What Is Cloud Workload Analysis? Benefits & Use Cases

Businesses of all shapes and sizes continue to flock to the cloud. As they do, each faces unique challenges – and opportunities. Some have legacy applications and on-premises servers that must be migrated and modernized. Some have off-site data storage and disaster recovery solutions that may need a new home. 

Every starting point in a journey to the cloud is unique. And every eventual utilization of the cloud will be individual as well.

Because each digital transformation is unique, the path along the way is more complex than flipping a switch. Therefore, different starting points and desired outcomes make comprehensive planning and a sound strategy imperative. 

Planning for and executing a migration from traditional infrastructure to a cloud environment is not for the faint of heart. Furthermore, for several reasons, some workloads already in the cloud need to migrate to other cloud deployments.

This is where a cloud workload analysis comes into play.

Table of Contents:

• What is a Cloud Workload Analysis?
• The Business Impact of Cloud Deployments and Workloads
• Benefits of a Cloud Workload Analysis
• Cloud Workload Analysis Use Cases
• Preparing for a Cloud Workload Analysis
• Partner with Liquid Web

What Is a Cloud Workload Analysis?

A cloud workload analysis examines and understands the specific demands that a cloud-based application places on infrastructure. By understanding the unique demands of a cloud-based application, companies can ensure that their existing computing infrastructure can support the application and avoid potential performance issues. Additionally, a cloud workload analysis can help inform decisions about whether or not to migrate an existing application to the cloud.

Whether you are considering a new deployment or a migration between clouds, a cloud workload analysis can help you make more informed decisions about which platform and services to choose. It can also help optimize the performance of your applications within the cloud environment so that you get the most value out of your investment. By identifying potential bottlenecks or performance issues in advance, you can avoid costly downtime and other problems down the road. 

If you're looking for ways to better leverage the power of the cloud for your business, consider utilizing a cloud workload analysis to inform your decision-making process.

The Business Impact of Cloud Deployments and Workloads

To best understand the use cases and benefits of a cloud workload analysis, it is essential to understand the impact of cloud workloads on a business in the first place. 

A cloud workload is a term that describes the processing and storage requirements of a particular task or application. This can include an ERP or web application, a system recovery tool, or a supply chain and logistics application. Anything requiring some combination of computation and storage can be seen through the lens of a cloud workload.

The impact of cloud workloads on a business can be significant. By moving applications and data to the cloud, companies can reduce costs, improve performance, and increase efficiency. Additionally, the cloud provides several benefits that can help businesses grow, including scalability, agility, and flexibility.

The impact of cloud workloads on a business's customers can also be significant. Customers like to feel performance improvements of applications. In many cases, customers are the ones who directly benefit from the cost savings associated with cloud deployment. In some cases, they may also be the ones who pay for access to specific applications or data sets that live in the cloud.

Benefits of a Cloud Workload Analysis

There are many benefits to performing a cloud workload analysis:

Save Money

The most obvious benefit is that it can help you save money by identifying areas where your resources are being wasted. Optimizing your cloud spending is not just good for business but also for performance. Customers expect high-performing sites and applications, so directing your investments to the right places is key to succeeding.

Improve Performance

In addition, a cloud workload analysis can also help you improve your performance by identifying bottlenecks and other issues impacting your efficiency. A cloud workload analysis will detail what needs to improve in your infrastructure to get the highest version possible. Cloud deployments can be complicated, and sprawl can be a real issue. Your analysis should uncover areas of opportunity to improve performance.

Provide Insights

Furthermore, a cloud workload analysis can help you make better decisions about your cloud migration by providing insights into how your current system is performing and what changes may need to be made to support a move to the cloud. If you are looking to update or upgrade your cloud, an analysis will show the areas of most significant potential impact for any future cloud deployments.

Cloud Workload Analysis Use Cases

There are many different use cases for cloud workload analysis. For example, businesses considering migrating their applications or data to the cloud can benefit from a cloud workload analysis. An analysis can inform decision-makers about services or infrastructure that best suits their needs. Organizations that want to optimize their existing cloud infrastructure may also find value in a cloud workload analysis. In this case, it can help them identify areas where resources can be reallocated or eliminated.

