IBM Cloudability Review Insights

Score8.8 out of 10

249 Reviews and Ratings

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Insights from IBM Cloudability Reviewers

Based on 43 verified reviews published in the last 18 months

What other products like IBM Cloudability have you used or evaluated?

43 answered

Reviewers identified several other cloud cost management and optimization platforms they have used or evaluated in comparison to IBM Cloudability. The most frequently mentioned alternatives, each cited by 7% of reviewers, include VMware Tanzu CloudHealth and Azure Cost Management. A smaller segment of users, representing 5% of the feedback, also noted their experience with AWS's native cost management tools, such as AWS Compute Optimizer, AWS Cost Explorer, AWS Trusted Advisor, and Amazon QuickSight. Additionally, 5% of reviewers mentioned other specialized cloud management platforms like CloudZero, CloudBolt, and Flexera Cloud Management Platform. The relatively low mention rates across these categories suggest a diverse landscape of tools in use, with no single alternative dominating the competitive set among this review sample.

VMware Tanzu CloudHealth

3 mentions

VMware Tanzu CloudHealth was identified by a few reviewers as another cloud cost management solution they have utilized…

VMware Tanzu CloudHealth was identified by a few reviewers as another cloud cost management solution they have utilized. These mentions indicate that users consider it within the same operational domain as IBM Cloudability, suggesting it serves similar functions for managing cloud expenditures.

Azure Cost Management

3 mentions

Several reviewers, comprising 7% of the total feedback, indicated prior or concurrent use of Azure Cost Management. Thi…

Several reviewers, comprising 7% of the total feedback, indicated prior or concurrent use of Azure Cost Management. This suggests that users frequently evaluate or integrate native cloud provider tools for cost oversight alongside or as an alternative to third-party solutions like IBM Cloudability.

AWS Cost Management Tools

2 mentions

A small number of reviewers, accounting for 5% of the sample, reported using various AWS-native tools for cost manageme…

A small number of reviewers, accounting for 5% of the sample, reported using various AWS-native tools for cost management and optimization. These include specific services like AWS Compute Optimizer, AWS Cost Explorer, AWS Trusted Advisor, and Amazon QuickSight, highlighting a common practice of leveraging integrated platform capabilities.

Other Cloud Management Platforms

2 mentions

Some reviewers, representing 5% of the feedback, also cited experience with a broader range of other cloud management p…

Some reviewers, representing 5% of the feedback, also cited experience with a broader range of other cloud management platforms. These platforms, such as CloudZero, CloudBolt, and Flexera Cloud Management Platform, indicate a diverse market with various specialized tools that users consider for cloud financial operations.

Along with IBM Cloudability, please select which other Apptio products you are using, if any:

43 answered

When asked to identify other Apptio products used in conjunction with IBM Cloudability, a substantial portion of reviewers, 35%, indicated their use of IBM Apptio, which was formerly known as ApptioOne. This high rate of mention suggests that IBM Apptio is frequently deployed alongside IBM Cloudability within organizations, potentially indicating a complementary relationship between these two solutions for financial management or cloud cost optimization. The responses primarily served to confirm the product's usage rather than providing detailed feedback on specific functionalities or user experiences. The consistent inclusion of its former name, ApptioOne, by reviewers also highlights a recognition of the product's historical branding among its user base. This pattern, observed across 43 reviews, confirms the co-existence of these solutions in a significant number of user environments.

IBM Apptio Usage

15 mentions

Reviewers frequently identified their use of IBM Apptio, also known by its former name, ApptioOne, alongside IBM Clouda…

Reviewers frequently identified their use of IBM Apptio, also known by its former name, ApptioOne, alongside IBM Cloudability. This was cited by 35% of reviewers, indicating a common pairing of these solutions within user environments. The responses primarily served to confirm product usage rather than providing detailed feedback on specific features or benefits, suggesting that users were simply listing the Apptio products they utilize.

