Cost is THE topic to focus on in today’s economic climate. Businesses of all sizes are constantly on the lookout for ways to lower costs and maximize the value of every dollar spent.
The world is evolving. Traditional cost-saving techniques such as rightsizing and reserved instances, while still effective, tend to have a limited and one-dimensional focus. To truly navigate the ever-changing landscape, it’s essential to adopt a more holistic approach towards cost savings.
Now, imagine a whole new perspective. One that not only saves cloud costs but also enhances your application performance and developer velocity! In this blog, I will delve into a range of App Modernization strategies that often go unmentioned in discussions about AWS cost savings. And if you’re wondering which strategy will be the best fit for your business, then Cloudelligent is here to assist through our Application Modernization solutions.
- Serverless Architectures to Offload Infrastructure Management
- Kubernetes for Seamless Container Orchestration
- Event-Driven Architectures for Enhanced User Experiences
- Automate Everything to Accelerate Innovation
- 15-Factor App Methodology for Portability and Resilience
- Cloud Storage Optimization
- AI and ML to Add Intelligence
Strategy 1: Leverage Serverless Architectures to Offload Infrastructure Management
The true magic of serverless architectures lies in its ability to eliminate the complexities associated with provisioning, managing, and scaling servers. Just imagine not having to worry about infrastructure and scaling, because AWS does that for you! This not only frees up valuable time but also significantly reduces costs as you only pay for the resources actually consumed.
You can integrate an array of serverless services with your applications to enhance overall operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness. AWS Lambda for executing code without managing servers, Amazon API Gateway for creating and managing APIs, Amazon DynamoDB for scalable NoSQL databases, and Amazon S3 for object storage. The possibilities are endless!
Figure 1: Serverless Architecture Pattern for Global Applications
Go Serverless and transform your applications with our AWS Serverless solutions.
Strategy 2: Use Kubernetes for Seamless Container Orchestration
Enter Kubernetes, the powerhouse of container orchestration. Picture this. Your applications orchestrated like a symphony, each component playing in perfect harmony! They run on a fleet of containers that can effortlessly scale, adapt across various environments, and autonomously recover from failures.
Kubernetes can also help you reduce costs by optimizing resource utilization and avoiding over-provisioning. You can access the latest features and Kubernetes updates, as well as the support and expertise through the large open-source community.
Figure 2: Architecture Pattern of Local Clusters for Amazon EKS on AWS Outposts
Harness the full power of App Modernization with our Kubernetes Acceleration solutions.
Strategy 3: Implement Event-Driven Architectures for Enhanced User Experiences
What if your applications could anticipate your customers’ every need, respond in real-time, and seamlessly adapt to their actions? Event-driven architectures (EDAs) make this a reality and can be a powerful way to improve customer experiences. They are based on the principle of loose coupling, where components communicate with each other by publishing and subscribing to events.
By leveraging services such as Amazon EventBridge, AWS Lambda, Amazon Simple Notification Service (SNS), and Amazon Simple Queue Service (SQS), you can create a responsive, scalable ecosystem where applications respond dynamically to various events.
Figure 3: Event-Driven Architecture Pattern for Domain Consistency
Here’s the best part. EDAs go beyond enhancing user experiences; they’re a cost-effective, intelligent way to streamline processes and create an environment that’s not just user-centric but budget conscious. For example, an EDA could automatically scale up the number of instances of a microservice when demand is high, and scale them down when demand is low.
Strategy 4: Automate Everything to Accelerate Innovation
In a world where every second counts, what if you could streamline delivery, improve application quality, and cut down costs – all with a single masterstroke? That’s exactly what Automation can do. By automating your entire application lifecycle, from development to deployment, you can free up your teams to focus on more strategic initiatives. Additionally, automation can help your business to improve efficiency and accuracy, which leads to further cost savings.
Here are a few tips to accelerate your App Modernization journey:
Strategy 5: Follow the 15-Factor App Methodology for Portability and Resilience
In the quest for App Modernization and cost reduction, one powerful strategy that often gets overlooked is embracing the 15-Factor App Methodology. First crafted by Heroku and now widely adopted, it establishes a set of best practices for building scalable and resilient software. The primary focus is on principles such as declarative configurations, backing services, and stateless processes that enable applications to seamlessly transition between different environments.
Figure 4: Diagram Showing the Components of 15-Factor App Methodology
By adhering to the 15-Factor principles, you not only ensure your applications are agile and resilient but also foster a cost-conscious environment. They streamline deployment, reduce development time, ensure maximum utilization of cloud resources, and minimize operational overhead. It’s all about future-proofing your apps while keeping your budget in check.
Strategy 6: Optimize Your Cloud Storage
As businesses expand and generate copious amounts of data, the financial weight of maintaining vast storage repositories becomes increasingly difficult. Storage costs often reign supreme as the silent but troublesome culprits that can steadily devour your budget. What’s the solution? The answer lies in optimizing your cloud storage. With this strategy, you’re not just trimming monthly bills but also ensuring that your applications continue to perform at their peak.
To make the most of your cloud storage for App Modernization, you have many options:
Strategy 7: Infuse AI and ML Into Your Apps to Add Intelligence
Perhaps the most revolutionary application modernization strategy is the use of AI and ML, particularly with the rise of Generative AI. You can add intelligence, automation, and personalization to your applications such as chatbots, recommendations, image recognition, natural language processing, and so much more. The result? Enhanced efficiency and lower operational expenses!
Think Amazon SageMaker and Amazon Bedrock to make your apps smarter and leaner. With SageMaker’s robust ML capabilities and Bedrock’s seamless operationalization of AI solutions, you’ll be equipped to fine-tune your applications for maximum cost-efficiency.
Ready to Jumpstart Your App Modernization Journey on AWS?
Take your applications into the future with our seasoned team. As an AWS Advanced Consulting Partner, Cloudelligent has been a driving force behind many successful cloud modernization projects. Connect with us for a FREE Application Modernization Assessment to transform your application and curtail your AWS cost.
