Although implementing a quality tagging strategy isn’t always simple, tagging is still worth the investment. This is especially true if your organization is capable of automating processes. It is vital to use a disciplined approach with a strong foundation that includes policies that encourage good tag hygiene.
To create the best tagging policy, be sure to plan a detailed strategic roll-out process. Here are some factors to consider:
1. Define the policy
It is extremely helpful to have a centralized IT team own this process whenever possible, as they will be able to best define a global tagging policy in a consistent way. Don’t forget to get buy-in and feedback from key stakeholders before implementing this policy.
2. Carry out consistent reporting
Organizations should try to report on their tagging efforts on at least a weekly basis. This will help show the current state of the tagging initiative, and allow them to track improvements in tag coverage, making the benefits of your tagging efforts measurable.
3. Alert team members to their obligations
Alerts can be as simple as creating signal emails for team members involved with resources that require tags. This way, no cloud resource will slip through the cracks un-categorized.
4. Implement automation
Once a functional tagging strategy has been implemented and standardized, organizations should consider automating tagging processes. Establish consistent naming conventions to help automatically categorize these tags into silos. Alerting should also be automated as soon as possible.
To ensure that organizations do this process correctly the first time, many opt to utilize Cloud Spend Management Platforms. While these platforms don’t necessarily do all of the heavy lifting, they provide a valuable foundation to build out your cloud optimization strategy. By creating a well-designed tagging strategy focused around cloud spend management, your organization will be able to better execute initiatives such as cloud cost reporting, cloud cost optimization, and cloud security efforts.