Skip to content

Frequently Searched

Tap to search.

Menu

Direct Contact

info@maibornwolff.de
A cloud-shaped formation made of cotton, with neatly arranged objects such as keys, locks, cables, a server cabinet, and a magnifying glass beneath it, set against a blue background

Cloud Analysis

Your cloud is up and running. But no one has calculated for a long time whether it’s delivering value commensurate with its cost.

BMW Group Logo
DeutscheBahn_logo-2
Creditreform Logo
DERTOUR
jochen-schweizer
Dräger Logo
kuka
BMW Group Logo
DeutscheBahn_logo-2
Creditreform Logo
DERTOUR
jochen-schweizer
Dräger Logo
kuka
ProSieben_Logo_2015-2
Mercedes
Volkswagen Logo
DEKRA
stihl
Sonax_logo
Weidmüller logo
Das Logo der Bundesagentur für Arbeit
ProSieben_Logo_2015-2
Mercedes
Volkswagen Logo
DEKRA
stihl
Sonax_logo
Weidmüller logo
Das Logo der Bundesagentur für Arbeit
HomeServicesCloudCloud Analytics

Most people don't really know exactly what's going on in their cloud

The environment has grown over the years. One team has signed up for services, another has created accounts, and in between are projects that no longer exist. At the end of the month, an invoice arrives that no one can trace back to a specific decision.

This is exactly where our cloud analysis comes in. We assess your current environment and examine it from four perspectives: costs, architecture, security, and dependencies. In the end, you’ll receive a list—sorted by impact—of what’s worth changing.

Less Technology. Better Business.

Schedule a free consultation

Why Companies Choose Us for Their Cloud Analysis

Manufacturer-neutral, with no commission

We use your provider's built-in tools for testing, not expensive third-party software from which we would profit through licensing fees.

Those who analyze will build it themselves afterward

What we recommend must stand the test of time in practice, not just on paper. That's why we also evaluate the effort involved.

We also advise against

If a measure isn't cost-effective, we'll say so clearly. In the end, what matters is what lowers your cloud bill—not ours.

Results from more than ten years of practical experience

We have already reduced our customers' cloud costs by 28%, even though their cloud usage has doubled.

What a Cloud Analysis Examines

A cloud analysis is an assessment of a live environment. We examine four areas because, in practice, they cannot be separated: An old decision regarding cloud architecture often ends up costing a lot today.

AreaWhat We're Looking AtWhat usually stands out in this context
CostsResource usage, billing data, tagging, discount modelsInstances that no one needs anymore, and values that no one checks anymore
ArchitectureNetwork Interconnection, Landing Zones, Identities, ScalingEstablished structures that drive up both costs and the risk of failure
Security and ComplianceAccess Rights, Data Classification, Disclosure RequirementsPermissions from projects that were completed long ago
DependenciesData flows, interfaces, dependence on the providerServices whose outage affects more people than expected

Cloud Cost Analysis: Where Your Budget Goes

Costs are usually the biggest factor, and the list price is rarely the determining factor. That is exactly what the cloud cost analysis examines. In practice, five items account for most of the difference between the bill and actual usage:

  • Unused Resources: Instances and storage from completed projects that continue to run and are still being billed.
  • Oversizing: Machines built to handle a peak load that never actually occurred.
  • Data Transfer: Fees incurred when systems communicate with each other across zones, regions, and accounts.
  • Missing tags: Without tags, a position cannot be assigned to a team, a product, or a budget.
  • Unused discount models: Reservations and savings plans that are available for stable base loads but remain unused.

What happens with the findings depends on the scope of implementation. In a supply chain project, cloud operating costs fell by 50%—about €400,000 per year—thanks to consistent FinOps. For a public-sector client, the reduction was 25%, estimated at €130,000 per month.

Our overview of cloud cost optimization outlines the levers available. If the issue extends throughout the entire organization, FinOps consulting is the next step.

Rising beams in a misty, cloud-filled landscape symbolize progress and success in the Cloud Readiness Check
You're not in the cloud yet?

In that case, the issue isn't about taking stock, but rather about whether your systems are suitable for migration.

Start the Cloud Readiness Check

Here's How a Cloud Analysis Works

We work in four phases, and we determine the scope together beforehand. This way, the analysis goes into depth where your questions lie and keeps things brief in all other areas.

Hintergrundbild mit stilisierten Wolken

1. Determine the cut

We determine which accounts, applications, and issues should be included in the analysis and who from IT, Operations, and Finance needs to be involved. This results in a schedule with fixed deadlines rather than an open-ended project timeline.

