Suboptimal Storage Configuration for Aurora Cluster

Service Category

Cloud Provider

AWS

Service Name

AWS Aurora

Inefficiency Type

Misconfiguration

Explanation

Many Aurora clusters default to using the Standard configuration, which charges separately for I/O operations. For workloads with frequent read and write activity, this can lead to unnecessarily high costs. Aurora I/O-Optimized eliminates I/O charges entirely and simplifies cost predictability. In environments with consistently high I/O usage, switching to I/O-Optimized often results in lower total spend.

Relevant Billing Model

Aurora offers two storage configurations with distinct cost structures:

Aurora Standard: Lower per-GB storage cost, but incurs additional charges for I/O operations (reads and writes)
Aurora I/O-Optimized: Higher per-GB storage cost, but includes unlimited I/O with no additional I/O charges

Choosing the right configuration depends on the balance between storage volume and I/O intensity. High-I/O workloads may see significantly lower costs under I/O-Optimized pricing.

Detection

Identify Aurora clusters currently using the Standard storage configuration
Review historical cost breakdowns to evaluate the portion of spend attributed to I/O charges
Determine whether the workload exhibits high read/write activity or transactional behavior
Assess whether I/O charges regularly account for a significant share of total Aurora costs
Estimate whether switching to I/O-Optimized would lower total cost based on current storage and I/O usage patterns
Confirm that the cluster meets version and engine requirements for I/O-Optimized eligibility
Engage database administrators or workload owners to validate I/O behavior and review trade-offs

Remediation

Modify the cluster to use Aurora I/O-Optimized if the workload is read/write intensive and I/O costs are high. This change can be made without downtime and takes effect immediately for supported Aurora versions. Monitor ongoing cost and performance to confirm the change results in expected benefits.

Relevant Documentation

Aurora Pricing

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