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AWS S3

Overview​

AWS S3 (Simple Storage Service) is a cloud storage service provided by Amazon Web Services.
It allows you to store and retrieve any amount of data, at any time, from anywhere on the web.
S3 is widely used for storing files, backups, and large datasets.

Key features:

  • Storage in buckets
  • Scalable and durable
  • Different storage classes (Standard, Glacier, etc.)
  • Lifecycle policies for automated data management

AWS S3 Waste​

There are various ways that S3 can contain waste, including:

  • Lack of lifecycle policies to delete old or unused data.
  • Storing redundant backups in the same region.
  • Retaining large log or analytics files without cleanup.
  • Unused buckets that no longer serve applications.

Lifecycle Policies​

Lifecycle policies automatically manage data retention in S3.
They can transition objects to cheaper storage classes (like Glacier) or delete them after a specified time.
DiscountCloud identifies buckets without lifecycle policies as potential waste sources.

How DiscountCloud Uses AWS S3​

DiscountCloud tracks AWS S3 buckets linked to each AwsAccount.
This enables FinOps monitoring — detecting unused buckets, missing lifecycle policies, and excessive storage costs.