Forti365
AWS Cost Optimization Checklist
We've reviewed 50+ AWS environments. These are the 5 areas where we consistently find the biggest savings. Use this checklist to identify where your money is going — then talk to us for the specific fixes.
1. EC2 Instances
EC2 is typically 40–60% of an AWS bill. Most instances are oversized for what they actually do.
Check for stopped or idle instances running for 30+ days
Compare instance sizes against actual CPU/memory usage
Evaluate Graviton migration opportunities for compatible workloads
Analyze Reserved Instance and Savings Plan coverage gaps
2. Storage (S3, EBS)
Unattached volumes and old snapshots pile up silently. S3 without lifecycle policies bleeds money.
Look for unattached EBS volumes and orphaned snapshots
Check if S3 lifecycle policies are configured
Review S3 storage class distribution and tiering opportunities
3. Databases
RDS instances are often the second-largest line item. Dev/test environments running production-sized instances is common.
Check RDS instance utilization — are you using more than 20% of CPU?
Evaluate Reserved Instance coverage for production databases
Assess Aurora Serverless v2 for variable workloads
4. Networking & Data Transfer
Data transfer charges are the most overlooked cost. NAT Gateway alone can cost hundreds per month.
Check for unused Elastic IPs ($3.65/month each)
Analyze NAT Gateway vs VPC endpoint cost tradeoffs
Review cross-region transfer patterns
5. Account-Level Visibility
You can't optimize what you can't see. Most SMBs don't have proper cost visibility set up.
Verify Cost Explorer is enabled with budget alerts
Implement tagging strategy for cost allocation
Want to know exactly how much you can save?
Book a free 15-minute call. We'll look at your AWS bill together and identify your top 3 savings opportunities.
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