Free tier usage monitoring in AWS - Step-by-Step Execution

Process Flow - Free tier usage monitoring

Start Monitoring Setup

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Enable Billing Alerts

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Create CloudWatch Alarms

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Track Free Tier Usage Metrics

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Receive Notifications

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Adjust Usage or Budget

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End

This flow shows setting up AWS free tier usage monitoring by enabling alerts, tracking usage, and receiving notifications to avoid extra charges.

Execution Sample

AWS

aws ce get-free-tier-usage --time-period Start=2024-05-01,End=2024-05-31
aws cloudwatch put-metric-alarm --alarm-name FreeTierUsageAlarm --metric-name FreeTierUsage --namespace AWS/Billing --statistic Maximum --period 86400 --threshold 80 --comparison-operator GreaterThanOrEqualToThreshold --evaluation-periods 1 --alarm-actions arn:aws:sns:region:account-id:NotifyMe

Commands to check free tier usage for May 2024 and create a CloudWatch alarm to notify when usage reaches 80%.

Process Table

Step	Command/Action	Input/Parameter	AWS Response/State Change	Result/Output
1	aws ce get-free-tier-usage	Start=2024-05-01, End=2024-05-31	Returns usage data for free tier services in May	Shows current usage percentages per service
2	aws cloudwatch put-metric-alarm	AlarmName=FreeTierUsageAlarm, Threshold=80	Alarm created in CloudWatch for free tier usage	Alarm monitors usage metric daily
3	CloudWatch monitors usage metric	Daily data points	Evaluates if usage >= 80	Triggers alarm if threshold crossed
4	Alarm triggers	Usage >= 80	Sends notification via SNS topic	User receives alert to check usage
5	User adjusts usage or budget	Based on alert	Usage reduced or budget updated	Avoids unexpected charges
6	End	-	-	Monitoring cycle continues daily

💡 Monitoring runs continuously; stops only if alarms or notifications are disabled.

Status Tracker

Variable	Start	After Step 1	After Step 2	After Step 3	After Step 4	Final
FreeTierUsagePercent	0%	e.g. 45%	Alarm set at 80%	Evaluated daily	Triggered if >=80%	Monitored continuously
AlarmState	Not created	Not created	Created	OK or ALARM	ALARM if threshold met	Active or reset
NotificationSent	No	No	No	No or Yes	Yes if alarm triggered	Depends on usage

Key Moments - 3 Insights

Why does the alarm not trigger immediately after creation even if usage is high?

The alarm evaluates usage data periodically (daily). It triggers only when the usage metric crosses the threshold during an evaluation period, as shown in execution_table step 3 and 4.

What happens if the usage goes back below 80% after triggering the alarm?

The alarm state changes back to OK, and notifications stop. This is because CloudWatch alarms track state changes continuously (execution_table step 3 and 4).

Can the free tier usage monitoring stop automatically?

No, monitoring continues daily unless the user disables alarms or notifications, as noted in the exit_note and variable_tracker final states.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution_table at step 2, what does the command do?

A Creates a CloudWatch alarm to monitor free tier usage

B Fetches current free tier usage data

C Sends a notification to the user

D Disables billing alerts

💡 Hint

Refer to execution_table row 2 under 'AWS Response/State Change'

At which step does the system send a notification to the user?

A Step 3

B Step 4

C Step 5

D Step 6

💡 Hint

Check execution_table row 4 under 'Result/Output'

According to variable_tracker, what is the alarm state right after step 2?

A ALARM

B OK

C Created

D Not created

💡 Hint

Look at variable_tracker row 'AlarmState' after Step 2

Concept Snapshot

AWS Free Tier Usage Monitoring:
- Use 'aws ce get-free-tier-usage' to check usage.
- Create CloudWatch alarms with 'put-metric-alarm' to watch usage thresholds.
- Alarms evaluate usage daily and notify via SNS.
- Adjust usage or budget on alerts to avoid charges.
- Monitoring runs continuously until disabled.

Full Transcript

This visual execution shows how to monitor AWS free tier usage. First, you check usage data for a time period using the AWS Cost Explorer command. Then, you create a CloudWatch alarm that watches the usage metric and triggers when usage reaches a set threshold, like 80%. CloudWatch evaluates usage daily and sends notifications through SNS if the alarm triggers. The user can then adjust usage or budget to avoid extra charges. Monitoring continues daily unless alarms or notifications are turned off.