65 points by someuser 6 months ago flag hide 30 comments
john_tech 6 months ago next
Great post! Our team also managed to reduce our cloud infrastructure costs by 35%. We mainly focused on rightsizing VMs, using reserved instances, and using load balancers more efficiently. Do you have any other tips to share?
original_poster 6 months ago next
Hi @john_tech, glad to hear that you had a similar experience! Besides what you listed, we also looked into auto-scaling, optimizing database costs, and using cost-effective storage solutions. We found auto-scaling to be one of the most impactful changes we made. We used it to scale down the number of instances when traffic is low, and it has saved us a ton of money!
cost_optimization_guru 6 months ago prev next
@john_tech, when optimizing cloud costs, it's crucial to involve all relevant teams, including operations, infrastructure, and financial. We usually start with a cost-optimization workshop, where we share best practices, tools, and techniques for reducing costs. It helps everyone to get on the same page and work towards the same goal.
original_poster 6 months ago next
@cost_optimization_guru, that's an excellent point! I couldn't agree more. We also made sure that the financial team was involved in the project from the beginning. They helped us track costs and measure the ROI of our efforts. We couldn't have achieved such significant cost savings without their support!
john_tech 6 months ago prev next
@original_poster, you're right! We involved the financial team early in the process, and it made a significant difference. As for tips and techniques, we used a combination of scripts, tools, and vendor-provided services. We also implemented a dashboard that helped us track costs and usage in real-time. It helped us keep everyone accountable and informed.
original_poster 6 months ago next
@john_tech, that's interesting! We also created a dashboard to track costs and usage. It's an excellent way to keep everyone informed and motivated. Would you mind sharing some details about the scripts and tools you used? I'm always looking for ways to improve our cost-optimization strategy.
john_tech 6 months ago prev next
@original_poster, happy to share! We used a combination of tools and scripts, including the AWS Cost Explorer, Kubernetes Cost Analysis, and a custom script for real-time tracking. The custom script sends notifications via email and Slack when usage exceeds a certain threshold. It helped us stay on top of costs and usage and take swift action when necessary.
original_poster 6 months ago next
@john_tech, that's impressive! Do you mind sharing the custom script with me? I'm interested in creating something similar for our project.
another_techie 6 months ago prev next
I'm curious to know how you handled the operational challenges that come with cost optimization. Did you face any resistance from the engineering teams or other stakeholders? And how did you address those challenges?
original_poster 6 months ago next
@another_techie, great question! We did face some resistance from the engineering teams, mainly because they were concerned about the potential impact on performance and reliability. To address their concerns, we worked closely with them to ensure that the cost-optimization measures we implemented did not compromise system performance or availability. We also provided regular updates and reports to help them understand the benefits of cost optimization and how it contributed to the company's overall success. It took some time, but we managed to build trust and support for the project. Now, everyone is on board and committed to cost optimization.
techie_sam 6 months ago prev next
Nice work! I would also suggest considering serverless architectures where appropriate. It's another way to reduce costs and optimize infrastructure usage.
techie_sam 6 months ago next
@john_tech, would you mind sharing some details about the tools and techniques you used to optimize cloud costs? I'm looking to do the same in my project.
techie_sam 6 months ago next
@john_tech, we're currently using Kubernetes, and I'm wondering if you have any tips for optimizing costs with this technology? I would appreciate any guidance you can provide.
john_tech 6 months ago next
@techie_sam, one thing we did was to implement automatic resource scaling, using the Kubernetes Horizontal Pod Autoscaler (HPA). It helped us optimize resource usage and reduce costs. We also used the Kubernetes Cluster Autoscaler to scale the number of worker nodes based on pod resource requirements. It further optimized resource usage and reduced costs.
techie_sam 6 months ago next
@john_tech, thanks for sharing! I've been looking into the HPA and Cluster Autoscaler, and your experience gives me more confidence to give them a try. I'm also interested in learning more about the custom script for real-time tracking. Do you have a link to the code repository?
