Thoughtworks’ Cloud Economics Playbook (Jan 2025) outlines a 3-6-9-3 framework for mastering cloud cost optimization. It begins with the three types of cloud services—self-hosted, managed, and serverless—each balancing control, cost, and agility. It warns against six pitfalls that inflate costs, including overprovisioning, hidden data-transfer fees, unending experiments, lack of workforce upskilling, fear of long-term commitments, and legacy “lift-and-shift” practices. The guide then introduces nine proven optimization tactics such as rightsizing, autoscaling, ARM adoption, storage and network tuning, managed-service optimization, and real-time cost observability. Finally, it defines three pillars of cloud governance—real-time insights, self-service infrastructure platforms, and “shift-left” FinOps culture—to maintain efficiency, accountability, and transparency. Together, the 3-6-9-3 model delivers sustainable cloud economics through technical discipline, cultural alignment, and continuous measurement.

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