I'm currently using AWS mainly for EC2 to host various websites, but I have each website on a separate account. To make the most of the free tier, I recreate those accounts every year. I'm considering using AWS Organizations to automate this tedious process. Is this a smart move, and what should I keep in mind while using this service? I'm grateful for any insights or experiences you can share!
2 Answers
First off, why have a separate account for each website? If they don't need individual managers, it might not be necessary. You can still deploy to a new account when creating it, but does it really save you that much? If you're just running a couple of micro EC2 instances, your costs might not be as high as you think. Also, keep in mind you'll have to deal with creating new email addresses every year for signing up to get the free tier benefits. It could complicate things a bit for automation.
Totally agree! The individual security and management can be a pain, but I think it’s worth it in some scenarios. Just depends on your traffic and needs!
I recommend against using AWS Organizations to automate account creation for the purpose of recycling AWS Free Tier benefits. This practice violates AWS's Acceptable Use Policy, and they have systems in place that can flag and suspend accounts that abuse their system. Instead, AWS Organizations is meant for managing multiple accounts at scale, letting you apply policies and consolidate billing.
If cost is your main concern, look into alternatives. Check out AWS Lightsail for straightforward pricing, or even explore other cloud providers like Oracle Cloud or Google Cloud that offer free tiers. There are also great options for static sites like Netlify or Vercel. It’s best to focus on legitimate scaling strategies without risking your accounts.
Are you sure about that? I think all accounts in an organization still qualify for free tier limits.
I’m not trying to breach any policy; it’s just that I’m still shelling out money for EBS and RDS, so I need to find a cost-effective way to scale while developing my skills on AWS.
I get your point about managing accounts better. Each of my websites is for clients, and since the free tier only covers a t2.micro instance, it gets slow if I cram multiple sites into one. I need to find a balance while making the most out of the free tier for now, but I'm exploring other automation options too.