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15-Point AWS Optimization Checklist

Your Action Guide to Smarter AWS Cloud Management
Managing AWS isn’t just about spinning up instances—it’s about ensuring every resource is secure, cost-efficient, and aligned with business goals. Overspending and misconfigurations are common, but they’re avoidable with the right framework.

This 15-point checklist gives IT leaders and DevOps teams a structured approach to optimizing AWS cloud management services across cost, performance, security, and compliance.

Cost Optimization

  1. Identify Idle Resources
    • Scan for unused EC2 instances, unattached EBS volumes, and orphaned snapshots.
    • Use AWS Trusted Advisor and Cost Explorer to flag waste.
  2. Right-Size Instances
    • Match workloads to the correct instance family and size.
    • Leverage AWS Compute Optimizer recommendations.
  3. Leverage Reserved Instances & Savings Plans
    • Commit predictable workloads to 1–3 year Reserved Instances (RIs).
    • Use Savings Plans for flexibility across instance types.
  4. Optimize Storage Tiers
    • Move infrequently accessed data from S3 Standard to S3 Infrequent Access or Glacier.
    • Use lifecycle policies to automate archival.
  5. Consolidate Billing Across Accounts
    • Apply AWS Organizations to combine billing and gain enterprise-wide cost visibility.

Performance Optimization

  1. Enable Auto Scaling
    • Configure EC2 Auto Scaling groups to handle demand spikes automatically.
    • Avoid paying for unused capacity.
  2. Use Load Balancing
    • Distribute traffic with Elastic Load Balancing (ELB).
    • Monitor latency and optimize for end-user experience.
  3. Implement Caching
    • Use Amazon CloudFront and Elasticache to speed up application performance.
    • Reduce unnecessary load on databases and servers.
  4. Optimize Database Performance
    • Right-size RDS and DynamoDB workloads.
    • Enable Read Replicas for high-demand queries.
  5. Leverage Monitoring & Alerts
    • Configure Amazon CloudWatch for performance baselines.
    • Set automated alerts for unusual spikes or resource bottlenecks.

    Security & Compliance

    1. Enforce IAM Best Practices
      • Follow least-privilege access policies.
      • Regularly audit IAM roles, users, and groups.
    2. Enable Encryption Everywhere
      • Apply KMS-managed encryption for data at rest.
      • Ensure TLS/SSL for data in transit.
    3. Enable Logging & Auditing
      • Use AWS CloudTrail and Config to log changes and track compliance.
      • Store logs securely with restricted access.
    4. Continuous Vulnerability Scanning
      • Integrate scanning tools for EC2, containers, and serverless workloads.
      • Prioritize and remediate vulnerabilities before they’re exploited.
    5. Disaster Recovery & Backup Readiness
      • Automate backups for RDS, DynamoDB, and EBS volumes.
      • Test multi-region high availability (HA) and recovery plans regularly.

      Final Takeaway

      AWS optimization isn’t a one-time project—it’s an ongoing process. By following this 15-point checklist, organizations can reduce costs, improve performance, and strengthen their cloud security posture.

      Start small: pick 3 checklist items to implement this week, then build toward continuous AWS optimization.