Cost optimization in the public cloud more efficiently

Introduction

The public cloud has revolutionized the way companies climb operations, providing flexibility and high performance on demand . However, without an efficient strategy, costs can get out of control quickly, compromising the profitability of the business.

A Flexera study revealed that up to 30% of cloud spending is wasted due to inefficient management practices and inadequate sizing of resources . This means that many companies pay for services that are not using the best way.

So how to ensure maximum financial efficiency in the public cloud without compromising systems performance? What strategies can help avoid waste and optimize investments ?

In this article, we will explore the strategies for reducing costs in the public cloud, from choosing the right instances to the use of specialized tools for financial optimization. If your business seeks more control over cloud costs without giving up scalability and safety, this is the right content for you.

Good reading! 

What is public cloud?

The public cloud is a cloud computing model in which infrastructure resources, such as servers, storage and networks, are made available to the public through the internet . This model is managed by cloud service providers such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform (GCP), which offer on demand access to a wide variety of services and applications.

Unlike the private cloud, which is used exclusively by a single organization, the public cloud shares resources between various users , allowing higher scalability, flexibility and cost optimization. This means that companies can expand their operations quickly without having to invest in their own infrastructure, paying only for the resources used.

Check out the main features of the public cloud:

• Scalability: Ability to increase or reduce resources according to demand;
  
• Payments On Demand: Pay-Eyou-GO (Prepaid, closest translation in Portuguese), in which the company pays only for what it consumes;
  
• Global Access: Users can access applications and data from anywhere, with high availability;
  
• Maintenance and security managed by the provider: Updates, patches and support are provided directly by the cloud company.

We can say that the public cloud has become essential for companies of all sizes, boosting digital transformation and enabling more agile and efficient operations . However, without a well -defined strategy, costs can quickly get out of control.

Next, we will explore the most efficient strategies to optimize costs and avoid waste. 

Efficient strategies to reduce costs in the public cloud

The public cloud offers flexibility and scalability , but also requires strategic financial planning. Companies that do not follow the consumption of their resources often end up spending more than necessary. Avoiding waste and optimizing costs is intelligent decisions in sizing, choosing instances and infrastructure automation.

Next, we will explore the most efficient strategies to ensure that your business maximizes the benefits of the cloud without compromising the budget.

Choice of correct instance and sizing

One of the most common errors when migrating to the cloud is to oversee resources, that is, to hire more capacity than it really is needed. According to AWS , instances that have a maximum use of CPU and memory below 40% over a four -week period may be overdone . Adjusting these features can generate significant cost savings and optimize cloud efficiency.

To avoid this waste, it is essential to adopt the rightthsizing (in Portuguese, resizing), which is the process of adjusting the provisional resources to what is really used. Some good practices include:

• Analyze consumer patterns to identify superdimened instances. Tools like AWS Cost Explorer , Azure Advisor and Google Cloud Recomnder can help in this process;
  
• Test different types of instances before committing to a fixed configuration. Workloads (in Portuguese, workloads) variables can benefit from elastic virtual machines;
  
• Use automatic scaling ( self scaling ) so that your infrastructure dynamically adjust to real demand.

Choosing the correct instance not only reduces costs, but also improves operational efficiency , ensuring that the company only pays for what it really needs.

Use of reserved instances and savings plans

One of the most efficient ways to reduce cloud costs is to opt for payment models that offer discounts in exchange for use commitments. Two popular options for this are Reserved Instances (Ris, reserved instances) and Savings Plans (in free translation, savings plans), which can generate significant economies compared to the traditional model of demand for demand (in English, on-demand ). 

Reserved Instances allow companies to commit to a certain type of instance for 1 or 3 years, in exchange for a significant discount, which can reach up to 75% less compared to the on-Demand . They are ideal for predictable workloads

• Applications that run continuously and do not vary much or demand;
  
• Databases and application servers that need high availability ;
  
• Stable production environments that do not require frequent changes in the configuration.

Check out the types of reserved instances :

• Standard Ris : Greater discount, but less flexibility for instance exchange;
  
• Convertible Ris : Allows instance type changes, but offer lower discounts.

