Best practices for optimising your AWS costs
Cloud computing has transformed the way businesses operate, offering scalability, flexibility, and the ability to innovate —and fast. But, with all these benefits, comes challenges —like managing costs effectively.
AWS is the cloud provider of choice for many organisations, but without proper cost management, cloud expenses can quickly spiral out of control.
Let’s explore why cost management is crucial, delve into AWS’s cost management tools, and share some best-practice tips for optimising your costs as an AWS user.
Why the need to manage cloud costs?
Cost management is a critical aspect of cloud computing —in fact, it’s a core pillar of the AWS Well-Architected Framework.
Poor cost management can lead to budget overruns, reduced profitability, and even threaten the viability of a business. Effective cost management ensures that resources are used efficiently, helping organisations maximise their investment in cloud infrastructure.
By keeping cloud expenses under control, businesses can maintain financial health, allocate resources to innovation, and remain competitive in their markets.
AWS and cost management
Luckily, AWS provide a wide range of cost management tools designed to help businesses monitor, manage, and optimise their cloud expenditures. Understanding what tools are available (and how to use them) is essential for any organisation looking to make the most of its AWS solution.
Tools available to help manage costs
AWS Cost Explorer
AWS Cost Explorer is a powerful tool that enables users to visualise, understand, and manage their AWS costs and usage over time. It provides detailed insights into cost drivers, usage patterns, and trends.
With Cost Explorer, you can create custom reports, view historical data, and forecast future costs. This tool is invaluable for highlighting areas where businesses can find cost savings, and for making informed decisions about resource allocation.
AWS Budgets
AWS Budgets lets you set custom cost and usage budgets that alert you when you’re about to exceed your thresholds. This proactive approach to cost management helps prevent unexpected expenses and means that your cloud spending will stay within predefined limits.
AWS Budgets can be tailored to specific needs, such as setting budgets for different projects, teams, or departments, providing granular control over your cloud costings.
AWS Trusted Advisor
AWS Trusted Advisor is a real-time resource optimisation tool that provides recommendations to help you reduce costs, improve performance, and enhance security. Trusted Advisor covers five categories: cost optimisation, performance, security, fault tolerance, and service limits.
By regularly reviewing Trusted Advisor recommendations, you can identify underutilised resources, enhance your configurations, and keep your AWS environment running efficiently and cost-effectively.
Best Practices for using your resources efficiently
Here are the three best practices to get you heading in the right direction:
Right-size your resources
One of the most effective ways to manage AWS costs is by right-sizing your resources. This involves taking a detailed look at your current usage and adjusting the size of your instances, storage, and other resources to match your actual needs.
Implement Auto-Scaling
Auto Scaling helps you automatically adjust the number of instances in response to changing demand. By scaling your resources up during peak times and down during low usage periods, you can optimise your costs with less manual effort. Auto Scaling also helps maintain performance and availability, ensuring that your applications can handle traffic fluctuations efficiently. Tools like AWS S3 Intelligent-Tiering can automatically move data between storage tiers based on changing access patterns, optimising storage costs without manual intervention.
Monitor and review
Regularly review your usage patterns and make adjustments to ensure you are not paying for more than what you actually need. Storage costs can quickly add up, especially if you have large amounts of data. It’s important to continuously keep an eye on your current usage, and project your future needs accurately to ensure you’re not wasting resources before they’re required.
How Bespoke Training can help
At Bespoke Training, we understand that mastering AWS goes beyond just learning how to use development tools. Our courses are designed to equip you with comprehensive skills across various realms of AWS, including cost optimisation.
Whether you’re a beginner looking to understand the basics or an experienced professional aiming to fine-tune your cost management strategies, our expert-led courses provide the knowledge and hands-on experience you need. Learn how to leverage AWS’s cost management tools effectively and implement best practices to ensure your cloud environment is both efficient and cost-effective.
Ready to be your organisation’s cost-optimising hero? Explore our course offerings or get in touch today and take the first step towards a more efficient and cost-effective AWS environment.
