Skip to content
11:11 Systems
The Resilient Cloud Platform
11:11 Systems11:11 Systems
  • Why 11:11
    • Submenu
      • Column 1
        • 11:11 Systems Consulting
          Consulting Services
          Global Regions
          Cloud Regions
          11:11 Systems Security
          Security

      • Column 2
        • Cloud Console
          Cloud Console
          Catalyst
          Planning and Assessment
          Compliance
          Compliance

      • WHY CHOOSE 11:11
      • Overview
      • Leadership
      • News & Media
      • ESG Program
      •  
      • Careers
      • Technology Partners
      • Customer Stories
      • Innovation Blog
  • Products & Services
    • Products & Services

        • Cloud Overview
        • Managed Public Cloud
        • Private Cloud
        • Object Storage
        • Cloud Labs
        • Flexible Cloud Environment/Colocation
        • AWS Solutions
        • Managed OS Services
        • Managed DB Services

        Infrastructure as a Service

        Take a 30-day free trial of 11:11 Cloud.

        Cloud hosting built for your business.
        START FREE TRIAL
        REQUEST A QUOTE

        • Backup Overview
        • Veeam Backup
        • Microsoft 365 Backup
        • Managed Backup for Cohesity
        • Cyber Vault
        • Data Protection Services
        Backup as a Service

        11:11 Cloud Backup

        Protect your data wherever it lives.
        REQUEST A QUOTE
        REQUEST A DEMO

        • DRaaS Overview
        • DRaaS for Veeam
        • DRaaS for Zerto
        • DRaaS for Azure
        • DRaaS for Cohesity
        • Managed Recovery
        • Cloud Recovery
        • Cyber Recovery Platform
        • Infrastructure Recovery
        • Continuity Consulting Services
        • Disaster Recovery Consulting
        Disaster Recovery

        5TB 30Day Free Trial of DRaaS for Veeam

        Protect your business-critical workloads and reduce recovery time with the Leader in Disaster Recovery.
        START FREE TRIAL
        LEARN MORE

        • Security Overview
        • Continuous Risk Scanning
        • Managed Detection and Response
        • Managed SIEM
        • Managed EDR
        • Managed Firewall
        • Application and Zero Trust Services
        Security Services

        Take the first steps toward cyber resilience.

        Download our white paper and learn how to stay ahead of threats.
        REQUEST A QUOTE
        DOWNLOAD NOW

        • Networking Overview
        • SD-WAN
        • Managed Connectivity for AWS Direct Connect
        • Multi-Cloud Connect
        • Network Consulting Services
        Connectivity Services

        Transform your network.

        Take your infrastructure and performance to the next level.
        REQUEST A QUOTE
        WATCH VIDEO
  • Solutions
    • Solutions Submenu
      • INDUSTRY
      • Education
      • Financial
      • Government
      • Healthcare
    • Solutions Business Objective Submenu
      • BUSINESS OBJECTIVE
      • Cyber Resilience
      • Modernize
      • Protect
  • Partners
    • Partners Submenu
      • Overview
      • Become a Partner
      • Partner Portals
  • Resources
    • Resources Submenu
      • Events
      • Webinars
      • News & Media
      • White Papers
      • Podcast
      • Data Sheets
      • Customer Stories
      • Innovation Blog
  • Support
    • Support Submenu
      • Contact Support
      • Product Documentation
      • API Documentation
Search:
  • Login
  • Contact
Header Right Menu
Free Trial
  • Why 11:11
    • Consulting Services
    • Cloud Console
    • Cloud Regions
    • Planning and Assessment
    • Security
    • Compliance
    • WHY CHOOSE 11:11
    • Overview
    • Leadership
    • News & Media
    • ESG Program
    • Careers
    • Technology Partners
    • Customer Stories
    • Blog
  • Products & Services
    • CLOUD
    • Cloud Overview
    • Managed Public Cloud
    • Private Cloud
    • Object Storage
    • Cloud Labs
    • Flexible Cloud Environment/Colocation
    • AWS Solutions
    • Managed OS Services
    • Managed DB Services
    • BACKUP
    • Backup Overview
    • Veeam Backup
    • Microsoft 365 Backup
    • Managed Backup for Cohesity
    • Cyber Vault
    • Data Protection Services
    • DISASTER RECOVERY
    • DRaaS Overview
    • DRaaS for Veeam
    • DRaaS for Zerto
    • DRaaS for Azure
    • DRaaS for Cohesity
    • Managed Recovery
    • Cloud Recovery
    • Cyber Recovery Platform
    • Infrastructure Recovery Services
    • Continuity Consulting
    • Disaster Recovery Consulting
    • SECURITY
    • Security Overview
    • Continuous Risk Scanning
    • Managed Detection and Response
    • Managed SIEM
    • Managed EDR
    • Managed Firewall
    • Application and Zero Trust Services
    • NETWORK
    • Network Overview
    • SD-WAN
    • Managed Connectivity for AWS Direct Connect
    • Multi Cloud Connect
    • Managed IP
  • Solutions
    • INDUSTRY
    • Education
    • Financial
    • Government
    • Healthcare
    • BUSINESS OBJECTIVE
    • Cyber Resilience
    • Modernize
    • Protect
  • Partners
    • Overview
    • Become a Partner
    • Partner Portals
  • Resources
    • Events
    • Webinars
    • News & Media
    • Whitepapers
    • Podcast
    • Datasheets
    • Customer Stories
    • Innovation Blog
  • Support
    • Contact Support
    • Product Documentation
    • API Documentation
  • Contact
  • Login
  • Free Trial
Tags: Cloud Services
Author: 11:11 Systems
Date: February 18, 2015

Are you wasting cloud?