IBM Cloudability provides full visibility into your business’ cloud cost management, ensuring alignment and accountability across the board. How, if at all, has complete visibility into your cloud investments impacted decision-making?

43 answered

IBM Cloudability has been observed to positively influence decision-making by providing enhanced visibility into cloud investments. Reviewers indicate that the platform enables more informed strategic choices, particularly concerning resource allocation and financial justification. Specifically, 12% of reviewers noted that Cloudability significantly contributes to decision-making processes, allowing for better justification of expenditures and optimization of deployed resources. This visibility empowers senior management and application owners to engage in more productive conversations about cloud spend. Furthermore, a smaller segment of reviewers, 5%, highlighted the platform's role in driving cultural change within organizations. This involves a shift from traditional procurement models to FinOps practices, where cloud costs become a primary key performance indicator, thereby supporting the transition of on-premise infrastructure to the cloud. The tool's ability to offer clear cost insights appears to be a catalyst for both tactical decision support and broader organizational evolution towards cost accountability.

Informed Decision Making

5 mentions

Reviewers commend IBM Cloudability for providing crucial cost visibility that directly impacts decision-making. The pla…

Reviewers commend IBM Cloudability for providing crucial cost visibility that directly impacts decision-making. The platform enables senior managers and application owners to understand spend, facilitating discussions and allowing for data-backed justification of expenses. This enhanced insight also supports optimizing resource utilization and making informed decisions regarding scaling and discounting strategies.

Cultural Change and FinOps

2 mentions

A few reviewers noted that IBM Cloudability plays a supportive role in organizational cultural shifts, particularly in…

A few reviewers noted that IBM Cloudability plays a supportive role in organizational cultural shifts, particularly in the adoption of FinOps practices. The tool helps transition teams from traditional procurement mindsets, where cost might not be a primary consideration, to a model where cloud cost is a key performance indicator. This facilitates the migration of on-premise infrastructure to the cloud by embedding cost awareness into project management.

What positive or negative impact (i.e. Return on Investment or ROI) has IBM Cloudability had on your overall business objectives?

43 answered

IBM Cloudability has primarily delivered a positive return on investment for businesses by enabling significant cost reduction and optimization across cloud environments. A substantial portion of reviewers, 30%, reported direct cost savings, with some citing reductions of 20% to 30% and achieving saving targets ahead of schedule. Beyond direct savings, the platform is frequently credited with enhancing visibility and transparency into cloud spending, a benefit noted by 26% of reviewers. This improved visibility facilitates better cost allocation and accountability across business units, allowing organizations to understand where money is being spent and identify areas for optimization. Reviewers also highlighted the platform's role in providing actionable insights that lead to optimization, such as identifying idle resources and informing decisions to reduce wasteful workloads. The ability to forecast and plan more effectively, along with improved alignment between finance and engineering teams, further contributes to the positive impact on overall business objectives.

Cost Reduction and Savings

13 mentions

IBM Cloudability is frequently cited for its direct impact on reducing cloud expenditures, with 30% of reviewers specif…

IBM Cloudability is frequently cited for its direct impact on reducing cloud expenditures, with 30% of reviewers specifically mentioning cost reduction or savings. Users reported achieving significant cost efficiencies, including reductions of 20% to 30% and meeting saving targets ahead of schedule. The platform helps identify opportunities to decommission idle resources and optimize spending plans, leading to tangible financial benefits.

Visibility and Transparency

11 mentions

A quarter of reviewers, 26%, emphasized the enhanced visibility and transparency provided by IBM Cloudability into thei…

A quarter of reviewers, 26%, emphasized the enhanced visibility and transparency provided by IBM Cloudability into their cloud spending. This improved insight allows organizations to allocate costs effectively to specific business units and gain a clearer understanding of their overall cloud expenditure. The platform helps foster greater awareness and accountability regarding cloud spend across different departments.

