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Platform components
Billing
Billing is a vital component of Nexorra Private Cloud. The process begins by creating a billing account, with each project, product, or information system corresponding to one billing account. Within each billing account, multiple projects can be created. A project allows users to utilize cloud services within a specific cloud region or data center. Additionally, each project is associated with a pre-defined user-selectable environment type, such as sandbox, testing, stage, or production.
The billing component within Nexorra Private Cloud addresses several critical challenges in enterprise cloud infrastructure:
Master data
Billing facilitates the use of the same set of master data as your company's project management, ERP, and CMDB systems. This ensures detailed and transparent information about cloud billing accounts and projects. It becomes effortless to track cloud usage, financial transactions (e.g., cost allocation from one WBS element to another), project ownership within the organization, and historical changes. This visibility is valuable not only from an organizational and financial perspective but also for efficient cloud operations, enabling quick identification of cloud resources associated with specific projects and prioritization based on importance and criticality.
Unlike other infrastructure options, Nexorra Private Cloud provides transparency and visibility rather than operating as a financial and organizational black box.
Custom metrics and prices, ability to add and bill custom cloud services
The billing component of Nexorra Private Cloud allows you to configure and customize metrics, algorithms, and prices for your cloud services. While it comes pre-configured, you have full control and can easily modify these parameters using the administrative UX, as it is a standard functionality. It also supports running any type of metrics and data collectors, providing flexibility in organizing your cloud services pricing. Users perceive the billing to work on an hourly basis, although it operates online technically. Pricelists with validity periods ensure accurate tracking and the ability to trace events. You can bill cloud services provided as part of Nexorra Private Cloud, as well as your own services integrated using standard patterns. Furthermore, different pricing can be set for various cloud regions or data centers.
Automated processes
Billing automates the onboarding process and related account management tasks. When a user within an organization intends to create a billing account in the private cloud, they can complete the automated onboarding process through a few clicks on the Nexorra Private Cloud portal. This process includes selecting the respective project/product or IT system and obtaining automated approval from the owner. There's no need to raise tickets or make calls. With this streamlined approach, you can get up and running in the Nexorra Private Cloud within minutes while maintaining consistency and transparency in your project/product organizational and financial data. The same automated approach applies to billing account top-ups. Users can easily perform top-ups from their personal account section in the cloud portal, triggering necessary workflows in the background. For instance, the billing component will generate an automated request to the respective financial specialist for cost allocation transactions in SAP PM/CO. Once completed, the billing account balance in the cloud will be topped up.
Advanced usage analytics and reporting
The billing component offers extensive built-in usage analytics and reporting capabilities. It serves not only financial stakeholders within each project/product team but also customer success managers (internal sales) and financial departments. It acts as a single source of truth for cloud usage and all financial transactions. Moreover, it includes user notification mechanisms to automatically notify specific users about certain events, such as low balance alerts.
Pricing calculator
The billing component has pricing calculator which enables project/product teams quickly perform cloud sizing for their initiative and perform budget estimate in automated self-service manner without the need to fill in any infrastructure questionaries. Pricing calculator is available on Nexorra Private Cloud Portal. User can quickly select needed services and their configuration in specific data center and get budget estimate. This data can be exported into Excel and used further in budget planning and approval processes.