john_tech 6 months ago next
@techie_sam, sorry, I don't have a public code repository for the custom script. However, I'm happy to share the code with you directly. Just send me a private message with your email address, and I'll send it over to you.
techie_sam 6 months ago prev next
@john_tech, in your experience, what are some common pitfalls and gotchas that teams should watch out for when implementing cost optimization measures in Kubernetes? I'm interested in learning from your experience and avoiding common mistakes.
john_tech 6 months ago next
@techie_sam, one pitfall to avoid is focusing too much on short-term cost savings, without considering the long-term impact on system performance and availability. Another mistake is not involving all relevant teams in the cost optimization process, which can result in buy-in problems and delays in implementation. Ensure that all stakeholders are informed and on board, including operations, infrastructure, security, and financial teams. Finally, be prepared to invest time and resources in learning new tools and techniques, and regularly review and update your cost optimization strategy to stay up-to-date with new developments and best practices.
techie_sam 6 months ago next
@john_tech, that's excellent advice, and I appreciate your insights. I'm looking forward to putting these lessons into practice and optimizing our cloud infrastructure costs. Do you have any other tips or recommendations to share before we wrap up the conversation?
john_tech 6 months ago next
@techie_sam, my last recommendation would be to make cost optimization a continuous process, rather than a one-time event. Keep an eye on new developments and best practices, regularly review and update your cost optimization strategy, and involve all relevant teams in the process. By making cost optimization a continuous process, you'll be better positioned to optimize your infrastructure costs over the long term and ensure that your system remains performant and reliable for your users.
devops_joe 6 months ago prev next
@john_tech, that's excellent advice! I've seen many teams struggle with cost optimization in Kubernetes, and they often overlook opportunities for optimization. I would also suggest using the Kubernetes Topology Manager to optimize the placement of pods and reduce costs. It's a great tool, and it can help you optimize resource usage and reduce costs.
john_tech 6 months ago next
@devops_joe, I completely agree! We've also found the Topology Manager to be a valuable tool for optimizing resource placement and reducing costs. Another technique we've used is to use cheaper storage tiers for data that doesn't require high performance or immediate availability. It's another way to optimize costs and reduce infrastructure expenses.
another_techie 6 months ago prev next
@techie_sam, have you had a chance to look into the KEDA (Kubernetes-based Event Driven Autoscaling) project? It's an open-source initiative that provides event-driven autoscaling for Kubernetes. It's a great tool, and it can help you optimize costs by scaling resources based on actual usage.
techie_sam 6 months ago next
@another_techie, I haven't tried KEDA yet, but I've heard great things about it. I'll definitely give it a try, and thanks for the suggestion!
aws_expert 6 months ago prev next
Nice to see a successful cost-optimization story! I would like to add that AWS offers cost-optimization recommendations via the Cost Explorer tool. It helps to identify underutilized resources, unattached EBS volumes, and idle load balancers. It's an excellent resource for teams looking to reduce costs.
original_poster 6 months ago next
@aws_expert, that's a great point! We've been using the Cost Explorer tool for a while now, and it has indeed helped us identify and eliminate wasted resources. Thanks for mentioning it!
azure_enthusiast 6 months ago prev next
Cost optimization is essential for any cloud infrastructure. In Azure, we use Azure Advisor to get personalized recommendations for cost-effective resources and practices. It helps to keep costs under control and optimize infrastructure.
original_poster 6 months ago next
@azure_enthusiast, that's another great tool to keep in mind. We used Azure Advisor for security recommendations, but I didn't know it had cost-optimization features as well. I'll definitely check it out. Thanks for sharing!
gcp_advocate 6 months ago prev next
In GCP, we use the Operations suite to monitor infrastructure costs and identify optimization opportunities. It's an excellent tool that I would recommend to anyone looking to optimize their cloud infrastructure costs.
original_poster 6 months ago next
@gcp_advocate, that's another great tool to consider. We're not using GCP at the moment, but if we ever switch, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for sharing!