Pitfall 1: Poor Instance Selection
❌ Common Mistakes:
Over-provisioning: Blindly choosing high-spec instances, leading to wasted performance.
Misunderstanding the differences between Compute-Optimized, Memory-Optimized, and Storage-Optimized types.
Ignoring the limitations of Burstable Performance instances (e.g., T-series CPU credits).
✅ How to Avoid:
Test Before You Buy: Use “Pay-as-you-go” to benchmark performance before committing.
Match Application Needs:
Web Apps → General Purpose
Databases → Memory-Optimized
Batch Processing → Compute-Optimized
Leverage Tools: Use the cloud provider’s advisor or sizing recommendation tools.
💰 Savings: Strategic selection can drastically reduce your baseline compute costs.
Pitfall 2: Wasted Storage Configuration
❌Common Mistakes:
Using High-Performance SSDs for all data types.
Never cleaning up old Snapshots and Backups.
Forgetting to set Lifecycle Rules for Object Storage (S3/OSS).
✅ How to Avoid:
Implement Data Tiering:
Hot Data → SSD Cloud Disks
Warm Data → Standard Cloud Disks
Cold Data → Archive Storage
Automated Cleanup:
Set auto-deletion policies for snapshots.
Configure Object Storage lifecycles (Auto-transition to Infrequent Access/Archive).
Storage Monitoring: Set up storage-specific cost alerts.
💰 Savings: Turn “forgotten storage” into immediate budget savings.
Pitfall 3: Runaway Networking & Egress Costs
❌ Common Mistakes:
Downloading large files directly from cloud servers via the Public Internet.
Ignoring the costs of Cross-AZ or Cross-Region data transfers.
Failing to set up traffic monitoring alerts.
✅ How to Avoid:
Optimize Downloads: Distribute large files via Object Storage + CDN.
Set Bandwidth Caps: Limit peak speeds to prevent spikes.
Use Internal Networking: * Use Private IPs within the same region (usually free).
Utilize VPC Peering or Cloud Enterprise Networks for cross-region connectivity.
Early Warnings: Set daily egress cost thresholds.
💰Savings: Prevent “bill shocks” from unexpected traffic spikes.
Pitfall 4: Excessive Security Group & Permission Access
❌ Common Mistakes:
Setting Security Groups to 0.0.0.0/0 (Wide open to the world).
Using the Root Account Access Key (AK/SK) for daily operations.
Failing to audit permission logs.
✅ How to Avoid:
Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP): Open only specific IPs/Ports in Security Groups.
Use IAM/RAM Sub-accounts with minimal necessary permissions.
Security Hardening:
Delete unused Access Keys.
Enable ActionTrails/CloudTrails for auditing.
Rotate Access Keys regularly.
Cost Impact: Breached accounts are often used for “Crypto-jacking” (mining), leading to massive unauthorized bills.
💰 Savings: Protect against catastrophic bills caused by security breaches.
Pitfall 5: Unmanaged “Orphaned” Resources
❌ Common Mistakes:
Forgetting to delete test instances.
Leaving Elastic IPs (EIP) or Load Balancers (LB) unattached while still being billed.
Keeping database test environments running 24/7.
✅ How to Avoid:
Resource Audit: Perform weekly/monthly checks for:
Idle Cloud Servers (Zero CPU load).
Unattached EIPs.
Empty/Unused Load Balancers.
Automation Tools:
Use Tags to label and track test resources.
Write cleanup scripts (Check our group for shared scripts!).
Architecture Optimization: Use instances that “Stop without Billing” for test environments.
💰 Savings: Eliminate unnecessary spending on resources that aren’t even being used.
📥 Bonus: “Cloud Resource Cost Optimization Checklist” PDF
👉 Comment or DM me to get your copy!