Simpool cuts EC2 costs by 21% with Flexsave for Compute
Meet Simpool
Simpool can focus on helping game developers maximize ROI while Flexsave for Compute optimizes its AWS EC2 spend
Driven by the rise of mobile gaming and an increase in in-game purchases, the gaming industry has seen profits soar over the last decade. To maximize these profits and retain users, game developers make daily in-app optimizations to personalize content and experiences for users. Developers rely on A/B testing to understand the effect of an optimization, but A/B testing has disadvantages: It’s slow, not entirely accurate and doesn’t account for a wide variety of scenarios.
That’s where Simpool comes in. With it’s “simulation-as-a-service” platform, game developers can quickly predict whether the optimization they plan to add to their game will be successful
The challenge
Powering Simpool’s “simulation sandbox” is AWS’s EC2 service, which gives them the flexibility to scale up or down according to users’ needs. But as a small startup, managing run-rate is crucial. And with EC2 representing a major chunk of their cloud bill, Simpool were hoping to leverage Savings Plans (SPs) to reduce their costs.
However, it’s just as difficult for Simpool to predict their own usage one or three years out as it is for game developers to forecast reliably whether a game will go viral or bust. Additionally, as a small startup, they need to dedicate every moment of their time on building a better product for game developers. They couldn’t afford to divert their focus away from helping game developers iterate faster, predict churn and conversion accurately and save time while doing so.
With zero time for optimization themselves, they were seeking a solution that would help them save money on EC2 without adding more work to their plate.
The solution
Simpool found a solution to their compute quandary in Flexsave for Compute. Using Flexsave for Compute, they enjoyed Savings Plans discounts coupled with the elasticity of on-demand, all while adding zero additional work to their already-full agendas.
Flexsave for Compute automatically manages the Savings Plans for Simpool, giving the company the confidence to focus on improving user experience and delivering value to its customers. And with DoiT handling all of the overhead management of those Savings Plans, Simpool doesn’t have to purchase any themselves — something they didn’t have time to do anyway. They don’t have to worry about the impacts of spikes and dips in product usage because Flexsave for Compute adjusts the number of Savings Plans applied accordingly and absorbs any underutilization costs.
As a result, they can continue focusing on the customer and product, but now they can do it while achieving a discounted rate on EC2.
The result
- Reduced overall EC2 costs by over 21%
- Can devote 100% of their time towards their product, while maximizing savings
- Lowered on-demand EC2 spend by over 23%
With Flexsave for Compute we reduced EC2 spend by 21% without adding any work to our already-full plates. It gives us flexibility to respond to the unpredictable nature of the gaming industry, enjoying the savings of Savings Plans without any risk or purchasing them ourselves.”
