22 January 2024
Today was an interesting one. While continuing to find ways of optimizing our cloud compute, i was also involved in a Cyber Security experiment. Cloud resource optimization is not as easy and straightforward as CSPs make it seem. The Azures, Googles, and AWS’s certainly market the idea that optimizing in the cloud involves a few clicks on their respective portals. Agree and click. This is not the case. A lot more analysis and understanding of one’s environment is required before accepting any recommendations by these CSPs.
There are many factors to consider before agreeing and clicking accept or purchase. I’ll expand more on cloud optimization once I’m successful in my goals. I’ve done numerous on-premises optimizations that yielded massive (Rmillions/month) savings across infrastructure platforms. I’m looking to replicate my learnings on-premises to our cloud environment.
Onto the Cyber Security experiment. I was abruptly pulled into a meeting with our Security team. I’ve got a rule; whenever anyone from the Security team calls, drop everything and respond. I really like what they do, simulating real-life situations and then measuring various IT and business responses. It’s a sort of dry-run to align various teams in the event of the ‘real thing’ occurring. In such a scenario, we’d all know exactly what to do.
I’d recommend this practice to all technology departments, no matter your size. Simulate a disaster scenario, and then note all processes, people, technologies involved. Who must do what, who must be notified, who has authority to make tough decisions, who understands the impact, etc.
It was a great day, a busy one, but a great one nonetheless.