AWS - Global Data Transfer Question?

Delta3D · 4 Mar 2024 at 14:48

Looking for a bit of AWS advice if there are any experts here..

I've been messing around to learn a bit about AWS. I have created an EC2 instance running OpenVPN on the free tier, which has been running great. I only turn this instance on when I need a VPN, and as such it has remained off for the last 2 days.

What I have noticed, is my "Global-DataTransfer-Regional-Bytes" allowance continues to rise when my instance is stopped? How would I go about finding what is causing this? I don't have anything else in AWS, literally just this instance.
The only thing I can suspect is if the AMI image for OpenVPN is doing something like updates, but I can't find anything to indicate this?

My EC2 is a t3.micro in Stockholm (free tier allows this, usually t2.micro in other regions). It is using the OpenVPN AMI "OpenVPN Access Server".

I was at 13% yesterday, today 23.35%.

Sinbad2000 · 4 Mar 2024 at 15:01

Interesting that it shows Global as the region. EC2 wouldn't be using that afaik - intra-region traffic would show up as whatever Stockholm is.
Are you sure you have nothing else set up?

Delta3D · 4 Mar 2024 at 15:07

Sinbad2000 said:
Interesting that it shows Global as the region. EC2 wouldn't be using that afaik - intra-region traffic would show up as whatever Stockholm is.
Are you sure you have nothing else set up?

Yep, I've not touched anything outside of eu-north-1 region, haven't even logged into any other region, which is what baffles me. Not sure what could be sending data when there's nothing turned on

I'm not too fussed if it charges me, afaik it's dirt cheap for a couple GB there, but I'd like to try and work out how it all functions.

Throrik · 4 Mar 2024 at 20:58

Do you have a Public IP assigned to the EC2 Instance? That specific data set includes PIPs.

This is Amazon EC2 traffic that moves between AZs but stays within the same region. If it doesn’t have the source, then it defaults to us-east. It includes InterZone-In/Out, LoadBalancing, LoadBalancing–PublicIP-In/Out, PublicIP-In/Out, VpcEndpoint, and VPCPeering-In/Out

I suspect you're using traffic in/out when using the VPN.

Delta3D · 5 Mar 2024 at 01:24

Throrik said:
Do you have a Public IP assigned to the EC2 Instance? That specific data set includes PIPs.

This is Amazon EC2 traffic that moves between AZs but stays within the same region. If it doesn’t have the source, then it defaults to us-east. It includes InterZone-In/Out, LoadBalancing, LoadBalancing–PublicIP-In/Out, PublicIP-In/Out, VpcEndpoint, and VPCPeering-In/Out

I suspect you're using traffic in/out when using the VPN.

Hmm, it gets a Public IP assigned when I power the instance on, but when I turn it off it loses that so assumed it would be fine whilst off?

Good to know about the us-east default though, thanks for that info.

Throrik · 5 Mar 2024 at 08:33

Delta3D said:
Hmm, it gets a Public IP assigned when I power the instance on, but when I turn it off it loses that so assumed it would be fine whilst off?

Good to know about the us-east default though, thanks for that info.

I often find there's a delay in what shows up in cost explorer, for example I did a Lightsail instance a few weeks ago to test something real quick, and I turned it off the next day, but about 3-4 days later I got an email notification I was reaching my free limits with lightsail.

Sinbad2000 · 5 Mar 2024 at 08:35

Throrik said:
I often find there's a delay in what shows up in cost explorer, for example I did a Lightsail instance a few weeks ago to test something real quick, and I turned it off the next day, but about 3-4 days later I got an email notification I was reaching my free limits with lightsail.

This sounds like the most feasible answer to me, to be honest.

Delta3D · 5 Mar 2024 at 12:21

Throrik said:
I often find there's a delay in what shows up in cost explorer, for example I did a Lightsail instance a few weeks ago to test something real quick, and I turned it off the next day, but about 3-4 days later I got an email notification I was reaching my free limits with lightsail.

Sinbad2000 said:
This sounds like the most feasible answer to me, to be honest.

Ah interesting, maybe it's that then. It doesn't look to have increased since yesterday. I was under the assumption that it was accurate after 24 hours as that was how long it took for it to generate the first consumption quota.

Thanks both