You’re Running EC2 Instances That Do Nothing

Source: Dev.to

Problem

Somewhere in your account, EC2 instances are running with no traffic, no purpose, and no owner. They were launched for a “temporary test,” but now they sit idle.

Why It Matters

• Cost: AWS charges you for idle resources, even if CPU usage is at 1 %.
• Risk: Nobody logs into these instances, and nobody deletes them because deleting the wrong instance is dangerous.
• Control: If you can’t explain what breaks when an instance is terminated, you’ve already lost control of your environment.

What To Do

1. Identify idle instances – Look for instances with no inbound traffic or low CPU utilization.
2. Validate ownership – Confirm who launched each instance and whether it’s still needed.
3. Implement deletion rules – Consider automatic termination for instances that meet “no traffic” criteria.
4. Establish discipline – Regularly audit your EC2 fleet to avoid paying for servers nobody needs.

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