Manage AWS EC2 Instances from the Command Line Using Python and Boto3

Introduction

Managing Amazon Web Services (AWS) EC2 instances from the command line can be quite convenient. In this blog post, we’ll demonstrate how to create a simple Python script using the Boto3 library, which (among other things) allows you to manage your EC2 instances directly from the command line. The skeleton of this script can even be adapted to other kinds of AWS python utilities. Here’s a link to the GitHub repo if you want to take a closer look at the finished product.

Three ways to reduce your AWS bill

Although reducing the costs associated with running your workloads in AWS has always been an essential part of day-to-day operations, it can sometimes fall to the bottom of the list when times are good. The current economic situation has changed how many of our customers approach how they spend their money in AWS, from an afterthought to the forefront.

In this article, I wanted to provide you with some simple things you can do immediately to help reduce your monthly AWS spending.

Using AWS Config to ensure EC2 Cost Optimizer is enabled

Wherever possible, organizations of all sizes are moving to remote work these days, which can lead to a spike in IT costs. To help mitigate this, we’re developing a suite of tests and checks to help our customers optimize their accounts.

One handy cost-cutting AWS service is the Compute Optimizer. When enabled, this feature automatically checks your EC2 instances for incorrectly provisioned machines. Once enough data has been collected, the service will make recommendations that should 1) help lower costs (over-provisioned) or 2) improve customer experience (under-provisioned).