Are Your Cloud Costs Higher Than They Need to Be?

Every successful business today relies on cloud infrastructure. Whether you're using Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud, you've likely been told to follow certain cloud best practices.

But here's something most technology consultants won't tell you: blindly following these recommendations might be driving your cloud infrastructure costs higher than necessary.

The Hidden Cost of Doing Everything Right

Think of cloud architecture like building a house. Industry experts promote cloud optimization techniques like:

• Premium materials everywhere
• Multiple backup generators
• Security systems on every window
• Separate garages for each car

Sure, these features sound great. But do you really need them all? For a standard family home, probably not. The same principle applies to your cloud infrastructure.

Common Areas Where You Might Be Overspending

1. The "Split Everything" Approach

Many companies are advised to separate their systems into tiny, independent pieces (called microservices). While this works for giants like Netflix, it's like hiring separate contractors for every room in your house. For most businesses, this adds unnecessary complexity and cost.

2. The "Never Go Down" Promise

Cloud providers offer "high availability" options that essentially duplicate your entire system to prevent downtime. Sounds great, but let's look at the math:

• Without this feature: Your system might be down for about 4 hours per year
• With this feature: Your infrastructure costs nearly double

Ask yourself: Would those 4 hours of potential downtime really cost you more than doubling your cloud computing bill?

3. The "Ultimate Security" Setup

Standard networking recommendations can add up quickly:

• Basic network security setup: ~$188/month
• Connecting different offices: ~$289/month
• Remote access for employees: ~$305/month

Total: Over $9,300 per year just for these security features - before any actual computing costs.

A Better Approach = Right-Sized Solutions

At Compoze Labs, we've seen that most businesses don't need the same infrastructure as Amazon. Instead of blindly following best practices, we help you answer questions like:

• What level of system reliability do you actually need?
• How much would downtime really cost your business?
• Are there simpler, more cost-effective ways to achieve your goals?

Smart Alternatives That Save Money

We often find opportunities to reduce costs by:

The Bottom Line

Just because Disney needs fortress-level security and zero downtime doesn't mean you do. Smart cloud optimization isn't about following a one-size-fits-all playbook. It's about building cloud architecture that matches your business needs and budget.