Savings Plans are a more flexible RIS alternative, offering discounts without the need to link the commitment to a specific type of instance. Instead, the user is committed to a minimum expenditure per hour over 1 or 3 years. The advantages are as follows:

• Greater flexibility to exchange instance types, regions and families of instance;
  
• Available for different services besides EC2, such as Fargate and Lambda ;
  
• It can generate up to 66% savings on the on-demsta .

Both rises and plans savings help reduce cloud costs, but the ideal choice depends on the predictability and flexibility level required. Companies with workloads can benefit more from rises, while those who need more freedom to change settings can opt for plans savings .

Smart Automation and Scalability

efficient and economical

cloud infrastructure . With resources such as self scaling and infrastructure such as code (IAC), it is possible to ensure that services use only the necessary capacity , avoiding waste and improving reliability.

Auto Scaling allows us to automatically adjust the infrastructure according to the demand, ensuring that more instances are added in peak periods, and reduced when they are no longer necessary. Some solutions include:

• AWS Auto Scaling : automatically manages EC2, ECS and RDS databases;
  
• Virtual Azure Machine Scale Sets : Allows dynamic adjustment of virtual machines;
  
• Google Cloud Managed Instance groups : Automates the scalability of cloud workloads

In addition, infrastructure as code (IAC) is an essential approach to optimizing costs and reducing manual work. Tools such as Terraform and AWS CloudFormation allow you to set up cloud environments programmically and repeatably ensuring more efficiency.

Companies can also adopt Pipelines from CI/CD ( Continuous Integration / Continuous Delivery , in Portuguese, Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery), such as Git Hub Actions and Jenkins S software deployment , ensuring continuous updates without manual intervention .

Investing in smart scalability and automation allows companies to optimize costs and maintain the flexibility necessary to grow without compromising resources .

Monitoring and Continuous Optimization

Optimizing cloud costs is not a unique process, but a monitoring and adjustment cycle This is because maintaining an efficient infrastructure requires constant monitoring of resource consumption and adaptation to business needs.

To do this, tools such as AWS Cloudwatch , Azure Monitor and Google Cloud Operations offer real -time visibility about service performance, allowing you to identify bottlenecks and waste before impacting the operation.

Some strategies for continuous optimization include:

• Analyze logs and metrics regularly to identify use patterns and cost reduction opportunities;
  
• Set smart alerts to detect excessive consumption and adjust the infrastructure automatically;
  
• Review and optimize instances and services periodically, ensuring that provisioning is aligned with the real needs of the business.

Thus, continuous monitoring allows more informed decisions and helps to avoid surprises in the cloud invoice, ensuring that resources are used strategically and sustainably .

ATTENTION: Reducing public cloud costs is not just a matter of cutting spending , but of operational intelligence. The strategies we explore here show that financial optimization and technological efficiency are side by side. From choosing the right instance to continuous automation and monitoring, each action contributes to a more sustainable and economically balanced environment .

But how to ensure that all these strategies are applied in a practical and continuous way ? Specialized tools play a key role in this journey, allowing companies to have full visibility of consumption, identify bottlenecks and make more strategic and data -oriented decisions.

In the next section, we will explore the main tools for control and cost reduction in the public cloud. Keep following! 

Cost Control and Reduction tools

Managing public cloud costs efficiently requires more than just good practices: it requires specialized tools. In an increasingly competitive market, companies that implement cloud management and financial monitoring tools can reduce, on average, 32% of their operating costs , according to Flexera's report .

And the reason is simple: having visibility, predictability and automation is essential to eliminate waste and ensure that each feature used is aligned with real demand. Without proper control, the risk of invisible costs, underuse instances and unexpected charges increases considerably.

To ensure maximum financial control in the public cloud, companies can count on three main categories of tools . Next, we explore what they are and how each of these solutions can help companies maintain an efficient, economical and scalable cloud environment.

Financial Monitoring Platforms

Having full control over cloud costs means more than following spending - it means understanding where and how resources are being used. For this purpose, financial monitoring platforms help companies in:

• waste points optimization opportunities ;
  
• Creation of cost forecasts , avoiding unexpected expenses;
  
• Automation of alerts and adjustments , ensuring that the infrastructure remains efficient.

Among the main tools of the market, we highlight:

1. APPTIO CLOUDABILITY

• It offers a comprehensive cost vision and IT investment optimization;
• Helps companies to understand resource consumption and apply FINOPS (Cloud Management Practices) to maximize ROI ( Return on Investment , in Portuguese, Return on Investment);
• advanced and detailed financial control .

