As Kubernetes environments grow in size and complexity, managing and optimizing resource usage becomes increasingly important. Kubecost provides detailed insights into Kubernetes costs, helping teams optimize application performance, resource utilization, and reduce infrastructure expenses. In this post, we’ll walk through how to install Kubecost and start optimizing your Kubernetes applications.

Why Use Kubecost?

Kubecost offers real-time cost monitoring for Kubernetes clusters by tracking resource usage (CPU, memory, storage) and providing insights into how resources are consumed by each application, namespace, or service. It helps you:

  • Identify over-provisioned resources.
  • Track cloud costs and optimize your budget.
  • Analyze the impact of scaling decisions.
  • Provide cost allocations across teams and projects.

Step 1: Install Kubecost with Helm

Kubecost can be easily installed on Kubernetes using Helm. If you don’t have Helm installed, you can install it by running the following command:

curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/helm/helm/master/scripts/get-helm-3 | bash

Once Helm is installed, add the Kubecost Helm chart repository and update it:

helm repo add kubecost https://kubecost.github.io/cost-analyzer/
helm repo update

Install Kubecost

Next, install Kubecost in your Kubernetes cluster. By default, Kubecost is deployed in the kubecost namespace. Run the following command to install Kubecost:

helm install kubecost kubecost/cost-analyzer --namespace kubecost --create-namespace

This will install Kubecost along with all the necessary components to start monitoring costs and usage.

Step 2: Access the Kubecost Dashboard

After the installation, you can access the Kubecost dashboard to view cost and resource utilization data.

  1. Set up Port Forwarding:

Use kubectl to forward the Kubecost service to your local machine:

kubectl port-forward --namespace kubecost deployment/kubecost-cost-analyzer 9090
  1. Access the Dashboard:

Once port forwarding is set up, open a web browser and go to http://localhost:9090. You’ll be able to see the Kubecost dashboard with real-time cost data from your Kubernetes cluster.

Step 3: Configure Cloud Integration

To get detailed cost insights, Kubecost integrates with cloud billing data. Follow these steps to configure the integration for AWS, GCP, or Azure:

AWS Integration

  1. Create an S3 bucket where Kubecost will store billing data.
  2. Provide Kubecost with read-only access to your AWS Cost and Usage Report (CUR) by creating an IAM role.
  3. Configure the billing integration in the Kubecost settings, adding your S3 bucket details and IAM role.

GCP Integration

  1. Enable the Cloud Billing Reports in the Google Cloud Console.
  2. Grant Kubecost access to your billing data by creating a service account with the required permissions.
  3. Add the Google Cloud billing configuration to Kubecost.

Azure Integration

  1. Create a storage account in Azure to store cost data.
  2. Provide Kubecost with access to the Azure Cost Management API.
  3. Configure the Azure billing integration within Kubecost.

Step 4: Optimize Resource Usage

Kubecost allows you to analyze the cost of your Kubernetes resources at the namespace, deployment, or pod level. With this data, you can start optimizing resource usage to reduce costs:

  1. Identify Over-Provisioned Resources:

Check for namespaces, deployments, or pods that are over-provisioned in terms of CPU and memory. Right-sizing these resources can help avoid unnecessary costs.

  1. Track Cost Allocation by Teams or Projects:

If your cluster supports multiple teams or projects, Kubecost can allocate costs across namespaces, helping you understand the impact of each team’s resource usage.

  1. Use Rebalancing Recommendations:

Kubecost provides recommendations for rebalancing workloads to optimize resource usage. These recommendations can help you scale workloads efficiently while maintaining performance.

  1. Set Budget Alerts:

You can set up budget alerts in Kubecost to get notifications when resource usage exceeds a certain threshold, helping you stay within your Kubernetes infrastructure budget.

Step 5: Set Up Alerts and Reports

Kubecost offers the ability to send regular reports and alerts to notify you when specific cost or resource thresholds are reached.

Configure Alerts

  1. Go to the Alerts section in the Kubecost dashboard.
  2. Set up alerts based on different metrics, such as CPU, memory, or storage costs.
  3. Integrate with communication platforms like Slack or email to receive real-time notifications.

Schedule Reports

  1. Go to the Reports section in the Kubecost dashboard.
  2. Set up periodic reports to track usage, costs, and trends over time.
  3. Schedule reports to be emailed to key stakeholders or teams.

Final Thoughts

Kubecost is an essential tool for optimizing Kubernetes environments by providing deep insights into cost and resource usage. By installing Kubecost and integrating it with your cloud provider, you can track costs in real time, optimize resource allocation, and ensure your Kubernetes applications are running efficiently. Whether you’re managing a production environment or a homelab, Kubecost helps you stay on top of your infrastructure costs.