Cloudamize Express

Overview

Cloudamize Express is a streamlined, fast-path feature designed to deliver rapid, optimized cloud sizing and cost recommendations for your existing workloads. Built for speed and agility, it analyzes flat-file infrastructure inventories to quickly output directional cloud strategies.

Currently, Cloudamize Express exclusively supports target recommendations for Amazon Web Services (AWS), featuring specialized optimization tracks tailored for AMD-powered instances to ensure maximum price-to-performance efficiency.

Difference Between Express and Standard Analysis

When using the platform, it is important to understand how an Express analysis contrasts with a Standard assessment:

• Express Analysis: Provides a quick, directional optimization view generated entirely from a static flat-file inventory. It serves as an excellent starting point for directional cloud budgets.
  

• Standard Analysis: Recommended for migration-grade sizing. While an Express flat-file captures data at a single point in time (which can introduce sizing risks by missing systemic usage peaks or troughs), a Standard analysis collects live utilization data over a minimum of 2 weeks. This live telemetry ensures precise right-sizing, uncovering an average of 35-50% savings compared to an unoptimized, like-for-like lift-and-shift move.

How to Register and Start an Express Analysis

Cloudamize Express provides dedicated workflows depending on whether you are a new user creating an account or an existing customer running a new analysis.

1. Creating an Express Assessment (New Users - No Existing Account)

If you do not have an active Cloudamize account, follow these steps to register and initiate your analysis:

1. Navigate to the Cloudamize login portalhttps://console.cloudamize.com/#/login.

2. Locate the CLOUDAMIZE EXPRESS card at the bottom of the sign-in screen and click the Register Express Assessment → button.

3. You will be directed to the Cloudamize Express configuration screen.

From this configuration screen, complete the following steps to upload your file and generate an account:

Step 1: Select Your File Type

Click the Select File Type dropdown menu to choose your source file format. Cloudamize Express currently supports:

• AWS Inventory Flat File

• RV Tools (Coming soon)

Step 2: Configure File Granularity / Requirements

Depending on your selected file type, fill in the corresponding parameters:

• AWS Inventory Flat File: Your uploaded CSV must match Cloudamize's structural schema. You can click Download template CSV on the screen to view the required first-row headers:

Step 3: Complete Final Details & Upload

1. Click the Inventory File (CSV only) field to browse and attach your file.

2. Enter a unique identifier in the Give this analysis a name field.

3. Optional: Enter an Unlock Code if provided by your partner or account manager.

4. Select the target region you want to save the data using the Select Data Residency Region dropdown.

5. Click Start Express Analysis to queue the flat file for backend processing.

💡 Alternative Action: If you read the structural differences on the right panel and prefer a more comprehensive assessment instead of a flat-file analysis, you can click the Request Free Standard Analysis button to connect with our solutions team.

2. Creating an Express Assessment (Existing Account Users)

Existing Cloudamize users can launch a new Express assessment directly from within their portal workspace without creating a new account. You can initiate this workflow from either of the following locations:

• Location A — From the Home Dashboard Hub: Log in to your account, locate the Express module card on the central dashboard hub, and click the yellow Start New Express Analysis button inside the tile

Location B From the Engagements Dashboard: Navigate to the Engagements management view (selectable from the top header dropdown). Located above the engagements list table on the right-hand side, click the yellow Start New Express Analysis button

Upload Configuration Steps

Clicking Start New Express Analysis from either location expands a sliding context panel labeled Start Express Analysis on the right side of the screen

Complete the setup in the Upload Inventory Wizard panel:

1. Select File Type: Click the dropdown menu under Select File Type to choose your input format:

   • AWS Inventory Flat File: Standard structured flat file for AWS assessment.

   • RV Tool (Coming soon): Reserved for upcoming VMware RVTools file imports.

2. Verify Required Headers: Ensure your CSV matches the required column headers specified in the panel table:

   • UUID: Unique resource identifier (e.g., 550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000).

   • Cloud: Cloud provider name (e.g., AWS).

   • Region: AWS region for the resource (e.g., us-east-1).

   • Size: AWS instance or resource size (e.g., m5.large).

   • Quantity: Number of resources.

   • Total number of hours per month: Total monthly usage hours (e.g., 730).

   • Pricing Model: AWS pricing option (e.g., On-Demand).
     (Click Download template CSV if you need a pre-formatted template).

