Cloud Intelligence Dashboards: The New Standard for Multi-Cloud Cost Reporting

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When Cloud Intelligence Dashboards first emerged, they supported only AWS. Then came Azure. The real shift happened when they embraced FOCUS (FinOps Open Cost and Usage Specification), allowing for unified cost visibility across Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. Now, the landscape is evolving again. OCI (Oracle) is gaining traction, and it’s only a matter of time before it’s fully integrated into these dashboards.

For FinOps engineers, this means:

  • A single dashboard for multi-cloud cost analysis
  • Standardized reporting across providers
  • A future where cloud cost data is consistent, comparable, and actionable

As cloud providers continue aligning with FOCUS, multi-cloud cost transparency is no longer a challenge; it’s becoming the industry standard.

Practice-Verified Codes and Commands:

1. Deploying Cloud Intelligence Dashboards on AWS:

git clone https://github.com/aws-samples/aws-cloud-intelligence-dashboards.git
cd aws-cloud-intelligence-dashboards
./deploy.sh

2. Setting Up FOCUS Integration:

aws configure set region us-east-1
aws cloudformation create-stack --stack-name focus-dashboard --template-body file://focus-template.yaml --capabilities CAPABILITY_NAMED_IAM

3. Cost and Usage Report (CUR) Setup:

aws cur modify-report-definition --report-name MyCostReport --report-definition file://cur-definition.json

4. Azure Cost Management Query:

az costmanagement query --type Usage --timeframe MonthToDate --dataset-aggregation '{"totalCost":{"name":"PreTaxCost","function":"Sum"}}'

5. Google Cloud Billing Export:

gcloud alpha billing budgets create --display-name="Monthly Budget" --budget-amount=1000 --calendar-period=month

What Undercode Say:

The evolution of Cloud Intelligence Dashboards marks a significant milestone in the FinOps ecosystem. By leveraging FOCUS, organizations can now achieve unparalleled visibility into their multi-cloud expenditures. This standardization not only simplifies cost management but also empowers FinOps teams to make data-driven decisions.

For Linux and Windows users, integrating these dashboards into your workflow can be streamlined with the following commands:

  • Linux: 
    sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y python3-pip
pip3 install boto3 awscli

  • Windows:

    Invoke-WebRequest -Uri https://awscli.amazonaws.com/AWSCLIV2.msi -OutFile AWSCLIV2.msi
Start-Process msiexec.exe -ArgumentList '/i AWSCLIV2.msi /quiet' -Wait

Additionally, monitoring and optimizing cloud costs can be enhanced with these commands:

  • AWS CLI for Cost Explorer: 
    aws ce get-cost-and-usage --time-period Start=2023-10-01,End=2023-10-31 --granularity MONTHLY --metrics "UnblendedCost" "UsageQuantity"

  • Azure CLI for Cost Analysis:

    az consumption usage list --start-date 2023-10-01 --end-date 2023-10-31

  • Google Cloud SDK for Billing Reports:

    gcloud beta billing accounts list

For further reading and deployment guides, visit the official AWS Cloud Intelligence Dashboards workshop: AWS Cloud Intelligence Dashboards Workshop.

In conclusion, the integration of FOCUS into Cloud Intelligence Dashboards is a game-changer for multi-cloud cost management. By adopting these tools and practices, organizations can ensure they are well-prepared for the future of cloud cost transparency and optimization.

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