Managing Data and Analytics Cloud Costs with the Denodo Platform’s FinOps Capabilities
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As data and analytics workloads grow, so do cloud costs, which can add up to some of the largest expenditures in modern organizations. Escalating costs from data storage, compute-intensive queries, and egress fees have turned cloud cost management into a strategic priority. However, cost management isn’t just about saving money; it’s about maximizing the value of data investments. This is where Denodo’s logical approach to data management—enabling a logical data fabric between all data consumers and sources—unlocks new opportunities to both optimize costs and drive data-driven business outcomes.

The Challenge of Data and Analytics in the Cloud

Organizations are increasingly moving to the cloud for data and analytics, drawn by the promise of scalability and flexibility. However, this shift often brings challenges, such as ballooning costs associated with storing multiple copies of data, running complex queries, and paying egress fees whenever data moves across cloud boundaries. Additionally, when data is distributed across multiple clouds and on-premises systems, gaining visibility into who’s using which data—and at what cost—becomes complex.

In this environment, a logical data fabric provides the necessary oversight and control to manage patterns in data usage without sacrificing accessibility. Positioned between data consumers and data sources, logical data fabric enables organizations to gather key insights into data usage across their cloud landscape. The Denodo Platform’s data integration capabilities also enable these insights to be shared with BI, analytics, and cloud cost management optimization (CCMO) tools, improving FinOps control. In this post, I’ll show how the Denodo Platform can support each of the three core FinOps areas: 

  1. Inform: Building a foundation of visibility and accountability.
  2. Optimize and Operate: Reducing costs while maintaining performance.
  3. Integrate and Scale: Enabling seamless FinOps across complex data environments.

Inform

The Denodo Platform’s FinOps capabilities begin with visibility. Through the Denodo Monitor, organizations can gain granular insights into data usage patterns, logging key metrics such as query execution times, data volumes transferred, and details about data consumers. This visibility enables organizations to track usage across departments and users, providing essential insights that support accountability and help highlight where additional enablement efforts may be beneficial, to increase adoption.

Beyond cost tracking, the Denodo Platform provides organizations with insights into how data and analytics tools are used across teams. This enables decision-makers to better align data investments with user needs and identify opportunities for further enablement.

Optimize and Operate

Once organizations have visibility into data usage, they can start to optimize resources to minimize cloud expenses, without sacrificing performance. The Denodo Platform supports this through intelligent caching, query acceleration, and push-down operations. The Denodo Query Optimizer minimizes compute resource usage by reducing redundant queries and data scans, so organizations use resources only as needed.

This optimization extends beyond compute to help manage egress and storage needs. By leveraging a logical data management approach, the Denodo Platform enables access to data across clouds without needing to physically move that data, significantly reducing egress charges. With the Denodo Monitor, organizations canestablish query scope controls and enforce data access limits, all while maintaining seamless data flow for end users. These capabilities empower organizations to maintain optimal performance while keeping cloud costs manageable.

Integrate and Scale

In complex data landscapes that span multiple clouds and on-premises systems, the Denodo Platform’s FinOps insights can be directly leveraged, within the platform, through built-in dashboards, for instant visibility without additional tools. The  Denodo Platform seamlessly integrates with third-party dashboards, BI tools, and CCMO solutions, for a flexible, powerful approach to data management across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.

The Denodo Platform’s ability to scale and integrate FinOps insights can be particularly valuable to enterprises with extensive data ecosystems. By connecting the Denodo Platform’s insights with existing cost-monitoring frameworks, organizations can extend FinOps practices across departments, breaking down silos and enabling a cross-functional approach to usage optimization. This scalability supports organizations as they grow and evolve, so they always have the right tools to effectively manage cloud-related data usage, no matter how complex their data environment becomes.

Beyond Cost Savings: Unlocking Insights to Drive Adoption and Engagement

While FinOps is often associated with resource optimization, the Denodo Platform’s FinOps dashboards provide value beyond financial metrics. By tracking user interactions, organizations can gain insights into how data and analytics tools are being adopted across teams. These dashboards highlight user engagement patterns, helping to identify departments or teams that may need additional enablement or support.

For organizations seeking to fully embrace the modern data stack, these insights can be invaluable. They enable IT and data leaders to engage with underutilized user groups, tailor enablement strategies, and drive adoption across the organization. In this way, the Denodo Platform’s FinOps capabilities not only optimize data usage but also help create a data culture that maximizes the value of data investments.

Denodo as a Strategic Partner in Cloud Cost Management

The rising costs of data and analytics in the cloud require a strategic approach that goes beyond simple cost-cutting. The Denodo Platform provides organizations with the necessary visibility, optimization, and integration, so they can effectively manage cloud-related data usage. With the Denodo Platform, organizations gain a foundation for enhanced cost control, accountability, and adoption across their data landscape.

By implementing the Denodo Platform’s FinOps capabilities, organizations can transform cloud data management into a strategic asset, empowering teams to deliver on business objectives while optimizing cloud resources. To learn more, visit the FinOps page on denodo.com.

Kevin Bohan
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