Title

AWS re:Invent 2023 - A Cloud Cost Savings Spectacular (COP219)

Summary

The session was a playful, acted-out scenario to teach cost optimization in cloud migrations.
Two engineers, Darko and Stephen, and their manager, Raul, embark on a cloud migration without knowledge of cost optimization, pricing, or FinOps.
They make classic mistakes like a direct lift-and-shift migration and provisioning resources "just in case."
AWS Solution Architect Steph intervenes to teach them about right-sizing, turning off idle instances, auto-scaling, and deleting unneeded resources.
Steph introduces tools like the AWS Instance Scheduler, AWS Cost Explorer, and AWS Compute Optimizer.
The engineers learn about the importance of monitoring costs and setting up budgets and alerts for anomalies.
They explore the idea of building a tool for instance recommendations but discover AWS already offers such a tool.
The session concludes with the introduction of CloudFix, a tool that helps automate cost optimization efforts.

Right-Sizing: It's crucial to select the appropriate instance types based on actual workload needs rather than just lifting and shifting existing infrastructure to the cloud.
Idle Resources: Turning off idle instances can lead to significant cost savings. Tools like the AWS Instance Scheduler can automate this process.
Auto-Scaling: Properly configured auto-scaling can ensure that resources match the demand, preventing over-provisioning and reducing costs.
Monitoring and Alerts: Regularly monitoring costs and setting up alerts for budget thresholds and anomalies can prevent unexpected expenses.
Managed Services: Utilizing AWS managed services like RDS and Lambda can reduce the operational overhead and potentially lead to cost savings.
AWS Compute Optimizer: This tool provides recommendations for right-sizing and is integrated with CloudFix to implement changes.
Continuous Optimization: Cloud cost optimization is an ongoing process due to continuous code deployment and AWS's constant innovation.
CloudFix: This tool automates the process of finding and fixing cost inefficiencies in AWS accounts, ensuring continuous optimization.
Community and Resources: Engaging with the AWS community, attending meetups, and utilizing AWS developer advocates can provide additional support and insights for cost optimization.