3. Inventory File (CSV only): Click to browse and upload your .csv inventory file.

4. Give this analysis a name: Enter a unique identifier for this assessment run.

5. Unlock Code (Optional): Enter an unlock code if provided by your account manager.

6. Select Data Residency Region: Choose your target cloud region (e.g., US East (N. Virginia)).

7. Click Continue to move to Review & Submit, then submit your analysis into the engine queue.

How to Access and Manage Engagements

Once your account registration is complete, follow these steps to access the platform and manage your ongoing flat-file analyses:

Step 1: Accessing the Portal

1. If you have already registered, navigate directly to the Cloudamize login portal at console.cloudamize.com.

2. Enter your registered business email address and password credentials to sign in.

Step 2: Selecting the Express Module

1. Upon successful login, you will land on the main Cloudamize Home Dashboard Hub.

2. Locate the navigation tiles array across the top of the interface.

3. Click on the Express module tile (identified by the lightning bolt icon) to open your active workload workspace.

⚠️ IMPORTANT NOTE: Because your account framework is tailored specifically for a fast-path flat-file analysis, all modules other than Express will display a red padlock icon and remain locked (including Discover, Analyze, Plan, Migrate, Manage, Extensions, and Modernize). These options will only unlock if you choose to transition your engagement to a full, live collector infrastructure assessment.

Step 3: Navigating the Express Dashboard

Once you enter the Express workspace, you can manage and track your flat-file infrastructure workloads directly from your workspace panel:

• Engagement Dashboard Availability: Once you have registered your Express assessment, the details of your account and files will be immediately available and listed on the central engagement dashboard tracking table.

• Registering for a New Express Analysis: If you need to evaluate a separate infrastructure batch, you have the option to register for a brand new Express assessment directly from this screen. As shown in the screenshot below, click the yellow Start New Express Analysis button in the upper right corner.

Upload Sidebar Flow: Clicking this option expands a sliding context wizard labeled Start Express Analysis on the right side of your dashboard. This multi-step menu guides you through uploading inventory (selecting file types, names, unlock codes, and data residency regions), setting up the Customer account, and completing a final Review & Submit to cleanly push your new assessment into the engine queue.

Reviewing Your Express Results

Once backend processing completes and your assessment opens, you will land on the Express Interactive Results Hub:

1. View Controls (Optimized vs. All Instances)

Located at the top right of the primary plan data grid, users can toggle between two view modes:

• Optimized: Displays only the subset of servers that have identified optimization recommendations, potential cost savings, or performance uplifts.

• All Instances: Displays the complete list of all servers ingested from the uploaded flat file, including those without specific recommendations.

2. Left Panel: Optimization Plans (Costing Options)

Optimization strategies are listed directly as interactive plan cards on the left panel. Clicking any plan card instantly updates the center grid and metrics with that strategy's specific recommendations:

• Hourly Cost Optimization: Delivers similar or higher performance at the lowest available cost. Displays net annual savings percentage, total cost, average performance uplift, and eligible server counts.

• Modernize: Maintains instance size while reducing estimated runtime with higher performance options.

• Mechanics: Reduces the instance size by 50% if a ~2x (approximately double) or greater performance option is available in modern instance families.

3. Center Panel: Recommendation Grid & Optimization Designs

This interactive table features column-level filters for rapid sorting, allowing users to segment, search, and parse assets seamlessly. The table provides a complete, granular data view across the following columns: Recommendation Grid Columns & Data Export

When viewing the table or clicking Export, the report outputs the following detailed attributes:

Node Restriction Behavior: If you registered to Express without an initial unlock code, the recommendation grid limits visibility to a basic assessment trial. As shown in the below screenshot, the workspace displays a status message stating "Showing 10 of [X] recommendations" and masks data past the initial 10 server nodes details and recommendations.

Unlocking the Remaining Nodes

To unmask the full contents of your flat file and view all locked nodes/recommendations, you must apply a code from within the interactive interface:

1. Scroll to the bottom of the center recommendation table to locate the action prompt labeled: "Enter unlock code to view all recommendations," as seen in the screenshot above.

2. Click the Enter unlock code button.

3. An Unlock recommendations modal window will appear,

4. If you have a code: Ensure the I have a code tab is highlighted, input your code to immediately unlock the remaining nodes from your flat file, and submit.

5. If you do not have a code, click on the adjacent Request a code option tab. You can use this request code option to fill out the text field labeled (Optional) Tell us anything we should know to outline your project details, and click Send request. The account management team will review your submission to help unlock your full inventory footprint.

Deep-Dive Node Inspection

Clicking on any individual row within the main center table expands a detailed right-hand slide-out drawer. This panel breaks down the recommendation details across four primary operational sections:

Exporting Your Data: You can click Download Summary Deck to download an executive presentation of your findings, or click Export to grab the raw data sheet.

Transitioning from Express to Standard Analysis

If your directional Express flat-file results show a significant opportunity and you wish to build a migration-grade blueprint, you can upgrade seamlessly:

1. Click the Convert to Standard button located in the bottom-right corner of the results workspace.

2. A Convert to Standard modal window will appear.

3. Optional: Add any additional scoping comments or environment requests in the provided text field.

4. Click Send Email. This alerts the Cloudamize architectural team to help route you toward setting up a live Collector assessment.
   

If you have any queries, please get in touch with the helpdesk via our Helpdesk Portal or by email at helpdesk@cloudamize.com.