Ways to optimize Cloud Disaster Recovery cost - Natalie Serebryakova - NDC Oslo 2024

Cost optimization for disaster recovery (DR) should focus on critical workloads and understanding which resources truly need 24/7 availability versus those that can be scaled down during non-peak hours

DR strategy should be chosen based on business requirements, with options ranging from basic backups to pilot light to full active-active setups - each with different cost implications

Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO) are crucial metrics that help determine appropriate DR investment and architecture

Infrastructure resources can often be downsized or turned off during non-business hours to reduce DR costs while still maintaining required resilience

Regular testing of DR procedures is essential but can be done cost-effectively by using temporary resources and automation

Cross-region backups and data transfer costs need to be carefully considered in DR planning

Cloud provider billing dashboards and cost management tools can help identify optimization opportunities and track DR spending

Instance right-sizing and using appropriate storage tiers (like glacier for backups) can significantly reduce DR costs

Automation through infrastructure as code helps standardize and optimize DR processes

Regular review of unused resources, lifecycle policies for backups, and workload patterns helps maintain cost-efficient DR

Compliance requirements should be factored into DR strategy but balanced against actual business needs and cost constraints