By embracing digital, organizations have been transforming their operations to become more efficient and innovative. 

This transition is driven by migrating workloads and operations from data centers to cloud, as well as the adoption of serverless architectures and the containerization of applications. 

But with a huge upsurge in adoption, comes increasing complexities of managing cloud and AI operations. To overcome this challenge and many more, organizations should embrace sustainable FinOps practices. 

With the global cloud FinOps market expected to reach $2,750.5 million by 2028, FinOps practices ensure maximum value from an organization’s cloud investments and help create a foolproof and long-term strategy. 

This strategy includes collaboration with procurement and business teams over data-driven spending decisions and ensures that these teams can manage their individual cloud costs by taking ownership of their cloud usage, while reducing the cloud carbon footprint of an organization. FinOps is a crucial ally for those who want transparent insights into where money is being spent and its outcome.

For example, in manufacturing, the benefits are reflected in enterprise warehouse management, machine maintenance and efficiency tracking where manufacturers can keep a tab on how resources are being used and the costs related to the operations.

This is where iterations and testing advancements play a pivotal role. When modifications in an application result from a change in business demands, FinOps allows organizations to assess and adjust to the situations with data analytics and advanced reporting.

Complex processes made easy

Clients often focus on the end results, work efficiency, profits, costs and ROI. But adopting and integrating data and AI on cloud for innovation at scale, while overcoming challenges, requires a technology partner.

HCLTech helps a customer choose the right, sustainable and tailored options that are cost-effective, providing the desired results and giving real-time insights to enhance business agility and work efficiency.

“While on one hand, HCLTech has been modernizing applications using generative AI (GenAI), the cloud computing and engineering landscape as a result is experiencing significant enhancements. These include the smooth operation of tailored applications in modern cloud environments, with the ability to quickly customize or make them compatible. This alignment with industry best practices ensures organizations can achieve greater efficiency and agility in their operations,” says Mohsen Amiribesheli, Senior Technical Architect, AI Lead (Cloud Native and GenAI Labs) at HCLTech.

He adds: “For example, GenAI is assisting in generating synthetic data for testing applications, particularly for scenarios that are underrepresented in existing datasets. It also aids in developing conversational agents for improved customer service and creating personalized experiences by analyzing user data. Additionally, GenAI automates infrastructure as code, transforms UI designs into functional code and enhances the efficiency of software development through automated code generation and completion.”

He continues: “On the other hand, HCLTech has been creating sustainable cloud ecosystems by leveraging low-code and no-code development, along with code reuse. Additionally, the integration and automation of CI/CD (continuous integration and continuous delivery/deployment) processes, powered by AI- and ML-based tools, optimize utilization in real-time.”

For example, a Swedish multinational telecom company, partnered with HCLTech with an objective of 80% of its applications to be migrated to AWS cloud. HCLTech leveraged ADvantage Cloud to accelerate application migration, automation of legacy components mapping to cloud native services and DevSecOps adoption. This resulted in a 50% reduction in application migration effort, time and cost.

“Application modernization isn’t complex, costly or disruptive in the HCLTech partner ecosystem. With wide experience in app services and modernization programs, HCLTech ADvantage Suite, for instance, offers tailored solutions, services and platforms based on exact requirements,” says Amiribesheli.

“Similarly, Cloud Bridge is a suite of smart cloud engineering solutions to accelerate cloud migration and modernization. It’s tailored in such a way that enterprises get the most of independent solution accelerators built on agile, DevOps, GenAI, low-code and no-code principles that sync seamlessly for end-to-end cloud transformation,” he adds.

Other advantage areas

HCLTech CloudSMART has not only been helping customers migrate from cloud to cloud but its best-in-class next-gen hybrid data center management architecture is also strengthening organizational framework with robust hybrid cloud services and solutions.

Also, its service mesh — powered by its deep cloud engineering expertise — is also ensuring seamless business operations in the multi-cloud environment like a digital workplace.

“Besides reducing costs, the cloud-to-cloud migration allows companies to strategically choose the services that align with their objectives, optimizes performance, enhances scalability and flexibility to ensure that the operations run in the most conducive digital environment,” says Amiribesheli.

He adds: “Similarly, a service mesh is a critical enabler that reduces downtime in the multi-cloud environment and ensures diverse cloud services collaborate seamlessly, contributing to a cohesive business architecture that supports operational efficiency and improves customer satisfaction in a physical as well as in a digital workplace.”

A modern-day digital workplace

With FinOps practices, sustainable cloud, application modernization powered by GenAI, cloud-to-cloud migration and a service mesh, a modern-day digital workplace — as well as a physical workplace (such as a shop floor) with much of its operations being cloud-enabled — are being designed in a way that they are future-ready, secured and resilient. 

More importantly, the technologies used to create such a workplace align seamlessly with broader organizational objectives and requirements and provide maximum benefits. Here, high-speed internet connectivity, such as 5G, remote assistance backed by augmented reality and managed mobility services are a must.

With GenAI capabilities and predictive analytics being adopted by leading enterprises today, this is where cloud-based tools are creating the difference. Examples being Microsoft 365, Teams, Azure, ChatGPT, Google Workspace, SAP Predictive Analytics and SAS.

“HCLTech here introduces workforce tools and agents like HCL BigFix AEX, an AI-powered cognitive assistant and Digital Literacy Buddy, which is a no-code software that provides on-screen, real-time, interactive in-app guidance and automates repetitive workflows,” says Amiribesheli. 

“Additionally, in terms of presentations, recruitment and remote skills training, virtual reality and augmented reality apps are crucial as they together create a cognitive ecosystem. For example, the way HCLTech Industry NeXT functions in a connected ecosystem,” he adds.

Such a workplace — especially, if it’s an entirely virtual one — has its own advantages for employees and the organization. These include more productivity, flexible working hours and easy talent attraction through a work-from-anywhere option. Benefits also include reduced greenhouse gases, a decline in maintenance costs that includes electricity and water bills, improved employee experience and satisfaction and work-life balance, a fall in attrition rates, a reduction in manual work and increased global virtual collaborations.

The future of digital workplaces

With rising use of AI and ML and enhanced cloud-based apps making deep inroads into a digital workplace, HCLTech Trends 2024 report mentioned how cloud security can be further enhanced to ensure a secure future for digital workplaces. 

Sovereign cloud: Sovereign cloud brings enhanced security and protection for government and trusted entities dealing in sensitive data and apps. Its disaster recovery and business continuity solutions are supreme. Its compliance helps organizations meet regulatory requirements by ensuring data is stored and processed within legal boundaries and its reduced latency helps real-time data processing. 

Confidential computing: Traditional cloud computing models have inherent security limitations, as data is decrypted and accessible to cloud providers during processing, exposing data to potential insider threats and data breaches. But confidential computing addresses the blind spots by isolating data within a trusted execution environment.