2. Take inventory

3. Evaluate and Prioritize

4. Submit Results

How to Recognize a Reliable Cloud Analysis Solution

Almost everyone offers cloud assessments these days, from IT service providers to large consulting firms. Four questions distinguish the providers who offer a basis for decision-making from those who simply deliver a report:

Question for every providerOur Response
Is he just checking the bill, or the system behind it?Both. Without the architecture, the calculation only accounts for half the total.
Does he just review data, or does he also talk to your teams?We do both. There isn't much information in any dataset about an established environment.
Does he organize the findings, or does he provide a list of defects?We sort by effort, impact, and risk to establish an order.
Does he earn money from the services he recommends?No. Our recommendation is not tied to any license or commission.

If your environment runs exclusively on AWS, there is a certified option available: As a certified review partner, we assess it against the AWS Well-Architected Framework across its six pillars.

Our References & Projects
See all references

Where Your Cloud Analysis Goes Next

The findings end up where they will be put into practice. The first step you take is determined by the finding with the greatest impact, not by a standard package.

A cloud-like environment with stacked coins, symbolizing cloud cost management.

Cloud Cost Management

We implement the cost findings and establish a management system that works. Right-sizing, tagging, and discount models all work together in this process.

Learn More
A ship sails through a sea of clouds toward the sunset.

Cloud Operations

We handle the day-to-day operations of your environment, from monitoring to support. You decide how much you want to manage yourself.

Learn More
A long bridge leads to a castle by the water; a large pink cloud hovers above it, and in the background, a coastal town lies on the horizon.

Cloud Security Consulting

Security findings are used to create a risk-based, prioritized list of measures, including cost estimates and clear acceptance thresholds.

Learn More
A large moving truck stands in front of dramatically lit clouds; several boxes are stacked both inside the truck and on its cargo bed.

Cloud Migration Service

If a workload is demonstrably incorrect, we take responsibility for moving it. The 5R strategy clarifies in advance what will be moved and what will be reorganized.

Learn More

When Cloud Analysis Is Worth It

Most companies come to us when a problem can no longer be resolved through discussion alone. We see five common scenarios in these cases:

  • The bill is growing faster than usage. The budget is increasing without anyone being able to specify what's being provided in return.

  • Multi-cloud has evolved organically, not by design. Multiple providers, multiple accounts, no common rules.

  • A switch to a different provider is on the table. In that case, the first step is to determine how strong the commitment to the current provider is.

  • Regulatory requirements are increasing the pressure. NIS2 tightens security obligations, while the EU Data Act makes it easier to switch providers. Both require that you understand your dependencies.
  • No one can keep track of everything anymore. This is the most common reason—and, in our experience, the most expensive one.

In practice, it is rare for only one of these situations to apply.

Two people are working together on a laptop in a bright, modern office with large windows.
The result is a list, not a guess.

The cloud analysis shows what needs to be done first and what can wait.

Schedule an Initial Consultation

Frequently Asked Questions About Cloud Analysis

  • How much does a cloud analysis cost at MaibornWolff?

    A cloud analysis typically costs between €30,000 and €50,000, depending on the size of the environment. That is often exactly the amount our customers end up saving in a single month. We work with you to determine the scope—that is, the number of accounts, applications, and level of detail—in advance.

  • How long does a cloud analysis take?

    The cost analysis alone—that is, the assessment of immediate cost-saving opportunities—takes three to four weeks for us to complete. If architecture, security, and dependencies are also involved, the duration depends on the size of the environment and, above all, on the availability of your contacts. We therefore work with you to establish the timeline in advance.

  • What access rights does MaibornWolff need to perform a cloud analysis?

    For a cloud analysis, read-only access to your billing data and the relevant accounts is sufficient. We operate under an NDA and in accordance with applicable data protection regulations; if you have more stringent requirements, we will also comply with your own. MaibornWolff is ISO 27001-certified and maintains its own ISMS.

  • Which cloud platforms does MaibornWolff use?

    MaibornWolff analyzes environments across all cloud providers, even if they have evolved to span multiple providers. For AWS, Microsoft Azure, and STACKIT, we also have existing partnerships that open up additional opportunities for us. We are not tied to any of them: Your use case determines which platform is the best fit.

  • How does MaibornWolff implement the findings from its cloud analysis?

    Implementation is carried out using Infrastructure as Code to ensure that every change remains traceable and repeatable. Depending on the platform, we use Terraform or OpenTofu, Bicep, Pulumi, and Crossplane—that is, declarative or imperative approaches. We also write code in Python, Shell, and Go, depending on the project’s requirements.

  • What happens after the cloud analysis?

    After the cloud analysis , you decide what to do with the findings. A follow-up engagement is not a requirement; it is important to us to remain objective and not to document findings solely to secure the next engagement. For implementation, we offer a model—upon request—in which our fee is tied to the savings achieved.