VPC endpoints can quickly become a source of unnecessary cloud spending if not managed carefully. Each VPC endpoint incurs approximately $80 in annual costs, making it crucial to optimize your endpoint strategy.
Why This Policy Matters
VPC endpoints provide private connectivity between your VPC and supported AWS services without requiring an internet gateway, NAT device, VPN connection, or AWS Direct Connect connection. However, creating multiple endpoints for the same service across different VPCs or availability zones can lead to:
- Unnecessary cost escalation
- Increased complexity in network architecture
- Redundant infrastructure management
Cost Reduction Impact
By consolidating and reusing VPC endpoints, organizations can:
- Reduce annual cloud spending
- Simplify network configuration
- Optimize resource utilization
Potential Savings Calculation
Example Scenario:
- 5 redundant VPC endpoints for S3
- Cost per endpoint: $80/year
- Potential Annual Savings: $400
Implementation Guide
Infrastructure-as-Code Remediation Example (Terraform)
Before (Inefficient Configuration):
resource "aws_vpc_endpoint" "s3_endpoint_1" {
vpc_id = aws_vpc.primary.id
service_name = "com.amazonaws.us-west-2.s3"
}
resource "aws_vpc_endpoint" "s3_endpoint_2" {
vpc_id = aws_vpc.secondary.id
service_name = "com.amazonaws.us-west-2.s3"
}After (Optimized Configuration):
resource "aws_vpc_endpoint" "consolidated_s3_endpoint" {
vpc_id = aws_vpc.primary.id
service_name = "com.amazonaws.us-west-2.s3"
}
# Reuse existing endpoint via VPC peering or transit gatewayManual Implementation Steps
- Inventory existing VPC endpoints
- Identify redundant endpoints for the same service
- Consolidate endpoints using:
- VPC peering
- Transit gateways
- Centralized networking architecture
Best Practices
- Centralize endpoint management
- Use network sharing mechanisms
- Implement regular endpoint audits
- Leverage Infracost to detect and prevent unnecessary endpoint creation
Recommended Tools
- AWS VPC Endpoint Inventory Tools
- Infracost for continuous cost optimization and policy enforcement
Example Scenarios
Scenario 1: Multi-Environment Infrastructure
Situation: Development, staging, and production VPCs with individual S3 endpoints
Optimization:
- Implement centralized VPC endpoint
- Use network sharing mechanisms
- Potential Savings: Up to $240/year
Scenario 2: Multi-Region Deployment
Situation: Duplicate endpoints across different AWS regions
Optimization:
- Consolidate endpoints using AWS Transit Gateway
- Implement cross-region networking strategies
- Potential Savings: Up to $400/year
Considerations and Caveats
- Ensure network security requirements are maintained
- Verify compliance with organizational network policies
- Consider latency and performance implications
- Validate endpoint accessibility across different network configurations