Cloud, AWS and FinOps: practical guides
These guides are for engineering and finance leads who run an AWS, Azure or Google Cloud estate, or who have a migration ahead. Each post says what it covers and what it does not claim.
New to cloud costs? Start with the FinOps starter, then read the six tactics.
Costs and FinOps
How to Reduce Your AWS Bill: 6 Tactics That Work
Tagging, rightsizing, commitments, idle cleanup, storage tiers and data transfer, with what each one needs from your team.
FinOps Starter for Small Teams: Four Steps
How to give cloud spend an owner, set alerts and run a monthly review when nobody owns the bill yet.
Reading AWS Pricing: Cost Drivers and a Worked Example in USD
The main cost drivers, and how partner pricing and invoicing change the picture.
Migration
How Much Does Cloud Migration Cost?
The cost drivers, typical timelines by size, and what a USD quote should contain.
The 6 Rs of Cloud Migration: How to Assign Each Workload
Rehost, replatform, repurchase, refactor, retain and retire, decided workload by workload.
Cloud Migration Checklist: Ten Gates Before Cutover
From discovery to cutover, with the gate to pass before each move.
Why Cloud Migrations Fail, and What to Do About Each
The common failure modes, and the design choices that prevent them.
Choosing a cloud and a partner
Choosing an AWS Region: Latency, Residency, Price and Services
How to pick a region for latency and data rules, with a worked example from Bangladesh.
Is AWS Available in Your Country?
Regions, service availability, data rules and payment routes, checked one at a time.
Opening and Paying for an AWS Account Properly
Account setup and payment routes, compared, with a Bangladesh example.
Managed Cloud: What a Contract Should Specify
What a managed cloud contract should cover, and the questions to ask before you sign.
Evaluating Cloud Partners in an Emerging Market
A method for checking partner records, support and billing, with a Bangladesh market as the example.
Want a written view of your own bill? Get a free cost review. The review is free and has no purchase obligation.