With a strong emphasis on data integration and addressing the complexity of cloud-native technologies, Apptio Inc.’s cost optimization strategy focuses on providing companies with comprehensive insights into their cloud spending to optimize investments rather than merely cutting costs.

“As engineers now have the ability to procure without having to go through IT, without having to go through procurement, it’s really changed the game,” Strauss said. “It’s also provided some additional risk. Now, all of a sudden, you’re billed by the second or by the millisecond, and these workloads can spike incredibly fast. Having some controls in place and understanding how the developers and the financial aspects come together, that’s really the premise of FinOps.”

Strauss spoke with industry analyst John Furrier in advance of the AWS “Savings in the Cloud” event, during an exclusive interview on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio. They discussed the latest in Apptio’s cloud cost optimization efforts and the company’s multi-billion-dollar acquisition by IBM. (* Disclosure below.)

Apptio’s strategy with cloud optimization

Apptio’s strategy centers on providing its customers with an in-depth understanding of their total cloud spending, enabling them to optimize investments rather than simply cutting costs. As the cloud technology landscape continues to evolve, Apptio is well-positioned to continue leading the way in FinOps, helping organizations navigate the complexity of cloud costs and ultimately optimize their investments, according to Strauss.

“Looking at actual telemetry data, looking at the actual products and customers, what we call unit economics, really being able to understand … I’m actually able to service my customers at a cost per unit less expensive today than it was six months ago or 12 months ago,” he said.

Apptio also focuses on data integration, which has emerged as a critical aspect of managing cloud resources. The advent of cloud-native technologies, such as artificial intelligence and containerization, has created another layer of complexity in parsing the massive amounts of data.

“As folks have started to adopt public cloud, we start seeing these bills come in with tens of millions of rows of data on a daily basis,” Strauss said. “Now the challenge is how do I parse that data? Folks have gotten better at that over time and they’ve started to solve that challenge.”

Reflecting on Apptio’s journey, Strauss believes the company’s focus on a culture of accountability and a strong understanding of data challenges have played key roles in its success.

“When that process and that people portion comes together, that’s where the technology is really able to shine,” he said.

Here’s theCUBE’s complete video interview with Jonathan Strauss:

(* Disclosure: Apptio Inc. sponsored this segment of theCUBE. Neither Apptio nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

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