If you’ve spent any time inside AWS, you already know how fast the bill can creep up when the design isn’t tight. Small choices add up. A slightly oversized instance here, an unnecessary NAT Gateway there, traffic flowing the long way around, suddenly, you’re paying for a network that’s doing more harm than good.
So the real challenge isn’t just building something in the cloud. Anyone can do that. The real job is building a cost-optimised AWS network that doesn’t break your security posture while still performing the way you need it to. And that’s where most businesses start feeling stuck.
You want things lean. But you also need to tick all your cloud security compliance boxes. You don’t want some messy architecture that’s cheap but risky. And you definitely don’t want a network that costs a fortune because nobody planned the data paths properly.
That balance is possible. And we’ll walk you through how we’ve seen it done in real environments, not theory. Actual fixes. Actual wins.
Start With What You Actually Use
Most AWS networks grow like overfed plants. New VPC here. Random subnet there. A few temporary resources that someone “will remove later.” You get fragmentation, expensive paths, and duplicated services.
So the very first step is stripping things down to what you actually need.
When we assess a network, the first things we check are:
- Unused NAT Gateways
- Load balancers with near-zero traffic
- Overprovisioned Transit Gateways
- Subnets that serve no purpose
- VPCs created years ago with no active workloads
You’ll be surprised how much money disappears in these corners.
The goal isn’t to remove everything. It’s to keep the pieces that support your workloads and dump the rest. Once you do that, designing a cost-optimised AWS network becomes 10 times easier.
Reduce Data Transfer Costs Early
AWS doesn’t charge you for breathing, but sometimes it feels close. Data transfer fees are one of the highest hidden costs.
Here’s where many networks waste money:
- Sending traffic between Availability Zones unnecessarily
- Using public IP paths where private links could’ve worked
- Running outbound traffic through multiple layers when it only needed one
If you redesign routing so more traffic stays inside your VPC, you cut the high cost without touching performance.
A few simple habits save thousands:
- Keep chatty workloads in the same AZ
- Use VPC Endpoints instead of routing S3 traffic through the internet
- Limit NAT Gateway reliance
- Review every cross-region connection (they’re not cheap)
You’re not cutting corners, just cutting waste.
Want a cleaner, affordable, safer AWS setup without the guesswork?
Talk to Us Today!
Build a Security Baseline Before You Optimise Anything
Here’s where most people slip: They chase cost first and security later. That usually ends in a mess, or worse, a breach that puts you in trouble with cloud security compliance requirements.
Security always starts with the baseline:
- Clear network segmentation
- Tight security group rules
- Least-privileged IAM access
- Proper logging on VPC Flow Logs
- Encryption, always on
- No public subnets unless there’s a real need
Once you get the baseline set, then you look at how to streamline the design.
We’ve never seen anyone regret doing security early. We’ve seen plenty regret ignoring it.
Spend Time Designing the Right VPC Layout
Most AWS costs come from the network layout itself. If the architecture is wrong, everything else becomes expensive too.
A clean VPC design usually includes:
- One VPC per environment (dev, test, prod), not five
- Subnets split by function (private, public, database)
- Routing tables that aren’t duplicated without reason
- No spaghetti routes just because someone was in a hurry
This is what we tell people: If your VPC layout feels confusing, it’s costing you money. And it’s definitely making cloud security compliance harder.
Good AWS networks look boring. And that’s what you want.
Right-Size the Gateways and Routing
Transit Gateway is powerful, but many businesses don’t actually need it. They just turn it on because “it looked right at the time.” It’s also not cheap.
If you only have a handful of VPCs, simple peering may be all you need.
Same with NAT Gateways. They solve real problems, but you don’t always need one per AZ. Sometimes you can combine or reduce them without sacrificing uptime.
Ask these questions:
- Do all workloads truly need internet access?
- Can we simplify routing paths?
- Are we running more gateways than required?
- Every “no” saves money.
Keep Logging Lean, Not Bloated
Logging is part of cloud security compliance, but it doesn’t have to drain your budget.
Store logs where they make sense.
Don’t keep high-volume logs forever.
Send only what you actually review.
Archive older logs to cheaper storage.
Logs are your safety net, but they shouldn’t become a financial sinkhole.
Automate What Repeats. Review What Changes.
Cloud networks change a lot. Sometimes weekly. Sometimes daily. And every change has a cost impact or a security impact, sometimes both.
To keep things predictable:
- Automate security checks
- Automate cost reports
- Use tagging rules so you always know who owns what
- Review IAM roles monthly
- Review network paths every quarter
Automation saves time. Reviews maintain control. That combination is what keeps a cost-optimised AWS network from drifting back into chaos.
Where Optimus Edge Fits In
If you want a team that’s seen real cloud setups, broken networks, expensive architectures, and poorly secured designs, and actually fixed them, then Optimus Edge can help you build a network that doesn’t eat your budget or compromise your security.
We’re blunt where needed. We pull your network apart, find the fat, tighten the weak points, and redesign things so costs drop without hurting performance. And the whole time, we keep your cloud security compliance in shape.
You get a network that’s tidy, predictable, secure, and more affordable to run.
Conclusion: You Can Cut Costs Without Cutting Safety
Designing a cost-optimised AWS network doesn’t mean choosing between savings and security. You can have both. You just need a design approach that’s practical, tidy, and backed by people who’ve done this before.
Here’s what usually makes the biggest difference:
- Reduce unnecessary data transfers
- Clean your VPC layout
- Trim unused resources
- Keep a strong security baseline
- Automate checks and review often
Do these consistently, and you’ll get a cloud network that performs well, stays compliant, and costs far less to operate.
CTA:
Ready to rebuild your AWS network the right way and stop overspending?
Start Your Optimisation
FAQs
1. How do I know if my AWS network is overspending?
Check for unused gateways, high data transfer bills, and resources no one owns. These usually point to waste.
2. Can I reduce costs without reducing security?
Yes. Most cost problems come from poor design, not security features. A clean layout improves both cost and safety.
3. What affects cloud security compliance the most?
Bad access controls, missing logs, public subnets, and misconfigured routing. Fixing these removes most compliance risks.
4. How often should I review my AWS network?
A quarterly review keeps cost creep under control and keeps security tight as workloads change.
