Cloud Providers & Solutions, Compared

The challenge

Cloud spend grows quietly.

Budget overruns

Cloud budgets routinely run over plan.

Hidden waste

Unsized reservations, orphaned resources and mismatched storage tiers.

Licensing drift

Microsoft 365 tiers renewed without checking actual usage.

Residency rules

GDPR, the EU AI Act and CPRA make data location a compliance issue.

Our approach

Place each workload where it belongs.

01
Place
Analyze each workload across public, private, colo and on-prem.
02
Model
Build TCO with egress, licensing and hidden overages.
03
Compare
Evaluate hyperscalers and alternatives, vendor-neutral.
04
Sequence
Phase migration or repatriation by risk and cost.
05
Govern
Install FinOps practices to prevent spend creep.

Where MALA helps

A roadmap built around your workloads.

Public & private cloud

Workload placement grounded in cost and performance.

Hybrid architecture

The right mix of cloud, colocation and on-premises.

Microsoft 365 licensing

Tiers benchmarked against real usage before renewal.

Azure cost review

Reservations, orphaned resources and storage tiers.

Data residency

Sovereignty requirements reviewed against regulation.

FinOps governance

Controls that keep cloud spend from creeping back.

Microsoft raised prices across E3/E5, Business and EMS plans on July 1, 2026. Now is a good time to review.

By the numbers

Why this matters now.

84%name managing cloud spend their #1 cloud challengeFlexera 2025

17%average amount cloud budgets run over planFlexera 2025

29%of IaaS and PaaS spend is wastedFlexera 2026

21%of cloud workloads have been repatriatedFlexera 2025

Who it's for

Built for the people who own the decision.

CIO / CTOA placement strategy free of provider incentives.
CFOTrue cost of ownership, including egress and overages.
IT OperationsRight-sized Azure and Microsoft 365 before renewal.
Compliance / LegalResidency and sovereignty addressed up front.
ProcurementEnterprise agreements negotiated with market data.

The MALA model

Independent. Paid by providers, never by you.

Our services are sponsored through strategic referral agreements with 430+ technology solutions providers, never billed to you.

Unbiased recommendationsProviders in each category have similar compensation models, so your requirements drive the answer.
Paid only if you move forwardThe selected vendor compensates MALA, and only when you choose a recommended vendor.
No obligationYou are never required to move forward with any recommended vendor.

Common questions

What clients ask first.

Should we move more to the cloud, or less?

It depends on the workload. We analyze each one across public, private, colocation and on-prem.

Why aren't our EA renewals negotiated?

They usually renew by formula. We bring pricing benchmarks and negotiation support.

Do we have to upgrade for Copilot?

No. We separate the capability you need from how it's packaged and sold.

Is the advice vendor-neutral?

Yes. Providers in each category have similar compensation models, so placement follows your workloads.

Engagement at a glance

Duration: 30–60 days for a full assessment
Led by: Former and current technology executives and enterprise architects
Scope: Public, private, hybrid, Microsoft 365 and Azure
Cost to you: None. Paid by providers, no obligation

The first step

Request a Cloud Strategy Assessment. No obligation.

Or a Microsoft Licensing & Azure Cost Review. Either way, 30 minutes with a senior advisor and no obligation.

Book a 30-minute call

No fee to you: MALA is paid by the provider only if you move forward with a provider we recommend. No obligation to do so.

Cloud Advisory: Compare Public, Private and Hybrid Cloud Providers The Cloud Question Was Never All-or-Nothing.