FinOps for data infrastructure: complex storage optimization on GCP
A multi-year over-commitment corrected on storage volumes deemed unoptimizable. Strategic re-platforming delivering substantial immediate savings.
01 Challenges and context
Context and strategic stakes
Within its Multi-Cloud environment, this industrial group faced a profitability crisis regarding its Google Cloud bill. The company had entered into a firm multi-year financial commitment (a 3-year CUD) for vast storage capacities. However, this commitment was generating nearly 30 dollars in losses per operating hour due to massive over-provisioning. The irony was that both the hyperscaler and internal operational teams considered this scope fixed and "already optimized." The FinOps team's mission was to prove that an expert interpretation of billing rules could unlock the situation.
02 Work carried out
Approach and methodology
Our analysts disregarded preconceived notions and deconstructed the provider's contractual billing rules. The audit highlighted a major misunderstanding: cold storage capacity (capacity generated by auto-tiering) and backup footprints were not included in the calculation base eligible for the CUD discount. This technical misalignment explained the financial hemorrhage, as the commitment was for a resource type that was no longer actively consumed.
03 Outcomes achieved
Results and indicators
27,000 $
Monthly OPEX reduction
35 $
Hourly over-commitment cost eliminated
100 $
Hourly waste eliminated
Net performance: 27,000 dollars in monthly OPEX reduction on the GCP storage budget line alone.
Rationalization: 20,000 dollars saved per month by adjusting cold storage, 5,000 dollars on backups, and 2,000 dollars on replication bandwidth.
Contractual Efficiency: Elimination of sterile over-commitment that cost the client 35 dollars per hour, demonstrating the undeniable ROI of the FinOps function.