Optimizing storage performance without overspending is a crucial challenge for businesses running workloads on AWS. Balancing IOPS (Input/Output Operations Per Second) and throughput in Amazon Elastic Block Store (EBS) can significantly impact application performance and cloud costs. With the right strategy, businesses can maximize performance while keeping expenses in check.
In this guide, we’ll explore how to optimize EBS performance, avoid common pitfalls, and leverage automation tools like Hykell FinOps Toolkit to strike the perfect balance between cost efficiency and performance.
Understanding IOPS and Throughput in AWS EBS
Before diving into optimization techniques, let’s clarify the difference between IOPS and throughput:
- IOPS (Input/Output Operations Per Second): Measures the number of read/write operations per second. Critical for transactional databases and applications requiring low latency.
- Throughput: Measures the volume of data transferred per second (MB/s). Important for workloads handling large sequential data, such as data analytics and log processing.
Each EBS volume type has different IOPS and throughput capabilities. Understanding these distinctions is key to selecting the right storage solution for your needs.
EBS Volume Types and Performance Characteristics
Amazon EBS offers different volume types, each with varying levels of performance and pricing:
| EBS Volume Type | Use Case | Baseline IOPS | Max IOPS | Max Throughput |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| gp3 (General Purpose SSD) | Balanced workloads | 3,000 | 16,000 | 1,000 MB/s |
| gp2 (General Purpose SSD) | Legacy workloads | 3 IOPS/GB | 16,000 | 250 MB/s |
| io1/io2 (Provisioned IOPS SSD) | High-performance databases | Up to 50 IOPS/GB | 256,000 | 4,000 MB/s |
| st1 (Throughput Optimized HDD) | Big data, log processing | N/A | N/A | 500 MB/s |
| sc1 (Cold HDD) | Archival storage | N/A | N/A | 250 MB/s |
Key Takeaway:
- Use gp3 for most workloads as it offers higher throughput and configurable IOPS at a lower price.
- Opt for io1/io2 for high-performance databases and latency-sensitive applications.
- Choose st1 and sc1 for cost-effective large-scale sequential workloads.
The Cost-Performance Dilemma
Scaling IOPS and throughput comes at a price. Overprovisioning storage resources can lead to wasted spend, while underprovisioning can cause performance bottlenecks. Many companies struggle to find the optimal balance.
Common Challenges
- Overprovisioning IOPS: Many teams buy more IOPS than needed, leading to unnecessary costs.
- Underutilized Throughput: Choosing the wrong volume type may lead to throughput constraints, slowing down applications.
- Unmonitored Growth: Workloads evolve, and EBS configurations that once worked may no longer be optimal.
Best Practices for Optimizing AWS EBS Performance
1. Match Workloads to the Right EBS Volume Type
Selecting the right storage class ensures efficient use of resources. For example:
- Use gp3 instead of gp2 to separate IOPS from storage capacity.
- For databases, provision io2 to guarantee consistent performance.
2. Monitor Performance and Adjust IOPS Dynamically
Leverage AWS CloudWatch to monitor IOPS, latency, and throughput. Identify underutilized or overused volumes and adjust as needed.
3. Use Burstable Performance Wisely
EBS volumes like gp2 have burstable IOPS, but when credit balance depletes, performance drops. Transition to gp3 for predictable IOPS without dependency on burst credits.
4. Leverage Hykell FinOps Toolkit for Automated Optimization
Instead of manually tracking and adjusting EBS configurations, use Hykell FinOps Toolkit to automate cost-efficient storage management.
- Dynamic scaling ensures the right amount of IOPS is provisioned based on actual usage.
- Intelligent recommendations provide cost-saving insights without sacrificing performance.
Cost vs Performance Comparison for EBS Volume Types
To help visualize how cost and performance compare across different EBS types, here’s a cost vs performance comparison:
| EBS Volume Type | Performance Score (Higher is Better) | Cost Score (Higher is More Expensive) |
| gp3 | 8 | 3 |
| gp2 | 6 | 4 |
| io1/io2 | 10 | 10 |
| st1 | 4 | 2 |
| sc1 | 2 | 1 |
Conclusion: Get the Best of Both Worlds
Optimizing EBS IOPS and throughput is a balancing act. By choosing the right volume type, actively monitoring usage, and leveraging automation with Hykell FinOps Toolkit, businesses can reduce AWS storage costs while maintaining peak performance.
Stop overspending on storage and start maximizing efficiency—let Hykell FinOps Toolkit handle the heavy lifting for you.
