AWS Resource Type:
Amazon OpenSearch Serverless
Opportunity Description:
OpenSearch Serverless scales automatically using OpenSearch Capacity Units (OCUs), but this convenience often comes at a premium. For stable workloads, traditional EC2-based OpenSearch deployments—especially using r7gd instances—can offer the same performance at significantly lower cost.
This Finder analyzes maximum hourly OpenSearch Serverless usage across your organization and translates it into an equivalent r7gd instance deployment. The results help you evaluate whether switching from Serverless to EC2 would deliver meaningful savings.
Criteria for identifying the opportunity:
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The AWS Cost and Usage Reports (CUR) show active OpenSearch Serverless usage over the last 30 days.
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Usage is calculated using SearchOCU and IndexingOCU metrics.
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The Finder aggregates hourly usage to determine maximum OCU consumption per region.
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It then calculates the equivalent number of r7gd.large.search instances needed to support peak usage, using a 1 OCU = 1 vCPU ratio.
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The Finder compares current annualized Serverless spend against estimated EC2 costs using 3-year No Upfront Reserved Instances.
Potential Savings (Annual Estimate):
Savings are calculated as:
Annual Savings = Serverless Annual Cost – EC2 Instance Annual Cost
Customers with steady OCU usage often see significant savings—especially when Serverless usage consistently exceeds modest baseline thresholds.
What happens when the Fixer is executed?
This Finder is recommendation-only. It generates a detailed report showing your maximum Serverless usage, equivalent EC2 requirements, and cost comparison.
It does not make any changes to your OpenSearch deployment or initiate a migration.
Is it possible to roll back once CloudFix implements the Fixer?
Not applicable. CloudFix provides a recommendation only. All infrastructure changes must be performed manually by your team.
Can CloudFix implement the fix automatically once I accept the recommendation?
No. This opportunity is manual-only. It offers planning support and quantified cost comparisons, but does not execute any infrastructure modifications or migrations.
Does the fix require downtime?
No changes are made by CloudFix. If you choose to migrate from Serverless to EC2, that would be a manual and potentially disruptive process, requiring proper planning and testing.
Bill Gleeson
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