INTELLIGENT BRANDS // Cloud
Azure Optimize self-service portal Macquarie Lens launched in Australia
“ We ’ ve worked closely with our customers and VMware to develop this service and provide the critical insights needed to inform transformation . It ’ s one of a number of new services we ’ ll be launching in the near future , as our Azure business goes from strength to strength .”
Olga Specjalska , Director Partner Business , VMware Australia and New Zealand , said : “ As customers transform their businesses to digital , they ’ re leveraging cloud as a platform for innovation , as well as to operate their entire environment with optimal cost , security and governance .
“ With partners like Macquarie Cloud Services , we ’ re helping customers innovate faster and drive towards their digital future with greater flexibility and less risk .”
Macquarie Cloud Services has become the first provider in Australia to offer a self-service Azure optimization portal , allowing organizations using Azure to gain new insights into IT environments , specifically around cost , compliance , governance and security .
The Macquarie Lens portal has been launched after eight months of development and gives customers secure access to the VMware CloudHealth platform via a free ‘ selfservice ’ option . This enables faster reporting capabilities and significant cost reductions . Insights compiled by Macquarie Cloud Services found that it provides customers with average cost savings of 26 %.
Macquarie Lens insights are gathered , analyzed and presented back to customers after four weeks by one of Macquarie ’ s Azure Principal Consultants .
The self-service portal allows customers to select the Azure subscriptions easily and securely for review . The automated service requires read-only rights , alleviating privacy concerns and removing any impact on IT environments .
Macquarie ’ s Head of Azure , Naran McClung , said the service is further proof of Macquarie ’ s commitment to maximizing the customer experience in a market that is underserved and overcharged . It also speaks to the real needs he sees IT leaders and teams facing across Australia when dealing with increasing compliance and security requirements .
“ It ’ s not enough to simply optimize for cost . The Azure platform is the leader when it comes to compliance , so it was only natural to lead the way in this domain in line with the demand we ’ re seeing ,” he said .
The launch of Macquarie Lens comes as public cloud spend in Australia is expected to reach AU $ 10.6 billion this year , a rise of nearly 20 %. McClung continued that the selfservice portal will help customers already using Azure directly , or through another provider , to optimize their spend .
“ We ’ ve seen incredible opportunity to reduce unnecessary spend and focus Azure services to where they can drive greater business value . Optimization is vital as cloud spend hits staggering heights and the need for IT teams to deliver an ROI rises in tandem ,” he said .
McClung added that the faster reporting capabilities of Macquarie Lens will allow customers to drive internal efficiencies and free up time for their employees to focus on high-level work . These are key considerations as skills gaps persist across a range of industries , from technology to manufacturing . p
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