Lightstream Cloud Managed Services optimizes operational, security and financial aspects of cloud environments
Business Challenge
A software company specializing in ERP design, implementation and integration for life science organizations houses its solutions in Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure cloud environments. They choose to have a dual presence in order to take advantage of the best features each provider has to offer.
The organization was, overall, pleased with this architecture and the performance of its cloud-based applications and systems. The cloud gave the software company the agility to spin up resources as needed without the lengthy and expensive process of buying, installing and testing systems prior to production. However, its IT leaders knew they needed an additional set of tools in order analyze and make changes to their environments and to ensure optimal usage and cost control.
With the goal of maximizing cloud expenditures, the company’s CIO was considering offloading some of his department’s cloud management responsibilities after determining there was room for improvement in the financial, security and operational aspects of the company’s cloud environments.
Solution
The organization agreed to test out Lightstream’s Cloud Managed Services (CMS) with a 60-day proof of concept (POC). This is a low-risk option offered by Lightstream to organizations in order help them understand the long-term benefits of engaging in a CMS agreement. Using its proprietary tool called Lightstream Connect, Lightstream took a holistic view of the company’s technology spend and network performance to gain a clear vision of how the cloud resources were being allocated. Lightstream identified several areas for optimization which would allow the company to take advantage of greater financial savings as well as enhanced operational and security measures.
At the conclusion of the 60-day POC, the software company’s CIO had come to understand the potential savings and technical optimization his company was missing out on. He reviewed his options and agreed to a Platinum-level CMS contract with Lightstream, as it would provide the toolset to ensure the ideal management and optimization of the company’s cloud environments. This comprehensive advisory service would also lift some of the burden off of the internal IT department, as Lightstream’s partnership with and certified expertise on both AWS and Azure would provide the organization with the assistance it needed in managing its dual-cloud infrastructure.
Business Outcomes
In the short time since Lightstream took over the management and optimization of the company’s cloud environments, it has realized a nearly 10% savings on the total monthly AWS and Azure expenditures. In addition, the company is benefitting from stronger cloud security since becoming a Lightstream Cloud Managed Services customer with improvement of 15% of the scores generated through Lightstream’s security tools.
Part of the benefit of partnering with a provider like Lightstream is its deep affiliation and expertise in the latest technology offered by cloud service providers. Lightstream recommends opportunities for additional savings as well as security and performance enhancements as they become available. For instance, this organization is currently considering upgrading its AWS gp2 storage volumes to Amazon gp3, which is the next-generation general-purpose SSD volume for Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS). With gp3, this software company can provision performance independent of storage capacity at a 20% lower price point per GB than with its existing gp2 volumes. With Lightstream as its trusted partner, the company can count on continued technological innovation and optimization well into the future.
Contact Information
To speak with a representative about having your environment assessed at no cost to you, or to learn more about how Lightstream Cloud Managed Services can help your business successfully migrate to and optimize your cloud environments, visit www.lightstream.tech.
