Inactive VPNs: A Hidden Cost in Your Infrastructure

Inactive VPNs, which have both primary and secondary tunnels down, can accumulate significant costs without providing any operational value, with AWS Site-to-Site VPNs costing five cents an hour per VPN, translating to $36 monthly or $432 annually. For large companies with multiple inactive VPNs, these costs can quickly escalate; for instance, 100 inactive VPNs can cost $3,600 monthly and $43,200 annually. VPNs consist of primary and secondary tunnels, where the primary is the main data transmission pathway, and the secondary acts as a failover. Both tunnels failing means the VPN cannot operate until restored, leading to hidden expenses. To mitigate these costs, it is crucial to routinely check the status of VPN tunnels through methods like API calls, AWS Management Console, CloudWatch, VPN logs, and connectivity tests. Implementing proactive measures such as CloudWatch alerts and regular audits can help ensure that VPN infrastructure is cost-effective and functional, preventing unnecessary charges.