Aviatrix Blog 
The cost of cloud networking is growing at an alarming rate. According to Precedence Research, the global cloud computing market is accounted at $912.77 billion in 2025 and will surpass $5,000 billion by 2034. In 2024, Cloud Zero reported that “out-of-control cloud costs” are one of the top concerns for companies: “The majority of companies report not having control over their cloud costs, with a rise in the number of organizations saying their costs are ‘way too high.’”
As a cloud network security company, Aviatrix offers solutions that empower organizations to protect their networks, ensure resiliency, maximize performance, and achieve scalability while keeping costs under control.
- Our membership in the FinOps Foundation represents our mission to help companies spend where it counts to save long-term.
- Our Cloud Networking Heroes program invites networking professionals with deep experience to share thought leadership principles for networking success, including cost management.
Here are some key insights from Aviatrix Cloud Networking Heroes to help peers save costs while investing in network security, performance, resiliency, and reliability.
Antonios Skoulariotis on Taking an Opex vs. Capex Approach
Antonios Skoulariotis, Regional Director of Cloud Security, Northeast and Financial Services at Fortinet, suggests changing your cost model when you move from on-premises networking to the cloud. To start, he advises networking professionals who are navigating the shift to the cloud to “focus on strategic planning and leverage education on available cloud programs.”
Then, Antonios suggests transitioning from a CapEx (capital expenses) model to an OpEx (operating expenses) model for cloud costs. This transition means that instead of paying costs upfront for a long-term investment, your organization would treat cloud costs as ongoing, variable expenses – offering you more flexibility.
“Transitioning from a CapEx to an OpEx model can, contrary to common concerns, enhance cost-efficiency while offering redundancy and ensuring seamless business continuity,” Antonios said.
Antonios advises choosing an OpEx approach that “provides the flexibility to scale, paired with a robust security and networking posture that’s managed through a single pane of glass, granting visibility across the entire environment. This approach not only aligns with financial objectives but also reinforces a secure, resilient network foundation for sustained growth.”
Cristian Critelli on Saving Costs While Maximizing Resiliency
Cristian Critelli, EMEA Lead Networking and Resilience Specialist Partner Solution Architect at AWS, describes a network management approach to optimize costs and ensure resiliency.
“For networking and resilience domains, cost management in cloud environments can be challenging but achievable with a strategic approach,” he said. He suggested three areas to focus on:
- Architecture — “Prioritize architecture optimization by right-sizing your resources and selecting services that align closely with your actual requirements. Start with a cost-benefit analysis to understand which network services, like private connections (e.g., Direct Connect or ExpressRoute), offer the best value without overshooting capacity.”
- Regional deployments — “Leverage multi-region or multi-availability zone deployments judiciously to avoid unnecessary costs while ensuring resilience. In many cases, optimizing network traffic flows, consolidating data transfer routes, and using caching (e.g., with CloudFront) can reduce expenses significantly.”
- Monitoring — “Regularly monitor usage with tools like AWS Cost Explorer or Azure Cost Management to get insights into where costs are accumulating and set budget alerts to stay on track. Adopting a culture of continuous cost assessment helps you stay agile and adjust configurations as business needs evolve, ensuring you’re getting maximum performance without incurring unanticipated expenses.”
Michal Strzembicki on Proactive and Intentional Cost Management
Michal Strzembicki, a Global Cloud Architect at International Personal Finance, counsels fellow networking professionals to take a multi-pronged approach to cost management.
“For networking professionals concerned about cloud costs, I recommend a strategy grounded in proactive design and cost-awareness,” he said. He named several strategies to improve efficiency and prevent cost overruns:
- Using Infrastructure as code (IaC) to optimize resources
- Adopting visibility tools to track utilization
- Implementing data transfer policies
- Leveraging reserved instances
- Continuously evaluating the cost-effectiveness of multicloud versus single-cloud approaches
Weigner Co on Calculating the Total Cost of Ownership
Weigner Co, Principal Cloud Architect, explains a cost management approach that takes a long-term view without ignoring the short-term details. “Controlling costs is always a key consideration for any business, but many fail to take the overall Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) into account,” he said. “Cost savings extend beyond just monetary investments and service subscriptions; they also encompass the hours saved through automation and the ability to get up and running in minutes.”
He suggests shifting focus to “delivering business value rather than getting bogged down in the underlying ‘plumbing’ of operations contributes significantly to cost savings. By considering these broader aspects of TCO, businesses can better understand the true value of their investments.”
- Learn more about how Aviatrix’s cloud network security solution can lower your network’s Total Cost of Ownership through our free TCO Calculator.
- Explore how a “shift left” approach to FinOps can help your organization save costs.