AWS Compute Optimizer
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What is AWS Compute Optimizer
AWS Compute Optimizer is an AWS service that analyzes historical utilization metrics and configuration data to recommend right-sizing and purchasing options for AWS resources. It targets cloud operations, platform, and FinOps teams that want to reduce cost and improve performance efficiency for workloads running on AWS. The service provides recommendations for resources such as Amazon EC2 instances, Auto Scaling groups, EBS volumes, and AWS Lambda functions, and can surface findings through the AWS console, APIs, and integrations.
Native AWS telemetry access
Compute Optimizer uses AWS-collected metrics and configuration data, which reduces the need to deploy third-party agents for supported AWS services. This tight integration helps teams generate recommendations quickly for common AWS compute and storage resources. It also aligns with AWS identity and access controls, simplifying access management for AWS-native users.
Actionable right-sizing recommendations
The product provides specific instance type, volume, and function configuration recommendations based on observed utilization patterns. It can identify over-provisioned and under-provisioned resources and suggest changes that map to AWS resource families and sizes. Recommendations can support cost and performance reviews by giving concrete alternatives rather than generic utilization reports.
API and reporting integration
Compute Optimizer exposes recommendations via APIs and supports export to common reporting workflows, enabling integration into internal dashboards and governance processes. This helps teams operationalize optimization as part of periodic reviews or automated workflows. It fits well for organizations standardizing on AWS-native tooling for visibility and optimization.
AWS-only scope
Compute Optimizer focuses on AWS resources and does not provide a unified optimization layer across multiple cloud providers or on-prem environments. Organizations running hybrid or multi-cloud estates may need additional tooling to compare and govern recommendations consistently. This limits its role as a single control plane for heterogeneous infrastructure.
Recommendation coverage varies
Not all workload types and configurations receive the same depth of recommendations, and some services or edge cases may have limited support. The quality of recommendations depends on having sufficient historical utilization data and stable workload patterns. Teams may still need manual validation for spiky, seasonal, or rapidly changing workloads.
Limited end-to-end automation
The service primarily provides recommendations rather than fully orchestrating remediation across environments. Applying changes typically requires separate operational processes (change management, IaC updates, scaling policies) and careful testing. Compared with broader cloud management platforms, it is narrower in workflow, policy, and lifecycle management capabilities.
Plan & Pricing
Pricing model: Pay-as-you-go (usage-based) Free tier/trial: Core Compute Optimizer recommendations (default analysis using ~14 days of metrics, optionally up to 32 days) are provided at no additional charge. No time-limited trial is listed; core functionality is available without an extra fee. Example costs:
- Enhanced infrastructure metrics (EC2) – $0.0003360215 per resource per hour (charged for the number of hours the resource is running; a resource running continuously in a 31-day month is ~ $0.25/month).
- Enhanced infrastructure metrics (RDS) – $0.0003360215 per resource per hour.
- EC2 Auto Scaling groups – charged per running EC2 instance (when enhanced metrics are enabled). Notes & key features:
- There is no additional charge for AWS Compute Optimizer core recommendations; you pay for the AWS resources you use and for Amazon CloudWatch monitoring fees.
- Enhanced infrastructure metrics (paid feature) provides up to three months of metric history (ingests up to six times more CloudWatch metrics than the default) and is billed per resource per hour when activated.
- Pricing examples and method of charge (hourly per resource, billed for hours resources run) are provided on the official pricing page.
Seller details
Amazon Web Services, Inc.
Seattle, Washington, USA
2006
Subsidiary
https://aws.amazon.com/
https://x.com/awscloud
https://www.linkedin.com/company/amazon-web-services/
