CloudVertical today opened public access to its Cloud Analytics platform. Initially the service is targeted at users of Amazon Web Services, and more providers as well as tools deeper into the stack will be added over the coming weeks.
The service was born out of frustration with the current state of cost and usage information available from Cloud platforms and tools. While AWS and services like it have been lauded as a godsend for startups and enterprises alike for their ability to enable projects at near zero cost and without sacrificing scalability, the untold story is that of costs spiralling out of control, massive server sprawl (servers being created but not shut off when no longer needed) and big surprises at the end of the month when a bill arrives.
”We created CloudVertical initially as an internal tool we called ‘houdini’ because it was like magic when we got some usable information on our Cloud costs and usage! It turns out we’re not the only ones who have this problem – we’ve been working with 500 beta customers for the past 6 months – and we universally hear that they are not happy with how well they are informed about their Cloud use. Other tools are great at telling you certain bits of information – but no one is matching up the data and showing you where and why your money is being spent.” says Ed Byrne, CEO
With CloudVertical, users get a dashboard style view of their Cloud. There are no agents to install, users just connect their existing services, and the application immediately starts providing useful data. Widgets such as cost per server, cost by service type, cost by period, are automatically displayed. Users also receive a weekly email snapshot that shows the cost total, and a breakdown per day by service, with a comparison to the previous week.
Jonathan Siegel of RightVentures, a veteran of web businesses and the Cloud, and a customer, says “We see important, actionable data from all our existing providers: dashboards, alerts and smart reports. Not only is it awesome and insightful–it’s the most mesmerizing piece of glass in our building.”
“We have a vision of bridging the gap between the business team and the IT team. IT has traditionally always been hard to manage and communicate a standard set of reports – we think we can fix that.”
During the beta phase the service is free – to signup or learn more about managing your Cloud – go to www.cloudvertical.com or email ed.byrne@cloudvertical.com
