specification: FinOps Framework
specificationVersion: '1.0'
schema: https://www.finops.org/framework/
alignedWith:
  framework: FinOps Foundation Framework
  frameworkUrl: https://www.finops.org/framework/
  dataSpec: FOCUS
  dataSpecVersion: '1.3'
  dataSpecUrl: https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
provider: Contour
providerId: contour
publisherName: Project Contour Authors
serviceCategory: Open Source Networking
created: '2026-05-04'
# Provenance stamped 2026-08-11: this artifact was written by the API Evangelist
# bulk sweep dated 2026-05-04, not harvested from the provider. See roadmap#35.
method: generated
modified: '2026-05-05'
reconciled: false
tags:
  - Envoy
  - Ingress Controller
  - Kubernetes
  - Networking
  - Open Source
  - Proxy
  - FinOps
  - FOCUS
description: FinOps shape for Contour - an Apache 2.0 / CNCF Incubating open-source project. There
  is no upstream Contour invoice. Operator FinOps cost is borne by the underlying Kubernetes platform
  (compute, network egress, observability) and any commercial Kubernetes-distribution support contract
  the operator chooses to layer on.
sources:
  - https://projectcontour.io/
  - https://github.com/projectcontour/contour
  - https://www.cncf.io/projects/contour/
billingModel:
  pricingCategory: Open Source (No Charge)
  billingFrequency: N/A
  billingCurrency: N/A
  chargeCategories: []
  chargeFrequency: N/A
focusColumns:
  ServiceName: Contour
  ServiceCategory: Open Source Networking
  ProviderName: Project Contour
  PublisherName: Project Contour Authors
  PricingCategory: Free
  BillingCurrency: N/A
  ChargeCategory: N/A
meters:
  - name: contour_pods
    description: Contour control-plane pods running in the cluster (compute time consumed, billed by
      the underlying Kubernetes platform)
    unit: pod-hour
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - cluster
      - namespace
  - name: envoy_pods
    description: Envoy data-plane pods running as DaemonSet / Deployment under Contour
    unit: pod-hour
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - cluster
      - node_pool
  - name: ingress_traffic
    description: HTTP / TLS ingress traffic processed by Envoy (drives load-balancer and egress charges
      on the underlying cloud)
    unit: GB
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - cluster
      - vhost
      - direction
principles:
  - name: Visibility
    description: Contour itself is free; observe cost through the underlying Kubernetes / cloud provider
      using Envoy's Prometheus metrics (envoy_cluster_upstream_rq, response sizes) joined to FOCUS-
      aligned cluster billing.
  - name: Allocation
    description: Allocate the cost of Contour pods, Envoy pods, and load-balancer / egress traffic
      to teams via Kubernetes namespace and HTTPProxy ownership labels. Treat each HTTPProxy as a chargeback
      unit.
  - name: Optimization
    description: Right-size Envoy DaemonSet vs Deployment topology; enable HTTP/2 and connection pooling;
      use Envoy local rate limiting to curb runaway traffic before it triggers egress / load-balancer
      cost; consolidate low-traffic vhosts onto shared Contour deployments.
  - name: Accountability
    description: Assign each HTTPProxy to a team owner via Kubernetes labels; review traffic spikes
      and 5xx rates against budgeted egress; treat operational toil on Contour upgrades as a real cost
      input.
notes: Contour is open-source with no upstream commercial billing. FinOps for Contour is really FinOps
  for the Kubernetes platform that hosts it - compute, load balancers, and egress. Reconciled is false
  because there is no provider-issued invoice or rate card to reconcile against.
maintainers:
  - FN: Kin Lane
    email: kin@apievangelist.com