2. IBM TURBONOMIC 

• Focus on automation to avoid unnecessary expenses without compromising performance;
• Dynamically adjusts the allocation of resources, ensuring that applications receive only what is needed to operate efficiently;
• It is ideal for companies that need to balance performance and cost automatically.

3. Cloudcheckr 

• Provides unified cost management and cloud safety;
• In addition to financial monitoring, it offers compliance and security analysis , ensuring that resources are always well configured;
• It is ideal for companies that seek complete cloud infrastructure management.

Each of these platforms allows detailed analysis of resource consumption, enabling strategic adjustments to ensure higher efficiency and lower costs. 

Native solutions of cloud providers

Cloud service providers themselves offer specialized financial control tools, helping companies to track real -time expenses and apply optimization strategies. Check out the best known solutions in this category: 

1. AWS COST EXPLORER

• Offers detailed monitoring and cost forecasts at AWS;
• Generates interactive graphs for spending analysis, allowing you to identify trends and reduce costs with AWS recommendations;
• It is ideal for companies using AWS and want native control without external tools.

2. Azure Cost Management + Billing

• Costs Cost Management and Financial Optimization within Microsoft 's Azure ;
• It integrates with Microsoft Power BI , allowing advanced views and personalized reports on cloud spending;
• It is ideal for companies that need to align cloud costs with internal financial goals .

3. Google Cloud Billing

• It offers detailed analysis and cost control on Google Cloud ;
• Integrates with BigQuery , allowing companies to create advanced cost analysis models and optimize investments;
• It is ideal for companies that use Google Cloud and want to automate financial insights .

In short, native solutions are highly recommended for companies that want direct visibility within the cloud platform itself, without external S software . 

S Software for spending management

For many companies, the native tools of cloud providers are not enough for complete and strategic financial control. When the operation involves multiple cloud providers ( multicloud ) or need for more advanced automation , the use of party software for cost management becomes essential.

These solutions offer features that go beyond basic monitoring , allowing:

• Cost centralization in a single panel , consolidating data from different providers;
  
• Predictive analyzes and financial intelligence, helping to predict and optimize future expenses;
  
• Automation of downturn of idle resources, reducing waste without compromising the operation;
  
• Personalized alerts for budget control, notifying unexpected costs in costs;
  
• Price comparison between different platforms, making it easier to choose the best option for each workload.

When integrating software From a third party to finance control in the cloud, companies gain more predictability, automation and safety in the management of their investments, ensuring that each penny acts actually brings return to the business.

As we have seen, the adoption of cloud cost management tools allows companies to have more control, automation and financial predictability, reducing waste and optimizing investments. 

However, so that this management is really efficient, it is not enough to just use tools: you need to adopt good financial governance practices , ensuring that resources are used strategically. This is what we will explore next.

Good practices for financial efficiency in the public cloud

Cloud computing has been growing rapidly, and companies are increasingly investing to ensure scalable and flexible infrastructure. 

A study of the International Data Corporation (IDC) points out that by 2027 global spending on public cloud services should exceed US $ 1.35 trillion . This growth reflects increased demand for innovation and digitization, but also raises a warning: if these investments are not well managed, waste of resources can grow in the same proportion.

To avoid unnecessary costs and ensure that each appeal used bring a real return, it is essential to adopt good governance practices, resource optimization and use of smart technologies for financial control.

Next, we will see what are the main strategies for maintaining financial efficiency in the public cloud. 

Governance and budgeting

Lack of financial control can lead to unnecessary spending and poorly optimized infrastructure. To avoid this scenario, companies need to implement an efficient governance policy , ensuring visibility, planning and control over cloud costs.

Some essential practices for an efficient budget (in Portuguese) include :

• Definition of Budget Limits and Consumer Alerts : Using tools such as AWS Budgets , Azure Cost Management and Google Cloud Budgets to prevent budget bursts with automatic notifications;
  
• Access Control and Resource Creation : Implement RBAC ( Role-Based Access Control , in Portuguese, function-based access control) to ensure that only authorized users can provision or modify cloud resources;
  
• Structuring a Cost Tracking Tag : Categorizing Project, Business Unit, or Team resources, facilitating detailed financial audits and reports;
  
• Regular Budget Review : Monitor consumer standards and relocate investments as needed to avoid waste .

