I've been auditing AWS accounts for some time now, and I've consistently noticed a 20-30% waste in cloud costs. The usual culprits include unattached EBS volumes, old snapshots, dev/test RDS instances running 24/7 with minimal usage, and unused Elastic IPs, not to mention issues like inefficient volume types and unnecessary NAT Gateways. While I have automated the scanning of resources, I'm curious about the strategies others have found effective for cost optimization. Do you rely on manual audits, third-party tools, AWS native features, or consultant audits? Have any of these methods worked well for you, or have you found them to be a waste of time and money? I appreciate any insights you can share!
5 Answers
Using automation has worked wonders for us! We built Lambda functions that scan for underutilized resources and send alerts for orphaned resources. It’s a simple setup that pays off big time without the overhead of expensive tools.
Tagging old resources can be tedious, but I've found using Cost Explorer with filters to locate forgotten resources surprisingly effective. Although third-party tools can be costly, they might be worth it depending on your overall AWS spending.
One approach I've seen work is tagging all resources and running reports based on those tags. This way, decision-makers get clear visibility on costs by department, making it easier to hold teams accountable for their resources and spending.
I’ve had success with a mix of tools like InfraCost and reporting via QuickSight. It’s important to find a solution that fits your specific needs, but these tools help identify where the biggest expenses are.
I can relate to the struggle! I think making cost visibility part of the deployment process, rather than a separate audit, is crucial. When development teams see the costs of their resources in real-time, it motivates them to optimize usage.
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