What is the Cost of an Empty Kinesis Stream?
When working with Amazon Kinesis, understanding the cost structure is crucial. While you only pay for the data you process, you might be wondering about the cost of an empty Kinesis stream. This is a common question, especially for those new to the service.
Let's break down how Amazon Kinesis billing works and explore the cost of an empty Kinesis stream:
How Kinesis Billing Works
Amazon Kinesis charges you based on the following factors:
- Data Ingestion: You are charged for the amount of data you write to your Kinesis stream.
- Data Processing: You are charged for the amount of data you read from your Kinesis stream.
- Stream Provisioning: You are charged for the provisioned capacity of your stream.
The good news is that you do not get charged for data that is not written to your stream! This means that an empty Kinesis stream will not incur any data ingestion or processing charges.
Cost of an Empty Kinesis Stream
The cost of an empty Kinesis stream is primarily determined by its provisioned capacity.
What is Provisioned Capacity?
Provisioned capacity refers to the throughput of your Kinesis stream. This is measured in shards. Each shard can handle a certain amount of data per second. You choose the number of shards you need based on your expected data volume.
Cost of Provisioned Capacity
The cost of provisioned capacity depends on the number of shards you choose. You pay for the number of shards you provision, regardless of whether your stream is empty or not. This is why it's crucial to carefully evaluate your data volume and choose the appropriate number of shards.
Example: Cost of Provisioned Capacity
For a simple example, let's say you have a Kinesis stream provisioned with 10 shards. The hourly cost for a single shard in a specific region might be $0.03. This means you would be charged $0.30 per hour for your empty Kinesis stream, even though no data is being written or read.
Minimizing Costs for Empty Streams
While you can't avoid paying for provisioned capacity, you can take steps to minimize costs:
- Choose the Right Shard Count: Start with a small number of shards and scale up as your data volume increases. This helps avoid over-provisioning and reduces costs.
- Use On-Demand Provisioning: Consider using on-demand provisioned streams if you have sporadic data bursts and don't need consistent throughput. This can help save costs during periods of low activity.
- Periodically Review your Stream: Regularly check the data volume being written to your stream and adjust the provisioned capacity as needed. This ensures you are only paying for the resources you require.
Conclusion
The cost of an empty Kinesis stream is primarily driven by the provisioned capacity. You pay for the shards you provision regardless of whether your stream is active or not. However, by choosing the right shard count, using on-demand provisioning, and periodically reviewing your stream, you can effectively manage the cost and avoid unnecessary expenses.
Remember, understanding your data volume and usage patterns is essential for optimizing your Kinesis stream and minimizing costs.