Cost Savings and Optimization

8 mentions

IBM Cloudability contributes to cost savings and optimization by providing recommendations for rightsizing and identify…

IBM Cloudability contributes to cost savings and optimization by providing recommendations for rightsizing and identifying idle resources, as noted by 19% of reviewers. The platform helps organizations reduce wasted spend across various environments and offers insights that facilitate real-time reactive savings. This leads to better alignment between finance and engineering teams on managing cloud costs.

Cost Allocation and Budgeting

6 mentions

Reviewers frequently highlight IBM Cloudability's ability to improve cost allocation and budgeting, with 14% of reviewe…

Reviewers frequently highlight IBM Cloudability's ability to improve cost allocation and budgeting, with 14% of reviewers mentioning this benefit. The platform enables detailed cost bifurcation for internal dimensions, helping business stakeholders gain insights into cost performance across various areas. This functionality supports better budget control and accurate recharge of cloud costs to different business units.

Actionable Insights and Optimization

6 mentions

The platform is valued for generating actionable insights that drive optimization, a point raised by 14% of reviewers.…

The platform is valued for generating actionable insights that drive optimization, a point raised by 14% of reviewers. IBM Cloudability helps users understand which products or resources are inefficient, prompting decisions to reduce wasteful workloads. By providing granular reports, the tool empowers application owners to analyze usage patterns and take proactive steps, such as implementing auto-schedulers or committing to reserved instances.

Besides IBM Cloudability, what other software do you regularly use? How likely would you be to recommend it to a friend or colleague?

43 answered

Reviewers frequently utilize a diverse set of software solutions in addition to IBM Cloudability, with a notable emphasis on cloud cost management and business intelligence platforms. The most frequently cited tools include Microsoft Power BI, AWS Cost Explorer, and Azure Cost Management, each mentioned by 9% of the surveyed reviewers. These tools are often employed to gain deeper insights into cloud spending and optimize resource allocation across various cloud providers. Reviewers indicate a positive experience with these platforms, suggesting they effectively complement existing financial operations. Beyond cost management, data warehousing solutions like Snowflake and IT service management platforms such as ServiceNow were also identified, though less frequently, by 5% of reviewers each. The overall sentiment across all mentioned tools is positive, indicating their perceived value in enhancing operational efficiency and data analysis capabilities. The integration of these tools suggests a common strategy among organizations to leverage specialized software for comprehensive financial and operational oversight.

Microsoft Power BI

4 mentions

Reviewers frequently leverage Microsoft Power BI for its robust data visualization and business intelligence capabiliti…

Reviewers frequently leverage Microsoft Power BI for its robust data visualization and business intelligence capabilities. It is often cited in conjunction with cloud cost management tools, suggesting its use for analyzing and presenting financial data derived from cloud services. This integration allows users to create custom reports and dashboards for deeper insights into operational expenditures.

AWS Cost Explorer

4 mentions

AWS Cost Explorer is a key tool for organizations operating within the Amazon Web Services ecosystem, providing detaile…

AWS Cost Explorer is a key tool for organizations operating within the Amazon Web Services ecosystem, providing detailed insights into AWS spending. Reviewers indicate its utility for monitoring and managing costs specific to AWS resources. It is frequently mentioned alongside Azure Cost Management, highlighting its role in multi-cloud cost visibility strategies.

Azure Cost Management

4 mentions

Azure Cost Management is valued by reviewers for its ability to track and optimize expenditures within the Microsoft Az…

Azure Cost Management is valued by reviewers for its ability to track and optimize expenditures within the Microsoft Azure cloud environment. It serves as a primary tool for understanding Azure consumption and identifying cost-saving opportunities. Similar to AWS Cost Explorer, its frequent mention alongside other cloud platforms suggests its use in broader multi-cloud financial management frameworks.

Snowflake

2 mentions

Snowflake is recognized by reviewers as a powerful cloud data warehousing solution, often integrated into broader data…

Snowflake is recognized by reviewers as a powerful cloud data warehousing solution, often integrated into broader data analytics strategies. Its mentions suggest its role in consolidating and processing large volumes of data, which can then be used for various business intelligence and cost analysis purposes. Reviewers find it valuable for its scalability and performance in managing data from diverse sources.

