Budget alerts configuration in GCP - Commands & Configuration

Introduction

Managing cloud costs is important to avoid surprises. Budget alerts help you track spending and get notified when costs approach or exceed limits.

When you want to avoid unexpected high bills by monitoring your cloud spending.

When you need to notify your team if the project costs reach a certain threshold.

When you want to set spending limits for different departments or projects.

When you want to receive email alerts or notifications about your budget status.

When you want to automate cost control by linking budget alerts to actions.

Config File - budget_alert.yaml

budget_alert.yaml

apiVersion: billingbudgets.googleapis.com/v1
kind: Budget
metadata:
  name: example-budget
spec:
  amount:
    specifiedAmount:
      currencyCode: USD
      units: 100
  budgetFilter:
    projects:
      - projects/my-example-project
  thresholdRules:
    - thresholdPercent: 0.5
      spendBasis: CURRENT_SPEND
    - thresholdPercent: 1.0
      spendBasis: CURRENT_SPEND
  notificationsRule:
    pubsubTopic: projects/my-example-project/topics/budget-alerts

This YAML file defines a budget for a Google Cloud project.

• amount: Sets the budget limit to 100 USD.
• budgetFilter: Applies the budget to the specified project.
• thresholdRules: Sets alerts at 50% and 100% of the budget spent.
• notificationsRule: Sends alerts to a Pub/Sub topic for notifications.

Commands

This command creates a budget alert in Google Cloud for the specified billing account and project. It sets a budget of 100 USD and alerts at 50% and 100% spending thresholds, sending notifications to a Pub/Sub topic.

Terminal

gcloud beta billing budgets create --billing-account=012345-6789AB-CDEF01 --display-name=example-budget --budget-amount=100 --threshold-rules=0.5,1.0 --projects=projects/my-example-project --pubsub-topic=projects/my-example-project/topics/budget-alerts

Expected Output

Created budget: projects/012345-6789AB-CDEF01/budgets/12345678-90ab-cdef-1234-567890abcdef

→

--billing-account - Specifies the billing account ID to apply the budget.

→

--budget-amount - Sets the total budget amount in USD.

→

--threshold-rules - Defines the spending percentages to trigger alerts.

Lists all budgets configured for the specified billing account to verify the budget creation.

Terminal

gcloud beta billing budgets list --billing-account=012345-6789AB-CDEF01

Expected Output

NAME            DISPLAY_NAME    AMOUNT  THRESHOLDS

12345678-90ab-cdef-1234-567890abcdef  example-budget  100 USD  50%, 100%

→

--billing-account - Specifies which billing account's budgets to list.

Creates a subscription to the Pub/Sub topic to receive budget alert messages.

Terminal

gcloud pubsub subscriptions create budget-alert-sub --topic=projects/my-example-project/topics/budget-alerts

Expected Output

Created subscription [projects/my-example-project/subscriptions/budget-alert-sub].

Pulls one message from the budget alert subscription to check if alerts are received.

Terminal

gcloud pubsub subscriptions pull budget-alert-sub --auto-ack --limit=1

Expected Output

ACK_ID: ACK_ID_VALUE

MESSAGE: {"budgetDisplayName":"example-budget","costAmount":50.0,"thresholdPercent":0.5,"alertType":"ACTUAL_SPEND"}

→

--auto-ack - Automatically acknowledges the message after pulling.

→

--limit - Limits the number of messages pulled.

Key Concept

If you remember nothing else from this pattern, remember: budget alerts notify you before your cloud costs get too high so you can act early.

Common Mistakes

Not specifying the correct billing account ID when creating the budget.

The budget will not be created or will apply to the wrong account, so alerts won't work as expected.

Always verify and use the exact billing account ID from your Google Cloud Console.

Forgetting to create a Pub/Sub subscription to receive budget alert messages.

Alerts are sent to the Pub/Sub topic but you won't receive or see them without a subscription.

Create a subscription to the Pub/Sub topic to receive and process alert notifications.

Setting threshold percentages outside the valid range (0 to 1).

Invalid thresholds cause errors or no alerts to trigger.

Use decimal values like 0.5 for 50% and 1.0 for 100% thresholds.

Summary

Create a budget with spending limits and alert thresholds using gcloud commands.

Verify the budget exists by listing budgets for the billing account.

Set up a Pub/Sub subscription to receive budget alert notifications.

Pull messages from the subscription to confirm alerts are received.

Practice

1. What is the primary purpose of setting a budget alert in Google Cloud Platform?

easy

A. To block all services when budget is exceeded

B. To automatically increase your budget limit

C. To notify you when your spending reaches a certain threshold

D. To create a backup of your billing data

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand budget alerts function

   Budget alerts are designed to notify users when spending approaches or exceeds set limits.

