Introduction to Tags

To understand the importance and need for tags, imagine trying to organize a library of books. You're going to need to start labeling each book according to important information such as author, genre, location, and more. In this example, your digital assets in the cloud are like books on the shelves, where tags act as labels that help you easily identify and categorize them. They are user-defined labels attached to a customer's cloud resources; enabling easier management, organization, and tracking of important criteria such as cost and ownership.

When deploying resources in the cloud, it's best practice to label the resource at deployment time with multiple standardized tags to inform everyone what the resource's purpose is, who to contact if it breaks, who is responsible for the associated cost, and a whole lot more!

A standard tagging strategy should be formed to help track critical pieces of a workload's lifecycle. Here are some examples:

• Unique Resource Name
• Support Contact
• Application Name
• Cost Center
• Environment
• Owner
• Request ID
• Data Classification
• Business Criticality
• Business Unit

Why Tagging Matters

Tagging is crucial for these primary reasons:

• Ownership: Tags help identify who owns a resource, clarifying ownership and accountability.
• Cost Allocation: By tagging resources according to projects or departments, costs can be accurately allocated, aiding in budget management and enabling cost-conscious behavior in the cloud.
• Security and Compliance: Tags can enforce security policies and compliance standards by categorizing resources according to information sensitivity levels. (ex. PII, HIPAA, etc.)

Amazon, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform

Generally speaking, the tag limit per resource in AWS and Azure is 50. Google Cloud Platform offers up to 1000 on a single resource. It is best to be pro-active with resource tags, as they are a finite resource and it's easy to forget one small resource amongst a sea of services!

The Tagging Dilemma: Virtual vs. Actual Tags

When managing resources in the cloud, you may come across two types of tags: virtual and actual. Each has its unique advantages and drawbacks:

Actual Tags

Actual tags are Name-Value paired labels directly attached to cloud resources.

• Pros: Provide a straightforward method for categorization and management, offering a tangible connection to the resources.
• ‍Cons: Can be more time-consuming and complex to manage, especially in large-scale environments. It's also important to note that not all resources can be tagged.

Virtual Tags

Virtual tags on the other hand offer similar functionality for much less effort in larger environments. They allow you to group resources based on logical rules into separate buckets of tag values. For example, a rule might specify that any cost related to AWS Network Firewall be virtually tagged with the CISO's cost center. One big difference is that you won't find these labels attached to the resource - they reside purely within the external tooling.

• Pros: Easy to implement and manage at scale, offering flexibility without the need for physical attachment on every individual resource. AWS Cost Categories have the ability to group entire accounts, as well as slice into more granular costs, all within the same set of no-code rules.
• Cons: Virtual tags can lead to vendor lock-in, meaning you might become too dependent on an external platform, potentially making it difficult to switch providers later. It also forces users to have access to the external tooling for reviewing their segregated cost, as opposed to looking directly at resources.

Embracing Digital Automation

Platforms like Echelon One are revolutionizing manual tasks such as tag management by combining the advantages of virtual and real tags. We've automated the process of tagging resources at scale according to logical rules, ensuring efficiency without sacrificing flexibility. Moreover, it breaks customers free from vendor lock-in, offering a solution that provides the best possible outcome for cloud customers.

Conclusion

In the ever-evolving landscape of cloud computing, effective tagging is essential for maintaining support, control, and cost management over your cloud resources. By leveraging digital automation tools like Echelon One, organizations can streamline their resource management processes, enhance cost allocation accuracy, and ensure compliance - all while avoiding the pitfalls of manual efforts and vendor lock-in. Embrace the future of cloud resource management with a smart tagging strategy driven at-scale with our ready-to-install AWS Tag Manager - straight out of AstroHub for no extra charge!