Monitoring Apache Kafka for cloud cost reduction

Apache Kafka is a vital component in cloud architectures due to its performance and reliability in handling large data volumes, but it can also contribute significantly to cloud expenses. The article discusses various strategies to optimize Apache Kafka costs, emphasizing the importance of monitoring and understanding cost structures, particularly using tools like New Relic. Techniques include optimizing networking by fetching data from the nearest replica to reduce cross-zone traffic, employing compression to minimize storage and network usage, and increasing storage throughput to handle high I/O demands without scaling up the cluster. Additionally, server hardware costs can be reduced by optimizing CPU usage through improved batching configurations. Implementing a showbacks or chargebacks strategy, supported by comprehensive monitoring of billing, cluster, and client metrics, can further enforce efficient resource use and cost management.