Configuring Cloud Cost Management

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Configuring Cloud Cost Management

    Configuring Cloud Cost Management in ServiceNow enables organizations to gain comprehensive visibility into their total cloud consumption, reduce costs, and optimize cloud platform operations. The configuration process involves installing necessary applications, setting up communication channels, discovering cloud resources, and scheduling data downloads to maintain accurate cost insights.

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    Configuration Steps

    • Install Cloud Cost Management: Obtain and install the Cloud Cost Management application from the ServiceNow Store.
    • Install Cloud Cost Management Infra Stack (optional): Available from version 8.1 onwards, this optional application supports infrastructure-level management but cannot be deactivated once enabled.
    • Assign Roles: Assign appropriate Cloud Cost Management roles to users and groups based on responsibilities to control access and permissions.
    • Install and Configure MID Servers: Install MID servers to facilitate data transfer between the Discovery application and cloud platforms. Configure these servers to communicate with AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud accounts securely.
    • Discover Cloud Resources: Use the Cloud Discovery application or Service Graph Connectors to identify service accounts, credentials, and resources within cloud environments.
    • Schedule Billing Data Jobs: Set up and manage jobs that download billing and usage data from cloud providers (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) to ensure accurate cost tracking.
    • Schedule Price Sheet Downloads: Enable automated downloading and storage of cloud platform price sheets for up-to-date pricing information.
    • Configure Cloud Cost Management Features: Tailor features such as rightsizing, unused resource identification, reservation or savings plan management, business hours settings, and assignment of resources to optimize cloud cost usage.

    Expected Outcomes

    Once configured, Cloud Cost Management provides detailed insights into cloud consumption and costs, enabling ServiceNow customers to identify cost-saving opportunities, optimize resource allocation, and improve operational efficiency across AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud platforms.

    Plan and configure Cloud Cost Management to gain visibility into your total cloud consumption, reduce costs, and optimize the operations of your cloud platforms.

    Configuration overview

    Here's an overview of the process for configuring Cloud Cost Management.

    Table 1. Configure Cloud Cost Management
    Step Action Resource
    Install Cloud Cost Management

    Install Cloud Cost Management

    		 Get the Cloud Cost Management application from the ServiceNow Store. Install Cloud Cost Management
    Install Cloud Cost Management Infra Stack

    Install Cloud Cost Management Infra Stack

    		 Get the Cloud Cost Management Infra Stack application from the ServiceNow Store.
    Important:
    The Cloud Cost Management Infra stack application is available with Cloud Cost Management version 8.1 and later. Installing the Cloud Cost Management Infra Stack application is optional. However, if you've activated this application, you can't deactivate it later.
    		 Install Cloud Cost Management Infra Stack
    Assign Cloud Cost Management roles

    Assign roles

    		 Assign Cloud Cost Management roles to user groups and to individual users based on user activities and responsibilities. Cloud Cost Management roles
    Install MID servers

    Install MID servers

    		 Install the MID servers to enable the movement of data between the Discovery application and your cloud platform. Installing the MID Server
    Configure MID servers

    Configure MID Servers

    		 Configure the MID Servers for enabling the Discovery application to communicate with your cloud provider accounts.
    Discover cloud resources

    Discover your cloud resources

    		 Discover the service accounts, the credentials for accessing the accounts, and the MID Servers that scan the resources using one of the mentioned approaches.
    Download billing data

    Schedule and manage jobs to download billing data for Cloud Cost Management

    		 Provide the Cloud Cost Management application access to the billing and usage data of the used cloud platforms.
    Download and store price sheet data

    Schedule and manage jobs to download price sheets for Cloud Cost Management

    		 Enable Cloud Cost Management to download and store price sheet data of the used cloud platforms.
    Configure Cloud Cost Management

    Configure the Cloud Cost Management features

    		 Configure the Cloud Cost Management features to rightsize, identify, assign, manage, and analyze usage data of your cloud resources.
    Use Cloud Cost Management

    Use Cloud Cost Management

    		 Gain visibility into your total cloud consumption, reduce costs, and optimize operations of your cloud platforms. Using Cloud Cost Management