Editor’s Note: As of January 2022, iland is now 11:11 Systems, a managed infrastructure solutions provider at the forefront of cloud, connectivity, and security. As a legacy iland.com blog post, this article likely contains information that is no longer relevant. For the most up-to-date product information and resources, or if you have further questions, please refer to the 11:11 Systems Success Center or contact us directly.

A recent Wall Street Journal article highlighted what many IT leaders have already learned: Cloud can be a real waste of money.

With cloud, not unlike any utility, you can leave the lights on, the taps running, and the engine idling. This will burn through a good deal of power, water, and gas. The problem with cloud is two-fold:

  1. There is no physical sign that you’ve done this – no rumbling engine or illuminated bedroom. It’s just silently spinning away in the ether.
  2. In the past, this was basically free. No one shut down servers on-premise. Why would they?

So, there’s a behavioral leap, but that points directly to an argument I hear a lot: why wouldn’t we just buy more resources on-premise? Cloud costs a lot, they say, and it could be cheaper.

There are a few components to a thoughtful reply:

First, there is absolutely no reason to be subject to the whims of pay-as-you-go cloud. Certainly, some of your workloads may be unpredictable, but the vast majority can be predicted with enough foresight to reserve a reasonable baseline of resources at a significant discount. Some pay-as-you-go exceptions are hardly a bank-breaking component.

Second, there’s no reason not to start with a reasonable reservation and grow, as needed. No credible provider will turn away shifts in resource requirements over time.

Third, once you reserve the resources, you no longer need to worry about the vast majority of behavioral changes. Phew.

Fourth, for the remainder – the burst capacity you use, and would like to keep in check – why not set up alerting within the management console rather than be stuck with the situation described in the WSJ story?

“To stanch the leak, Mr. Field ordered that all procurement of cloud services go through his department. Each week he combs through the bills for cloud services and finds underutilized servers, or servers that are running when no one is using them.”

That sounds like a horrible way for a vice president to spend his time. Wouldn’t he be better off getting alerts to signal exceptions?

Why would this be better than more resources on-premise? Let’s face it, on-premise costs are far more hidden. In our experience in enterprise IT, we have only seen one organization with a detailed cost model accounting for everything from real estate to labor to software costs. It’s easy to compare the apples of a new server to the oranges of a complete cloud service.

So, it comes down to how you structure your resource use with the levers of control provided by your vendor. First, it could be much cheaper than the on-premise alternative. But, just as importantly, it supports the true impetus behind cloud – the very driver that causes so much of the waste – experimentation and innovation.

Cutting that from your business could be very costly indeed.

Category: IaaSBy 11:11 SystemsFebruary 18, 2015
Tags: Cloud Services
11:11 Systems

Author: 11:11 Systems

11:11 Systems (“11:11”) is a managed infrastructure solutions provider that holistically addresses the challenges of next-generation managed cloud, connectivity and security requirements. 11:11 combines the teams and technology behind market leading, analyst vetted companies like Green Cloud Defense and iland to deliver increased performance, optimization and savings.

Post navigation

PreviousPrevious post:Cloud = more IT job security, not lessNextNext post:Veeam Cloud Connect Backup – Tips on How to Minimize Cloud Storage Requirements and Costs

Related Posts

Elevated Cloud Backups With 11:11 Systems
May 19, 2025
Cost Optimization: DRaaS to IaaS
Cloud Smart: From DRaaS to IaaS  
May 16, 2025
cost optimization
Achieving IT Cost Optimization with 11:11 Systems
April 15, 2025
VMBlog
Managed Public Cloud: Get the Most Out of Your Cloud Investment
February 25, 2025
DataNet Solutions Group compliance featured image
How Data Net Solutions Group Found IT Success with 11:11 Systems
November 15, 2024
NIS2
Understanding the Impact of the NIS2 Directive on Managed Service Providers (MSPs)
November 4, 2024
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
  • Cloud
  • Backup
  • Disaster Recovery
  • Managed Security
  • Network as a Service
  • Compliance
COMPANY
  • Why 11:11
  • Customer Stories
  • Careers
  • Leadership
  • Technology Partners
  • News & Media
  • Contact Support
CLOUD REGIONS
  • North America
  • EMEA
  • APAC
CONNECT
  • LinkedIn
  • X
  • Youtube

© 2025 11:11 Systems Inc., All Rights Reserved | Privacy Notice | Website Terms of Use |

Go to Top