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Managing AWS costs effectively is crucial for businesses to avoid unnecessary expenses. Many AWS accounts have underutilized or overprovisioned resources that inflate bills. Understanding pricing models and optimizing configurations can lead to significant savings.
You Should Know:
1. Identify Unused Resources
Use AWS Cost Explorer and AWS Trusted Advisor to detect idle resources:
aws ce get-cost-and-usage --time-period Start=2023-01-01,End=2023-01-31 --granularity MONTHLY --metrics "UnblendedCost"
2. Right-Size EC2 Instances
Check CPU and memory utilization via CloudWatch:
aws cloudwatch get-metric-statistics --namespace AWS/EC2 --metric-name CPUUtilization --dimensions Name=InstanceId,Value=i-1234567890abcdef0 --statistics Average --period 3600 --start-time 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z --end-time 2023-01-31T23:59:59Z
Use AWS Compute Optimizer for recommendations.
3. Delete Unattached EBS Volumes
List and delete unused volumes:
aws ec2 describe-volumes --filters Name=status,Values=available --query "Volumes[].VolumeId" --output text | xargs -n1 aws ec2 delete-volume --volume-id
4. Optimize S3 Storage
Move infrequently accessed data to S3 Glacier:
aws s3api put-bucket-lifecycle-configuration --bucket my-bucket --lifecycle-configuration file://lifecycle.json
Example `lifecycle.json`:
{
"Rules": [
{
"ID": "Move to Glacier",
"Status": "Enabled",
"Prefix": "",
"Transitions": [
{
"Days": 30,
"StorageClass": "GLACIER"
}
]
}
]
}
5. Use Spot Instances for Non-Critical Workloads
Launch Spot Instances via CLI:
aws ec2 request-spot-instances --spot-price "0.03" --instance-count 1 --type "one-time" --launch-specification file://specification.json
6. Automate Cost Alerts
Set up billing alarms:
aws cloudwatch put-metric-alarm --alarm-name "AWS-Billing-Alarm" --alarm-description "Alarm when AWS charges exceed $500" --metric-name "EstimatedCharges" --namespace "AWS/Billing" --statistic "Maximum" --period 21600 --evaluation-periods 1 --threshold 500 --comparison-operator "GreaterThanThreshold" --dimensions Name=Currency,Value=USD
What Undercode Say
AWS cost optimization requires continuous monitoring and adjustments. Leverage AWS-native tools like Cost Explorer, Trusted Advisor, and Compute Optimizer to identify inefficiencies. Automate cleanup tasks using AWS CLI and Lambda functions. Right-sizing instances, deleting unused resources, and adopting cost-effective services like Spot Instances can drastically reduce expenses.
Expected Output:
- Reduced AWS bills by identifying unused resources.
- Automated cost-saving measures via scripting.
- Optimized storage and compute for better efficiency.
For further reading, check the original article: How We Decreased Our Monthly AWS Costs from $10,000 to $1,500.
References:
Reported By: Darryl Ruggles – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
