Managing the costs associated with Kubernetes clusters in the cloud has always been a challenge for enterprises, with complexities stemming from changing resource consumption patterns and a lack of granular visibility into costs. However, the Azure Portal has introduced a game-changing solution with the general availability of Kubernetes cluster and Kubernetes namespace pricing insights in the Cost Analysis section.
Previously, Microsoft Cost Management (MCM) provided insights into cluster resource consumption, but it fell short in several key areas. There was a lack of granularity beyond the cluster level, making it difficult to isolate individual application costs or differentiate between shared and dedicated resources. Additionally, cost analysis across multiple clusters within the same subscription is not natively supported.
To address these shortcomings, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) has integrated with MCM, offering detailed pricing insights at the Kubernetes construct level, including clusters and namespaces. This integration allows users to gain deeper insight into infrastructure costs and allocate resources more efficiently.
The AKS cost analysis add-on leverages OpenCost, an open source project for collecting usage data, to provide consistent cost data within the MCM Cost Analysis portal experience. This eliminates the need for third-party solutions that often require additional deployment and maintenance efforts.
However, there are some prerequisites and limitations to be aware of. Clusters must be Standard or Premium tiered, and users must have the appropriate permissions in the subscription hosting the cluster to access cost analysis data. Additionally, clusters must be deployed with a configured Microsoft Entra Workload ID, and virtual nodes are not currently supported.
Enabling cost analysis is simple using the Azure CLI, with options to enable it during cluster creation or update. Once enabled, users can view cost allocation data, including idle charges, service charges, system charges, and unallocated charges, in the Azure portal. It is important to note that it can take up to a day for the data to be aggregated, after which any fluctuations in costs may stabilize.
In conclusion, the integration of Kubernetes yeast insights into the Cost Analysis section of the Azure Portal is a significant step forward in cost management for cloud-based Kubernetes clusters. By providing detailed visibility and insights into infrastructure costs, enterprises can optimize AKS spending and make more informed resource allocation decisions.
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