Table of contents
In this article, you will learn:
- Why managing resources in a cloud environment is such a critical skill for modern enterprises
- What the primary benefits of migrating to the cloud are
- How to manage cloud resources to save money and reduce your company’s environmental footprint
- Why scaling resources in a cloud environment is so important
Cloud computing offers many advantages, so it should come as no surprise that more and more companies are deciding to migrate to the cloud. However, once the process is complete, many organizations must answer the question: how can we effectively manage cloud resources? While it may seem difficult at first, applying a few solutions and shifting your mindset regarding IT infrastructure allows you to adapt quickly to new conditions.
Effective cloud resource management – an introduction
Effective cloud resource management is now a fundamental skill for every organization, as cloud environments are increasingly being used in daily operations. Just look at the data: Eurostat figures show that in 2021, 41% of EU companies used cloud computing, and a report by Tigera indicates that in 2022, 75% of organizations were focused on developing applications in a cloud native spirit. Regardless of whether a company uses AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud, managing resources in a cloud environment requires a shift in the IT service delivery model. Cloud platforms are more flexible and scalable than on-premises infrastructure, so it is worth prioritizing automation from the very beginning. Using tools to automate deployment, scaling, and resource management not only eliminates the likelihood of human error and improves efficiency—Smartsheet data shows that 86% of employees are convinced that automation will improve their productivity. Effective cloud resource management also involves choosing the right payment strategy—one of the most commonly used methods is pay-as-you-go, where you pay only for actual consumption. Nevertheless, many organizations reserve resources, especially during periods of higher work intensity (e.g., the holiday season in e-commerce).How does the cloud facilitate resource control?
Unlike on-premises IT architecture, clouds are characterized by greater flexibility, which makes it easier to control resources. An example of this is application design: using the cloud in this process allows you to move away from monolithic software architecture toward microservices, which are much easier to manage and, above all, more scalable. Modern cloud platforms offer not only many tools for building applications but also for monitoring their performance and resource utilization. As a result, you can quickly identify areas for improvement and optimize the costs incurred by the organization. Importantly, clouds are deployed much faster than proprietary infrastructure—migrating core functions takes up to two months. It is also worth remembering that hardware maintenance rests with the provider, so an organization migrating to the cloud does not have to worry about maintaining its own servers. This brings benefits during downtime: in the cloud, you can scale resources to meet actual needs with just a few clicks, which, combined with paying only for actual usage, can positively impact the company’s finances.Tracking and adjusting resource consumption
Clouds are often chosen for their eco-friendliness; green cloud solutions not only help digitize an enterprise but also reduce electricity consumption. According to Microsoft, cloud platforms are 93% more energy-efficient than traditional on-premises servers. The energy efficiency of clouds is linked to tracking and adjusting resource consumption. Because organizations use only the specific part of the platform they need, they can scale their energy consumption. This also works on the provider’s side, which can reduce energy demand to the levels required by customers. Resource consumption in the cloud can also be viewed from the perspective of the platform’s own functionalities. An example is the use of monitoring tools to set alerts when resource usage exceeds a certain level. These have a dual purpose: they allow for managing the resource lifecycle and play an important role in adjusting infrastructure, for example, by using containers to optimize consumption. It is also worth remembering that tracking cloud resource consumption provides a wealth of information that can be used to identify trends. Based on this, you can forecast future consumption and better align platform capabilities with actual demand. This also allows for better management of multi-layered cloud architectures and more even distribution of resource usage.Monitoring and scaling – how to react to changing needs?
Monitoring cloud activities is the foundation of a platform’s longevity. Beyond requiring this from your provider, it is also good to select the most relevant KPIs from the organization’s perspective and measure them regularly. Whether it is CPU usage or disk load, the gathered information will be useful for automating responses to specific problems, which can translate into even better optimization of resource usage. Monitoring is also important in the context of scaling resources. In this case, organizations can use the following models depending on their needs:- Vertical scaling allows you to increase the computing power of individual instances to react quickly to sudden increases in application needs.
- Horizontal scaling, which involves adding new server or container instances, allows for an even distribution of the load.
