While doing support work, I spotted optimization opportunities worth $17K/year.
Details:
- Outdated pricing plan (2x current rate)
- Forgotten test node running empty
- 60-70% underutilization
- No autoscaling
Potential savings: ~$1,400/month
I proposed a proper audit:
40 hours: Deep analysis, risk assessment, migration plan
8 hours: Safe implementation
Their response: “You already know what’s wrong. Just do the changes.”
Translation: “Skip the audit. Work for 1/5 the price.”
Here’s what they missed:
Spotting the problem: 16 years in DevOps and cloud
Fixing it safely: Detailed analysis
Like the old engineering joke:
$1 to hit it with a hammer
$9,999 to know where to hit
“You saw it in 5 minutes” = yes, because of 20 years learning where to look.
Why audit matters:
- Which workloads can move without risk?
- Right-sizing for actual usage patterns
- Migration sequence to avoid downtime
- Rollback plan when things break
“Just do it” = gambling with production.
They declined. Still paying $1,400/month extra.
Experience looks effortless.
So people think it’s free.
But knowledge IS the work.
I audit IT infrastructure — find what’s silently draining your budget before it becomes a crisis.
https://itaudit.yushkov.org/