Unlocking the Full Potential of AWS EBS – Overcoming Cost and Complexity

In a digital-first world, storage efficiency is critical to controlling costs and supporting high performance. Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS), a foundational storage option in the AWS suite, is integral for many businesses but comes with challenges—namely, high costs and complex management. Datafy aims to transform how businesses use EBS, addressing these challenges with a streamlined, automated approach that maximizes both cost efficiency and simplicity for DevOps and FinOps teams.

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The Problem with EBS: Cost and Underutilization  

EBS serves a wide range of use cases by providing scalable block storage solutions, yet a significant issue for most users is under-utilization. Typically, EBS volumes use only about 20% of the storage companies pay for, leaving them bearing the cost of unused resources.due to AWS's limitations and rigidness, which causes companies to over-provision, where users allocate more storage than they need to avoid potential performance lags, adding unnecessary cost.

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As a result, organizations that rely on EBS often overspend and face complex management needs. Overprovisioning also means additional manual interventions and a reactive approach to storage, with DevOps and FinOps teams constantly monitoring, resizing, and adjusting settings to avoid disruptions. This process can create operational friction and ties up valuable resources.

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The Datafy Solution: Streamlining EBS Management to Reduce Overhead and Costs  

Datafy’s approach focuses on expanding the block device toolkit to allow the automation of cost and management challenges. By automating key processes across the EBS lifecycle—like volume allocation, resizing, and backups—Datafy gives teams a streamlined, efficient way to manage their storage without the hassle of manual adjustments.

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Auto-Scaling and Resizing  

Datafy allows users to scale and resize EBS volumes based on actual, current needs, ensuring that resources are allocated only when required. This capability minimizes overprovisioning, allowing businesses to avoid the high costs associated with unused storage.

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Transparency and Visibility  

Datafy’s dashboard offers a clear view of storage usage, allocations, and trends, making it easy for DevOps and FinOps teams to identify opportunities for optimization. With greater visibility, teams can proactively address cost issues and improve storage efficiency.

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Flexible Automation: Tailoring EBS Management to User Needs  

While full automation is ideal, Datafy understands that some companies may want control over specific storage configurations. With Datafy’s platform, users have the flexibility to decide which elements of EBS management to automate, allowing teams to align automation with their specific risk management and operational requirements.

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For instance, businesses can choose to automate volume resizing and backups but retain manual control over other functions. This hybrid approach ensures companies can tailor their storage solutions to their unique needs, relying on automation to handle tedious tasks while maintaining control over critical decisions.

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The Path to Full EBS Automation: Achieving Cost Efficiency and Resource Optimization  

Automating EBS management is no small feat. Datafy has made significant investments in advanced storage optimization and management techniques, going beyond basic automation to create a fully streamlined solution that maximizes cost efficiency and minimizes DevOps workload.

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By automating the EBS lifecycle—from creation to deletion—Datafy frees up DevOps teams, allowing them to focus on strategic projects. At the same time, companies gain greater control over their storage costs, reducing the financial impact of underutilized volumes.

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Navigating Complexity with Simple Solutions

AWS EBS is an essential storage option but comes with significant cost and management burdens. Datafy simplifies EBS management by introducing intelligent automation, customizable workflows, and full visibility. Whether an organization seeks full or partial automation, Datafy provides a practical solution to maximize their storage potential, reduce waste, and control costs. With Datafy, companies can streamline EBS management and allocate resources to growth and innovation, confident that their storage needs are met efficiently.

Interested in learning more about how auto-scaling EBS volumes can optimize your cloud costs? Get in touch today.