformation:

  • Data centre contract expiration
    • People have been moving to the cloud because its cheaper, quicker and far simpler than any other option.
  • Address security threats and compliance
    • GDPR came along and Microsoft have helped people get to grips with the new regulations by using the Cloud to help understand where you are in the compliance space.
  • Enable new business opportunities
    • Councils are now embracing change and exploring the Cloud services and what this means for their business. For example, if a client has missed their bin day or isn’t sure when their collection is, they can re-schedule or check when their next collection day is all through digital cloud services.
  • Deliver applications and features faster
    • There are a lot of business opportunities to enhance existing services and give end users a better experience through Cloud technologies.
  • Urgent capacity needs
    • If you are in a datacentre and you find yourself coming against storage problems – these need t be addressed urgently and can be done simply through the cloud.
  • Software end support
    • Windows 7 is end of life January 2020, using Windows 10 allows clients so many more opportunities.

There is little value from just lifting and shifting, it’ll be cheaper when compared to other options but when it comes to optimisation that is the real key. Organisations want the biggest and best solutions, and it’s their right to want that, and with Cloud that’s what they get.

As I’ve mentioned previously, Cloud is no longer a trend, but in the days when it was a lot of organisations just followed it and moved over without thinking about their long term cloud strategies.

Over the last 5 years the whole transformation strategy has had a lot more focus on it across all industries. People now want to assess their systems, processes and people and really gain an understanding of the value they will see before they move across.

With risual, that’s where we come in.

With cloud the way of working has been changed. People are now considering a lot more than they would have done in the past 5 years, the technology we have has far more capabilities than we ever have had before.

 

risual’s Cloud Optimisation Service

Cloud Optimisation is part of risual’s Optimise and Support portfolio. It is designed to help organisations control consumption costs for cloud services, through a comprehensive optimisation engagement. It helps identify where service consolidation can occur to help drive down the costs of running IaaS services, helping achieve continuous service improvements.

Features

  • Provides multi-layer cloud cost and performance optimisation services
  • Collects data with risual’s unique algorithms, predicting optimisation benefits
  • Meets specific reporting needs across all cloud services and features
  • Visualise cloud consumption charges through comprehensive reporting features
  • Identifies servers that can benefit from Azure Reserved Instances
  • Provides daily consumption reports through Power BI
  • Allows implementation of recommendations without impacting service performance

Benefits

  • Identified under-utilised servers, driving cloud cost reductions
  • – Deliver continuous improvement of your cloud services
  • Allows understanding the true costs of your cloud services
  • Controls and stops unexpected cloud IaaS spend
  • Ensures cloud services run at optimal form
  • Allows accurate cross-change across your business if required
  • Drives culture change with respect to specifying cloud infrastructure services
  • Integrate fully with Azure Enterprise Scaffold to deliver consistency

We want to work with out to develop your business and drive value across your organisation.

 

Key Takeaways

  • Understand costs
    • Cloud cost models are very visible
  • Adapt your culture
    • Habits formed over time need to be addressed to continually optimise cost for cloud services
  • Seek advice
    • Think about your licensing and consumption models
  • Optimise early
    • Optimisation begins in the strategy phase and continues through the life of your cloud services
  • Continuous value
    • Savings we have made for our clients are more than £150,000 per annum over just three clients

 

We want to see what you’re using today and what you can achieve tomorrow, we want to get you and your business to a better, more optimise place.

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