The path to cloud best practice in 2025

Muggie van Staden, MD and CEO, Obsidian Systems. (Image: Obsidian Systems)

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There is little arguing about the fact that cloud technology has reshaped the business landscape in South Africa. Cloud adoption, migration and modernisation have become commonplace as organisations across industry sectors look to optimise their environments to deliver sustainable growth. As thoughts turn to 2025, decision-makers must consider how to further adapt their cloud strategies to benefit from advanced technologies.

Cloud adoption is driven by the continued demand for speed and scalability. Businesses today require faster delivery of services, and cloud infrastructure provides a flexible foundation to achieve that. A significant advantage of going the cloud route is that it enables organisations to easily scale specific applications to meet business demands.

Of course, the cloud should never be seen as a silver bullet. It is important to recognise that the cloud works best for certain workloads, especially those requiring significant scalability. However, there are still cases where traditional infrastructures make more sense. Choosing the right tool for the job is essential, and in many situations, the cloud is the answer for those who need massive scalability.

A growing concern is the potential for sprawling costs. As businesses scale their cloud environments, costs can increase unexpectedly. Without proper management, the dynamic nature of cloud billing (where expenses fluctuate based on usage) can quickly spiral out of control. This is where cloud management and billing services become critical. By implementing managed services, organisations can gain greater visibility into their cloud consumption, helping them track, manage and optimise costs more effectively.

Luckily, we have moved beyond the early concerns around security and compliance. Today, the focus has shifted towards ensuring the business case for cloud adoption is solid, rather than questioning its safety or legality.

Many businesses still struggle with the cultural shift required when it comes to cloud adoption. Cloud technologies demand a new way of thinking. Typically, it is difficult for teams who are used to on-premises environments to grasp all the changes that the cloud will bring. For instance, the concept of ephemeral servers, which may exist for only a few hours before being shut down, can be quite difficult to understand.

Adapting to this mindset shift is a key part of the journey. It is not just about technology. Rather, it is also about people and operations. Companies must create new roles focused on cost optimisation. In a cloud environment, costs can change dynamically. This means that organisations need to constantly monitor and optimise expenses to avoid surprises – a significant departure from the traditional capex model, where costs are more predictable and fixed.

Another challenge is relinquishing control over certain aspects of the organisational infrastructure. When a business moves to the cloud, it needs to trust its cloud provider to handle critical elements like networking. This requires a shift in thinking especially for businesses who have traditionally managed every aspect of their on-premises systems.

But the cloud-driven world is not all smooth sailing. Energy costs are a growing concern for data centres and cloud providers. Given how important the drive for sustainability has become, many cloud providers and large data centres are more focused than ever on net-zero energy consumption. By generating electricity through more sustainable methods, these providers are addressing both environmental and cost concerns.

Additionally, advances in energy-efficient hardware are helping reduce power consumption across data centres. This shift towards sustainability centres on making sure this mission-critical architecture is more efficient and cost-effective.

As we head towards 2025, cloud adoption will continue to evolve, driven by the need for speed, scalability and sustainability. However, businesses must approach this shift with a deep understanding of their unique organisational requirements and remain cognisant of the cultural and operational changes required. By embracing these shifts and leveraging the right technologies, we can ensure that the cloud becomes a strategic enabler for growth in the years to come. For businesses looking to take control of their cloud environments, managing costs and optimising operations, it is crucial to have visibility into every part of your cloud infrastructure. Explore how observability can help you achieve that by visiting Smarter.Tech for Observability.