AWS shared how to deliver frugal architecture using Well-Architectured Framework guidance. The authors outline areas of alignment between the WAF and the Frugal Architect laws Dr. Werner Vogels introduced in his re:Invent 2023 keynote. By implementing the frugal approach, organizations can achieve sustainability and cost optimization goals for their cloud architectures.
In his keynote presentation, Dr. Werner Vogels discussed the Flugal Architect mindset and introduced the seven laws of frugal architecture. The laws are further described on the dedicated website. Recently, AWS published a post that links the laws of frugal architecture with the six pillars of the Well-Architected Framework.
Not surprisingly, the Cost Optimization and Sustainability pillars play the primary role in the context of the frugal architecture, with Operational Excellence, Performance Efficiency, Reliability, and Security pillars supporting the implementation of the laws of frugality. More specifically, laws 1 (make cost a non-functional requirement), 2 (systems that last align cost to business), 5 (cost-aware architectures implement cost controls), and 6 (cost optimization is incremental) are largely covered by the advice included in the Cost Optimization pillar, while remaining pillars further support law 5.
Law 3 (architecting is a series of trade-offs) is holistically supported by the entire framework. Organizations should strive to balance technical and business goals while avoiding optimizing for any single pillar. Similarly, law 7 (unchallenged success leads to assumptions) speaks to the evolutionary nature of software architecture and doesn’t link to a specific framework pillar but instead promotes constant evaluation of architectural choices and adaptation to changing business and technology landscape. Lastly, Law 4 (unobserved systems lead to unknown costs) is mainly related to the Operational Excellence pillar, which emphasizes the importance of observability.
Ashley DeLoach and Patrick Yurista, cloud optimization specialists at AWS, offered a summary on introducing Frugal Architecture in organizations utilizing the AWS cloud platform:
Frugality is about maximizing value, rather than just minimizing costs. Following AWS Well-Architected Framework best practices regarding security, reliability, and operational excellence can help realize frugal yet robust architectures. True frugality involves optimizing costs by aligning spending with areas that deliver the highest business value and impact. The Well-Architected Framework provides guidance for making architectural decisions that increase efficiency, lower risks, and maximize return on cloud investments.
AWS recommends adopting Frugal Architecture principles by adhering to Well-Architected Framework guidelines described in the documentation or using the Well-Architected Tool.
In a separate piece, Scott Glasser, principal solutions architect at AWS, highlights how The Urban Institute embraced frugal architecture principles to respond to the needs of its users by developing innovative yet cost-effective and user-friendly solutions. Glasser particularly showcased the use of R programming language with AWS Lambda functions and step functions to provide scalability in a cost-effective manner.