ServiceNow

2 mentions

Reviewers use ServiceNow for its comprehensive capabilities in IT service management and broader platform functionaliti…

Reviewers use ServiceNow for its comprehensive capabilities in IT service management and broader platform functionalities. It is highlighted for its role in streamlining IT operations and managing various business processes. The mentions suggest its application in maintaining operational efficiency and service delivery within organizations.

Describe how you use IBM Cloudability in your organization. What are the business problems the product addresses and what is the scope of your use case?

43 answered

IBM Cloudability is primarily utilized by organizations to gain comprehensive control and understanding over their cloud expenditures, addressing critical business problems related to cost management and financial transparency. A significant number of reviewers, 33%, leverage the platform for cloud cost optimization, including rightsizing resources, identifying savings opportunities, and managing high costs associated with cloud migrations. Concurrently, 30% of reviewers emphasize the product's role in providing crucial cost visibility and transparency across various cloud environments, enabling a unified view of spend and facilitating accountability. This includes detailed breakdowns of costs, identification of cost drivers, and the ability to share financial insights with relevant stakeholders. The platform's multi-cloud support, noted by 12% of reviewers, is particularly valued for consolidating data from different providers like AWS, Azure, and GCP into a single operational view, thereby simplifying complex cloud financial management. Furthermore, IBM Cloudability serves as a foundational tool for establishing and enhancing FinOps practices within organizations, as reported by 12% of the reviews, supporting activities like reporting, budgeting, and implementing best practices for cloud financial governance.

Cost Optimization

14 mentions

Reviewers frequently use IBM Cloudability to actively reduce and manage their cloud spending. The platform's features f…

Reviewers frequently use IBM Cloudability to actively reduce and manage their cloud spending. The platform's features for rightsizing, identifying optimization opportunities, and implementing best practices are key to addressing high cloud costs and achieving cost efficiency, as cited by 33% of reviewers. This proactive approach helps organizations tackle challenges such as unexpected expenses from cloud migrations and ongoing resource management.

Cost Visibility and Transparency

13 mentions

A substantial portion of reviewers, 30%, highlight IBM Cloudability's effectiveness in providing clear insights into cl…

A substantial portion of reviewers, 30%, highlight IBM Cloudability's effectiveness in providing clear insights into cloud expenditures. The product helps organizations understand where their money is being spent by offering detailed breakdowns across different cloud providers, projects, teams, and services. This enhanced visibility supports informed decision-making, cost allocation, and fostering a culture of financial accountability across departments.

Cloud Cost Visibility

7 mentions

Reviewers value IBM Cloudability for its ability to offer a comprehensive view of cloud costs, helping finance teams an…

Reviewers value IBM Cloudability for its ability to offer a comprehensive view of cloud costs, helping finance teams and stakeholders easily track and understand spending patterns. This includes visualizing cost trends, identifying spikes, and understanding the underlying drivers of expenses across the organization. The platform enables greater accountability and awareness regarding cloud value and expenditure.

Multi-Cloud Support

5 mentions

The capacity to integrate and manage costs across multiple cloud providers is a key benefit, noted by 12% of reviewers.…

The capacity to integrate and manage costs across multiple cloud providers is a key benefit, noted by 12% of reviewers. IBM Cloudability addresses the challenge of disparate native tools by ingesting billing data from various sources like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, creating a unified operational view. This consolidation simplifies the management of complex multi-cloud strategies and allows for better oversight of total spend.

FinOps Practice

5 mentions

IBM Cloudability is frequently adopted as a foundational platform for establishing and maturing FinOps practices within…

IBM Cloudability is frequently adopted as a foundational platform for establishing and maturing FinOps practices within organizations, as reported by 12% of reviewers. It serves as a centralized tool for cloud financial management, enabling teams to monitor, report, and optimize cloud costs as part of an integrated FinOps strategy. This facilitates better governance and financial accountability across cloud operations.