Leveraging cloud solutions has become crucial for optimising database management. At Blue Crystal Solutions, we’ve witnessed the transformative impact that cloud technology can have on various aspects of database management. Here, we share three key insights into how cloud solutions can revolutionise your approach to managing non-production databases.
Cloud Cost Efficiency: A Smart Approach to Resource Utilisation
Non-production databases, such as those used for development and testing, are typically utilised for only 8 hours a day, sitting idle for the remaining 16 hours. This underutilisation can lead to unnecessary costs. By using automated scripts or command-line interfaces (CLI), you can temporarily stop these instances during idle periods. For example, if a development team works from 9 AM to 5 PM, the database can be active only during those hours.
Outside these hours, the instance can be stopped, meaning you only incur costs for storage and backups, not for the database instance hours. This approach can significantly reduce operational costs, ensuring you only pay for what you use. It’s a simple yet effective strategy that can lead to substantial savings.
Simplified Disaster Recovery: Streamlining Your Backup Strategy
Traditionally, organisations maintain disaster recovery setups even for development and test systems, mirroring their production environments. However, with cloud technology, non-production environments can operate without dedicated disaster recovery instances. Instead, a robust backup plan can be employed.
This means regular backups and snapshots are taken to ensure data is safe without the need for a full-scale disaster recovery environment. For instance, rather than maintaining a separate disaster recovery site, you can rely on automated backup services provided by cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or Oracle Cloud. This change in strategy can save up to 50% in costs while still maintaining data integrity and availability.
Sustainability: Reducing Your Carbon Footprint
One of the most compelling benefits of moving to the cloud is the potential for significant reductions in your carbon footprint. Traditional data centres are energy-intensive, contributing to higher carbon emissions. Cloud providers, however, operate at a much larger scale and can optimise energy use more effectively.
Studies show that migrating workloads to the cloud can reduce your carbon footprint by nearly 80% compared to enterprise data centres. Furthermore, if the cloud provider is powered by 100% renewable energy, this reduction can be as high as 96%. By moving to the cloud, organisations not only benefit from advanced technology but also contribute to a more sustainable future.
At Blue Crystal Solutions, we specialise in helping organisations transition to the cloud seamlessly. Our expertise in cloud and database management ensures that you can maximise efficiency, reduce costs, and promote sustainability. Whether you are just beginning your cloud journey or looking to optimise your existing setup, we are here to support you every step of the way.
Want to know more? Contact us to understand how our cloud services can leverage your business needs.
Sources: Amazon (1), Amazon (2), IBM, Dynatrace, S&P Global Market Intelligence – 451 Research.
