FinOps Services for Google Cloud

Optimising Your Google Cloud Environment

Google Cloud provides powerful platforms for data, analytics, applications and infrastructure. But its flexible pricing models and range of services can make cloud costs difficult to predict and manage.

BigQuery, GKE and Compute Engine can account for a significant proportion of Google Cloud spend, with each requiring a different approach to optimisation. Generic cloud cost management isn’t always enough.

DeeperThanBlue helps organisations understand, optimise and manage their Google Cloud spend through practical Google Cloud FinOps and cloud cost optimisation services.

 

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Where can Google Cloud costs be reduced?

Google Cloud overspend can build up through a combination of inefficient workloads, unused resources and pricing models that haven’t been reviewed as usage changes.

Common areas we look at include:

BigQuery costs

On-demand BigQuery queries can generate significant costs, particularly where queries aren’t optimised or usage isn’t understood. We can review query patterns and assess whether capacity-based pricing and BigQuery Committed Use Discounts are appropriate.

Over-provisioned Compute Engine instances

Compute Engine VMs can be sized for anticipated peak demand and then left unchanged as actual usage becomes clearer. Rightsizing can reduce unnecessary capacity while maintaining performance.

GKE inefficiency

Kubernetes clusters and node pools can be over-provisioned, while pod resource requests may be considerably higher than actual consumption. Optimising both can improve utilisation and reduce infrastructure costs. 

Under-used discounts

Committed Use Discounts and other Google Cloud pricing options can reduce the cost of predictable workloads, but commitments need to be based on genuine usage patterns.

Idle databases and storage

Unused Cloud SQL instances, unattached persistent disks and data stored on unnecessarily expensive storage classes can all contribute to avoidable spend.

Poor cost allocation

Without consistent labelling, it can be difficult to identify which team, application or project is responsible for cloud spend.

Our Google Cloud FinOps services

Google Cloud provides tools including Cloud Billing export to BigQuery, Recommender, budgets and the FinOps Hub. The challenge is turning that information into an ongoing process for managing costs.

Our Google Cloud FinOps services can help you:

  • Establish visibility of Google Cloud spend across projects, services and environments.
  • Develop consistent labelling and cost allocation frameworks.
  • Optimise BigQuery queries and assess capacity-based pricing options.
  • Review Compute Engine and Cloud SQL resources for rightsizing opportunities.
  • Optimise GKE node pools and pod resource requests.
  • Identify suitable workloads for Spot VMs.
  • Assess Committed Use Discounts against actual consumption.
  • Optimise storage through appropriate storage classes and lifecycle policies.
  • Introduce budgets, anomaly alerts and regular cost reviews.

 

Platform-specific Google Cloud cost optimisation

Google Cloud has its own pricing models and cost drivers. A strategy designed around AWS EC2 or Azure virtual machines won’t necessarily address the biggest opportunities in a Google Cloud environment.

Our approach focuses on the services actually driving your spend, whether that’s BigQuery, GKE, Compute Engine, Cloud SQL or storage.

We start by establishing a baseline of your current Google Cloud costs, identify the most valuable optimisation opportunities and prioritise actions according to potential savings and business impact.

Where required, we can provide ongoing FinOps support to help keep your Google Cloud environment optimised as it grows.

Get more value from Google Cloud

Better cloud cost management isn’t about restricting the use of Google Cloud. It’s about making sure you’re paying for the capacity and services your business actually needs.

DeeperThanBlue can help you bring visibility, accountability and ongoing optimisation to your Google Cloud estate.

Talk to us about your Google Cloud costs and we’ll start with a straightforward review of where your spend is going and what could realistically be optimised.

+44 (0)114 399 2820

info@deeperthanblue.com

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