6 Java Myths Holding Back Your Company's Cloud Cost Optimization

Scott Sellers is the co-founder and CEO of Azul , with 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur and executive in the technology industry.

In a clear sign that businesses are searching for practical ways to reduce spending without diminishing the value of their cloud investments, reducing waste moved into the top spot in the 2024 State of FinOps survey for the first time since the report began in 2020.

Because nearly every business uses Java for application development, it makes sense for teams to begin looking at their Java estate for ways to maximize efficiency. Landing on a long-term solution rather than a series of short-sighted fixes requires overcoming some common misconceptions. Here are the biggest myths holding teams back from optimizing performance to create value and increase profitability.

Myth 1: All Java runtimes are created equal.

Oracle's share of JDK usage has been declining, with many companies moving off Oracle Java to an open-source distribution like OpenJDK. Our 2024 report found that 86% of respondents were actively migrating, planning to migrate or had already migrated all or some of their Oracle Java.

While many options exist, there are significant differences in performance and optimization between various distributions. Some runtimes are specifically engineered for cloud-centric workloads, offering improved performance and lower total cost of ownership. The key is to look beyond the surface and understand each runtime's unique characteristics.

Myth 2: Our choice of Java runtime doesn't affect our cloud bill.

The efficiency of your Java runtime substantially affects your cloud costs. As FinOps becomes a priority for enterprises grappling with escalating cloud costs, every technical decision (including your runtime choice) should consider cost implications.

A high-performance Java runtime (called the Java Virtual Machine or JVM for short) can reduce the number of instances needed to run the same workload, directly impacting cloud spending. Ultimately, it boils down to a simple formula: faster code equals less compute equals a smaller cloud bill.

Myth 3: We don't have performance problems in our cloud applications.

Many teams unknowingly overprovision resources, leading to wasted cloud capacity. Even tiny performance issues, like 0.1% of transactions taking five to six times longer, can lead to significant overprovisioning. High-performance Java runtimes can reduce CPU usage, freeing up server and instance capacity. In my experience, I've found that some organizations have seen more than a 20% reduction in cloud compute costs simply by using a high-performance Java runtime.

Myth 4: Changing our Java runtime is too difficult.

Optimizing Java performance and cloud utilization doesn't necessarily require code changes or recompilation. Switching to using high-performance Java runtimes with minimal disruption typically involves installing the new Java runtime and making easy configuration changes without the need to alter or recompile application code.

Myth 5: We're running out of ways to optimize our cloud spend.

High-performance Java runtimes can be procured through cloud marketplaces, leveraging your committed spend to procure a faster Java runtime that offers multiple benefits such as additional discounts through committed spend thresholds, simplified contracting and, most importantly, less spend on cloud compute.

Myth 6: We must upgrade to the latest Java version for better performance.

While staying current has its benefits, you don't need to move to the latest Java release to reap the benefits of exceptional performance. Many high-performance Java runtimes offer significant "backported" improvements for older Java versions, allowing you to enhance performance without the need to upgrade your major Java version—which can be quite complex and costly.

The Path Forward

As cloud costs continue to be a significant concern for businesses, it's crucial to look beyond traditional optimization strategies. Your choice of Java runtime can be a powerful tool in your cost-saving arsenal. Organizations can significantly reduce their cloud spend while improving application performance, creating a culture of cloud cost awareness.

As tech leaders, we are responsible for continuously exploring and implementing these often-overlooked optimization strategies. Remember, the goal isn't just to cut costs but to maximize the value derived from every dollar spent on cloud resources. By doing so, we can drive both efficiency and innovation in our increasingly cloud-dependent world.