WNiCF - Interview with Rich Gibbons about SaaS, FinOps and ITAM

Send us a textIn this interview with Nic Guerra, the unortodox accountant, Stephen an Frank learn about a new type of accounting...cost accounting. Frank never heard the term before.  The biggest learning: cost is proactive. The conversation delves into the critical distinction between cost and spend, emphasizing the need for a deeper analysis of variances in financial management. It highlights the importance of recognizing inefficiencies as opportunities for improvement, particularly in the context of cloud computing and resource allocation.TakeawaysCost is not the same as a spend.There shouldn't be a taboo about inefficiencies.Understanding variances can lead to better financial decisions.Financial management requires a nuanced understanding of costs.

Send us a textIn this episode of What's New in Cloud FinOps, hosts SteveO and Frank discuss the latest updates from the TBM conference, then moving on to their usual FinOps news, with many AWS news: new EC2 instances, cost management innovations, and sustainability initiatives in cloud services. They explore the implications of Lambda billing changes, real-time bidding technology, and the evolving landscape of cloud financial management training. Chapters00:00 Introduction and Conference Insights02:07 AWS News Highlights06:45 New EC2 Instances and Performance Improvements10:41 Data Management and Optimization Tools14:07 Storage Innovations and Cost Efficiency18:34 Capacity Management and Kubernetes Integration21:57 Pricing Changes and Licensing Optimization27:39 Emerging Technologies and Cost Savings28:46 AWS RTB Fabric for Real-Time Advertising30:50 AWS Service Availability Updates33:19 Sunsetting AWS Services34:41 Amazon Q Developer: Cost Management Tool38:27 Kronos 2: Advanced Forecasting Model39:20 Upcoming FinOps Sessions at reInvent 202541:30 GCP Anomaly Detection Features43:19 Azure's Environmental Sustainability Features44:54 AWS Customer Carbon Footprint Tool Update46:21 New FinOps Training Courses

Send us a textIn this episode of What's New in Cloud FinOps, Stephen Old and Frank discuss the latest updates in cloud computing, including AWS Outposts' integration with third-party storage, new Amazon EC2 Mac instances, Azure's managed services, and Google Cloud VM Engine updates. They also explore pricing changes in Azure, the deprecation of Azure Machine Learning data labeling, and the introduction of new metrics in software development. The conversation highlights the importance of sustainability in cloud services and concludes with reflections on the podcast's five-year anniversary.TakeawaysAWS Outposts now supports third-party storage integration with Dell and HPE.Amazon EC2 introduces new Mac instances for developers.Azure managed services now include Grafana dashboards at no extra cost.Google Cloud VM Engine V1 SKUs are now end of sale.Azure UltraDisk pricing has been reduced significantly in specific regions.Azure Machine Learning data labeling will be deprecated by 2026.AWS Transform Assessment helps visualize storage migration benefits.New cost to serve software metric introduced by AWS.Cortex Framework now deploys sustainability modules for SAP.AWS Lambda cold start billing changes will take effect in 2025.

Send us a textShort episode packed with so many ideas and thoughts. In this episode, Frank Contrepois and Stephen Old engage in a thought-provoking discussion with Erik Norman about the principles of FinOps, particularly focusing on the Iron Triangle of project management. They explore the limitations of the Iron Triangle, emphasizing the importance of quality and speed in achieving project goals. The conversation also highlights the necessity of education in cloud engineering, the challenges of serverless architectures, and the misconceptions surrounding vendor lock-in in cloud solutions. The episode is rich with insights and practical advice for professionals in the FinOps and cloud engineering space.TakeawaysThe Iron Triangle is useful but has limited applicability.Quality and speed can coexist without sacrificing cost efficiency.Education is crucial for optimizing cloud costs.Serverless architectures may not always be the most efficient choice.Vendor lock-in is often misunderstood; it exists in many forms.Effective communication between teams is essential for project success.Prioritization in FinOps should consider urgency and importance.Hackathons can foster innovation and efficiency in engineering teams.Cloud-native tools can simplify legacy migration processes.Continuous learning and adaptation are key in cloud environments.

Send us a textIn this episode of What's New in Cloud FinOps, hosts SteveO and Frank discuss the latest advancements in cloud FinOps, including Amazon's new EC2 P6EGB200 Ultra Servers, cloud migration strategies, and innovations in data management and storage. They also explore cost management techniques, pricing changes, and the impact of AI on troubleshooting and monitoring. The conversation wraps up with a call for engaging discussions with listeners.