With a well -defined policy, companies can maintain transparency in spending , predict future costs and ensure that cloud investment is sustainable. 

Reduction of idle resources

Underused or forgotten resources are one of the main sources of financial waste in the cloud. According to Gartner , up to 30% of cloud infrastructure spending can be avoided with more efficient allocation and continuous monitoring .

To minimize waste, some fundamental practices include: 

• Automatic deactivation of unused instances : Configure rules for turning off servers outside business hours or periods of low demand;
  
• Dynamic Adjustment of Computational Capacity : Use tools such as AWS Trusted Advisor , Azure Advisor and Google Cloud Recomnder to identify superdimened instances and reduce your capacity;
  
• Storage Optimization : Implement solutions such as S3 Intelligent-Tiering or Azure Blob Storage Lifecycle Management , which move less accessed data to more economical layers automatically;
  
• Workloads Consolidation : Unify workloads in fewer servers, ensuring greater efficiency without compromising performance.

By eliminating idle resources and continually adjusting consumption, companies can significantly reduce operating costs and ensure efficient cloud infrastructure use. 

Serverless Computing for Optimization

Serverless computing (in Portuguese, computing without server) is a model in which applications are performed on demand , without the company having to constantly provision or manage servers. Unlike traditional infrastructure models, where resources are active all the time, in Serverless , services are activated only when necessary and automatically off after execution.

This model eliminates costs with idle servers, automatically scales according to demand and reduces operational complexity, allowing teams to focus on application development rather than managing infrastructure. 

Among the main serverless computing available on the market are:

• AWS Lambda : Performs code automatically in response to events, without the need for continuous provisioning;
  
• Azure Functions : Allows you to run serverless applications with full integration to the Microsoft ;
  
• Google Cloud Functions : Performs code on demand, ensuring scalability and cost optimization.

serverless strategies , companies can significantly reduce infrastructure spending, ensuring more flexibility and operational efficiency without compromising scalability.

The implementation of these practices is essential to avoid waste and optimize costs in the public cloud. However, maintaining this control efficiently requires specialized solutions that simplify management and ensure financial predictability.

And we at Skyone operate just at this point, offering tools and services that help companies structure their cloud operations more efficiently and economically . Next, we will explore more about our contribution. Follow!

Skyone: More efficiency and less costs in the public cloud

At Skyone , we believe that the public cloud should be a strategic ally, not a source of unpredictable costs. Our focus is to ensure that our customers make the most of the resources available , paying only for what they really use.

With solutions that automate processes, optimize resource allocation and provide full visibility on cloud investments, we help business from all sizes to reduce waste and make your infrastructure more efficient.

Our team is committed to: 

• Uncomplicating migration to the cloud : a structured process to avoid unnecessary costs and ensure high performance;
  
• Adjust Real Time Resources : Scalable infrastructure as per demand, without paying for idle capacity;
  
• Monitor and predict precision costs : Advanced tools for financial control and continuous optimization;

• Reduce operational complexity : Intelligent automation that releases the team to focus on what really matters: innovation and growth.

Our commitment is simple: to ensure that your company extracts the best from the public cloud, without surprises in the invoice and with total operational efficiency .
Each cloud environment has unique challenges, and we at Skyone know that. Talk today to one of our experts and find out how to turn your investments into a cloud into a competitive differential, with control, scalability and financial predictability.

Conclusion

The public cloud has brought scale , flexibility and innovation to companies of all sizes, but the lack of efficient management can make costs unpredictable and compromise the profitability of the business.

Throughout this article, we have exploited fundamental strategies for cloud cost optimization, from intelligent choice of instances to the adoption of models such as serverless and financial monitoring tools. Avoiding waste and ensuring that each appeal is used strategically is not just a matter of economy, but a competitive differential .

More than cutting spending, cloud efficiency goes through planning, automation and continuous optimization . Companies that implement good governance practices and adopt technological solutions for cost management can grow with predictability and safety, without compromising scalability and innovation.

The cloud is a means of boosting business, not a financial obstacle. With the right approaches, it is possible to guarantee maximum performance , safety and economy , maintaining the infrastructure aligned with the actual needs of the operation.

Continue further deepening your knowledge of cloud cost management: Check out the article “How cloud governance can reduce costs and increase efficiency” here on Skyone 's blog .