2. Step 2: Identify the correct purpose

   Among the options, only notification at spending thresholds matches the budget alert purpose.

3. Final Answer:

   To notify you when your spending reaches a certain threshold -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Budget alerts = notify spending threshold [OK]

Hint: Budget alerts notify spending limits, not block or increase budget [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking budget alerts block services automatically
• Assuming budget alerts increase budget limits
• Confusing budget alerts with data backup

2. Which of the following is the correct way to specify a budget threshold alert at 50% of the budget in a GCP budget configuration?

easy

A. "thresholdRules": [{"thresholdPercent": 50}]

B. "thresholdRules": [{"thresholdPercent": 0.5}]

C. "thresholdRules": [{"thresholdPercent": 1.5}]

D. "thresholdRules": [{"thresholdPercent": 5}]

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand thresholdPercent format

   In GCP budget config, thresholdPercent is a decimal representing the fraction of the budget (e.g., 0.5 for 50%).

2. Step 2: Match correct decimal for 50%

   0.5 equals 50%, so "thresholdRules": [{"thresholdPercent": 0.5}] is correct; 50 or 5 are invalid as they exceed 1.

3. Final Answer:

   "thresholdRules": [{"thresholdPercent": 0.5}] -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   50% = 0.5 decimal [OK]

Hint: Use decimals (0.5) not whole numbers (50) for thresholdPercent [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using 50 instead of 0.5 for 50%
• Setting thresholdPercent greater than 1
• Confusing percentage with decimal format

3. Given this budget alert configuration snippet:

{"amount": {"specifiedAmount": {"currencyCode": "USD", "units": "100"}}, "thresholdRules": [{"thresholdPercent": 0.8}]}

At what spending amount will the alert trigger?

medium

A. $80

B. $8

C. $100

D. $180

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify budget amount

   The budget amount is $100 as specified by "units": "100" in USD.

2. Step 2: Calculate alert trigger amount

   The thresholdPercent is 0.8, meaning 80% of $100, which equals $80.

3. Final Answer:

   $80 -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   80% of 100 = 80 [OK]

Hint: Multiply budget by thresholdPercent decimal to find alert amount [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing units with cents
• Using thresholdPercent as 80 instead of 0.8
• Selecting full budget amount instead of threshold

4. You configured a budget alert with this JSON snippet:

{"thresholdRules": [{"thresholdPercent": 1.2}]}

Why does this configuration fail to send alerts?

medium

A. thresholdPercent must be a string, not a number

B. thresholdPercent must be an integer

C. thresholdRules must be empty for alerts to work

D. thresholdPercent cannot be greater than 1 (100%)

Solution

1. Step 1: Check thresholdPercent valid range

   thresholdPercent must be between 0 and 1, representing 0% to 100% of budget.

2. Step 2: Identify invalid value

   1.2 is 120%, which is invalid and causes alert failure.

3. Final Answer:

   thresholdPercent cannot be greater than 1 (100%) -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   thresholdPercent ≤ 1 required [OK]

Hint: Keep thresholdPercent ≤ 1 to avoid alert failures [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using values above 1 for thresholdPercent
• Assuming thresholdPercent must be integer
• Leaving thresholdRules empty disables alerts

5. You want to receive budget alert notifications via email and also trigger an automated workflow using Pub/Sub when spending reaches 90% and 100% of your $200 budget. Which configuration approach is correct?

hard

A. Set two thresholdRules at 0.9 and 1.0, configure email notifications and add a Pub/Sub topic for alerts

B. Set one thresholdRule at 0.95, configure only email notifications, no Pub/Sub needed

C. Set thresholdRules at 90 and 100, configure Pub/Sub only, email alerts are automatic

D. Set thresholdRules at 0.9 and 1.0, but Pub/Sub topics cannot be used for budget alerts

Solution

1. Step 1: Define multiple thresholdRules correctly

   Use decimal values 0.9 and 1.0 for 90% and 100% thresholds.

2. Step 2: Configure both email and Pub/Sub notifications

   Email alerts require notification channels; Pub/Sub topics can be added to automate workflows.

3. Final Answer:

   Set two thresholdRules at 0.9 and 1.0, configure email notifications and add a Pub/Sub topic for alerts -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Multiple thresholds + email + Pub/Sub = correct setup [OK]

Hint: Use decimals for thresholds; add email and Pub/Sub for alerts [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using whole numbers instead of decimals for thresholds
• Assuming Pub/Sub cannot be used with budget alerts
• Configuring only one threshold for multiple alerts