Send us a textIn this episode, Frank and SteveO cover the latest cloud updates that matter for FinOps practitioners:Compute & AI: AWS launches the P6e GB200 Ultra Servers, delivering record-breaking GPU performance for training and inference at trillion-parameter scale. Google announces FlexStart VMs to lower inference costs, while Azure rolls out free AWS-to-Azure Blob migration.Storage & Data: Google introduces editable backup plans, and AWS adds tagging support for S3 Express One Zone—a step toward using tags as operational levers, not just reporting tools.Visibility & Optimization: AWS Transform enhances EBS cost analysis and .NET modernization insights. GCP improves billing exports with spend-based CUD metadata in BigQuery and previews a Cost Explorer for better spend tracking.Pricing & Commitments: AWS Connect introduces per-day pricing for external voice connectors. Google expands flexible CUDs to cover Cloud Run services, with full migration to the new model coming in January 2026.Savings & Compliance: Azure Firewall adds ingestion-time log transformations to cut monitoring costs. AWS Audit Manager improves evidence collection, reducing compliance overhead and spend.AI-assisted Operations: AWS debuts MCP servers for S3 Tables, CloudWatch, and Application Signals—enabling AI-driven data access, troubleshooting, and observability. Plus, QuickSight doubles SPICE datasets to 2B rows.As always, we cut through the noise to focus on the FinOps impact—cost, commitments, compliance, and the growing role of AI in managing the cloud.

Send us a textJoin us, Stephen Old and Frank Contrepois as we valiantly record the June 2025 news episode of “What’s New in Cloud FinOps"; this time, indoors and largely free of wildlife interruptions. In this news-packed update, we tackle the latest cloud cost and optimisation news from AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.Expect witty repartee as we dissect everything from Azure’s flexible memory to Google’s enhanced forecasting models, and even the curious case of the disappearing Microsoft Focus 1.2 schema. Along the way, you’ll learn about Athena’s improved query result management, Dataproc’s zero-scale clusters, and the existential dread of forgotten EBS snapshots.Whether you’re a FinOps expert, a cloud enthusiast, or simply enjoy hearing two experts try to outdo each other (and occasionally their own tech), this episode is your monthly dose of cloud cost clarity; with a side of British sarcasm. Tune in for news, numbers, and the occasional existential crisis.

Send us a textIn this conversation, Frank Contrepois, Stephen Old, and Rich Gibbons explore the complexities of Software as a Service (SaaS) along with Financial Operations (FinOps) and IT Asset Management (ITAM). They talk about how software licensing has evolved and the challenges of managing SaaS consumption. Security and data management in a SaaS setting are also discussed. The conversation highlights the different views of ITAM and FinOps on SaaS. They consider how SaaS affects procurement models and the future of collaboration between these areas.

Send us a textIn this episode of What's New in Cloud FinOps, Stephen Old and Frank Contrepois talk about the latest in cloud computing in May 2025. They focus on Azure, AWS, and GCP. They share their experiences at FinOps X (FOX) and discuss new features and public previews. They also explore topics like database innovations, cost management, AI integration, and sustainability in cloud services. Their conversation shows how cloud technology is evolving and why it's important to stay updated on new developments.Link to some videos from MicrosoftMicrosoft Cost Management—Overview in the Azure portal     Microsoft Cost Management—Cost Analysis in the Azure portal (part 1)Microsoft Cost Management—Cost Analysis in the Azure portal (part 2)Microsoft Cost Management—Creating Budgets and AlertsMicrosoft Cost Management—Exporting your Cost Data with Scheduled ExportsManage Azure OpenAI Service Provisioned Reservations

Send us a textApril 2025 news. A lot of news for you, dear listener, from Google, AWS and AzureTakeaway by the aiThe FinOps News podcast targets hardcore FinOps enthusiasts.Conflict can lead to better team dynamics and outcomes.Azure's VM hibernation feature offers cost-efficient workload management.Amazon EC2 introduces high-performance storage optimized instances.Bare metal instances provide significant performance improvements.Prompt optimization in Amazon Bedrock enhances AI model performance.AWS Database Migration Service now supports automatic storage scaling.Cloud gaming may benefit from new GPU instance offerings.The importance of feedback in improving cloud services is emphasized.The podcast aims to provide in-depth insights into cloud technology. Amazon S3 has significantly reduced its storage and request prices.Google Cloud's FinOps Hub 2.0 offers new tools for cost management.GKE now provides insights to optimize resource requests and limits.Azure AKS cost recommendations help identify savings opportunities.Google Cloud's backup services now support DB2 databases.Amazon Redshift introduces serverless reservations for cost predictability.AWS CodeBuild enhancements allow for better resource configuration.Microsoft Cost Management has improved export functionalities.Microsoft Copilot in Azure offers tailored prompts for cost analysis.Azure Static Web Apps will discontinue dedicated pricing plans.