There are many different use cases for cloud workload analysis. Some of the most common include the following:

Cloud Migration

Cloud Migration is the process of moving an existing workload or application to a public or private cloud platform. Cloud migration can be complex and time-consuming. Therefore, it is important to understand the specific needs of the workload before making any decisions.

Cloud Integration

Cloud integration is about incorporating a cloud-based workload into an existing IT infrastructure. This may involve migrating data to the cloud, synchronizing data between on-premises and cloud platforms, or integrating a public cloud workload with an internal system.

Choosing Infrastructure

A cloud workload analysis can be instructive in understanding the most efficient and effective cloud deployments for an application or set of applications. Examining and understanding what components are needed - how much processing power, how much storage, etc. - will help a cloud architect design and deploy the proper cloud infrastructure for an application.

Performance Optimization

Performance optimization is the process of identifying and addressing performance issues in a cloud-based workload. This may involve analyzing resource usage patterns, monitoring latency and response times, or tuning database settings.

Cost Optimization

Regarding cloud workload analysis, cost optimization is a crucial factor to consider. By understanding the specific demands that a cloud-based application places on infrastructure, businesses can identify areas where they can save money by optimizing their resources. 

For example, suppose an organization determines that a particular cloud-based application requires a high-powered CPU but only a small amount of storage. In that case, they may reduce costs by allocating fewer resources to the CPU and more resources to the storage.

Additionally, businesses can save money by taking advantage of cloud services that offer discounted rates for high-volume usage.

Scaling Resources

A cloud workload analysis is a great way to uncover where bursts and high-traffic incidents most often occur. In complex hosting environments, it can be hard to pinpoint precisely where in the tech stack there was a failure in the event of downtime caused by traffic surges. Analyzing traffic and usage patterns across your infrastructure will show where your cloud deployment shows vulnerability. This identification informs where to scale resources.

Traffic Segmentation to Improve Security

One way to improve the security of your environment is to segment traffic. Whether as a mitigation measure for a potential DDoS attack or as a way to route nefarious traffic away from production infrastructure, the ability to segment traffic brings myriad benefits.

Analyzing your cloud workloads can show where such traffic is happening and inform the routing measures you should be taking. Isolating and either rerouting or blocking this traffic improves security for the entire environment. And a more secure environment enhances the experience for customers and employees alike. 

Downtime Reduction

As mentioned, reducing downtime is a crucial benefit of a cloud workload analysis. In this case, any downtime or performance degradation incident can be identified by analyzing where cloud resources are allocated. Think of the analysis as a well-being check of the environment. A properly conducted cloud workload analysis will uncover potential problems and improvement areas.

Preparing for a Cloud Workload Analysis

With so many use cases for cloud workload analysis, it can take time to know where to start. One of the best ways to begin is by collecting data about your existing resources. This includes how they are mapped to business processes and their expected performance under various conditions. Additionally, it is essential to be aware of common pitfalls in cloud workload analysis, such as failing to consider all relevant factors or needing more adequate data available. 

Here are some fundamental questions to ask in preparation for a cloud workload analysis:

• How much data do we have on hand?
• What is the workload's average response time?
• What are the peak hours for this application?
• Which CPUs and memory configurations are being used currently?
• What other applications or services share resources with this application?
• Are any specific regions or zones needed for optimal performance?
• What is the maximum amount of traffic that can be processed without issue?
• What are our current costs, and how do they fluctuate?
• Are there any compliance or regulatory requirements we need to take into account?

By taking these steps and working with an experienced cloud workload analysis provider, you can optimize your public or private cloud deployment.

Partner With Liquid Web

You can successfully optimize your cloud infrastructure with the right tools and expertise. When performed correctly, a cloud workload analysis can be a precious tool for businesses that want to improve their efficiency or migrate to the cloud. By taking the time to understand your current workload and identify areas of improvement, you can make sure that your transition to the cloud is as smooth and successful as possible.

Once you've completed your analysis, Liquid Web can help you make decisions about your infrastructure. From the versatility of the public cloud to the improved security and customization of a private cloud, your analysis can inform the next best steps for your business.

Contact us to learn more about how Liquid Web's professional services team can unlock your cloud potential with a cloud workload analysis. From public cloud to private cloud, Liquid Web can help. The Most Helpful Humans In Hosting® have helped hundreds of companies with their cloud deployments and would be eager to lend you a hand.