Last Week in AWS - how are your knees?

Hello again, treasured reader.

How are your knees doing?

Personally, I’m 44 and mine are going strong.

However, thanks to the wisdom that my wizened old age has brought me, I know that one or both of them could suddenly go kablooey at any time.

Knees are kinda like AWS bills.

Yours might not be a problem right now — or if they are, you don’t think about them too much.

But add in the slow, silent, steady progression of cartilage loss…

Or rapid business expansion…

Or new feature releases…

And suddenly, your knees AND your AWS bill explode into huge, seemingly unsolvable issues.

(Yes, I know knee replacements are a thing. But no one ever says, “Boy, I just can’t wait to get this major joint hacked out of my body and replaced with metal!” At least, to my knowledge.)

If this email has put a perma-grimace on your face and sent a shudder down your spine, perhaps you’d like to head off at least one of these inevitable issues.

I can’t help with your knees (maybe try fish oil?), but I CAN share 3 AWS billing warning signs to keep a lookout for.

If any of these starts to ring true, it’s time to schedule surgery on your bill:

1. You’re playing Whac-A-Mole every month. Whenever you launch a new feature, your bill spikes, no matter how carefully you plan and budget. And you’re getting tired of holding the mallet.
2. You have a sinking suspicion you’re paying for services you’re not using. Scaling your business is a job all its own — and making sure your tech grows cost-effectively alongside it is another job.
3. You’re only sort-of sure which business units are using which AWS resources. Plugging your ears and whistling “Dixie” can only take you so far. Wouldn’t it be nice to find out who’s using what?

Still can’t shake the feeling that opening this email was either the best or the worst thing that’s ever happened to you?

You should probably get in touch, then.

We all die eventually so at least let’s get ahead of your bill,
Corey