specification: FinOps Framework
specificationVersion: '1.0'
schema: https://www.finops.org/framework/
provider: Envoy
providerId: envoy
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: true
tags:
  - Cloud Native
  - Proxy
  - Service Mesh
  - Open Source
  - FinOps
  - FOCUS
description: FOCUS-aligned FinOps view for Envoy. The Envoy software is free (Apache 2.0), so there is
  no SaaS-style invoice from the project. Cost shows up on the operator's cloud bill — compute, networking,
  egress, and observability — and on any third-party vendor invoices (Tetrate, Solo.io, cloud-provider
  managed mesh) chosen for support or managed deployment.
sources:
  - https://www.envoyproxy.io/
  - https://github.com/envoyproxy/envoy
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/
publisherName: Cloud Native Computing Foundation (Envoy is a CNCF graduated project)
serviceCategory: Open-Source Networking / Service Mesh
billingModel:
  pricingCategory: Open Source (Infra Pass-Through)
  billingFrequency: N/A (project is free)
  billingCurrency: USD (operator's cloud bill, if any)
  chargeCategories:
    - Usage
    - Purchase
focusColumns:
  ServiceName: Envoy
  ServiceCategory: Open-Source Networking / Service Mesh
  ProviderName: Envoy (CNCF)
  PublisherName: Cloud Native Computing Foundation
  InvoiceIssuerName: Operator's cloud / vendor (project itself does not invoice)
  BillingCurrency: USD
  ChargeCategory: Usage
meters:
  - name: compute_hours
    unit: instance-hour
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - cluster
      - workload
      - region
    description: Compute consumed by Envoy proxies and the Envoy Gateway/AI Gateway control plane on the
      operator's cloud.
  - name: network_egress
    unit: GB
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - cluster
      - region
    description: Egress traffic mediated by Envoy that the underlying cloud bills the operator.
  - name: vendor_support_subscription
    unit: month
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - vendor
      - tier
    description: Optional third-party support / managed-service subscription fees.
principles:
  - name: Visibility
    description: Pull cloud cost (compute, egress, observability) tagged to the Envoy/Gateway workload
      from your CSP's billing data; pull vendor invoices for any commercial support you've engaged.
  - name: Allocation
    description: Tag each Envoy/Gateway deployment with cluster, namespace, and owning team so cloud-side
      cost can be attributed back.
  - name: Optimization
    description: Right-size Envoy deployments, tune connection pools and concurrency, use sidecarless /
      ambient patterns where appropriate, and revisit per-region replica counts. There is no project-side
      license cost to optimize.
  - name: Accountability
    description: The platform team running Envoy / Envoy Gateway owns the underlying cloud spend and any
      vendor support subscription; reviews follow the operator's normal cloud FinOps cadence.
maintainers:
  - FN: Kin Lane
    email: kin@apievangelist.com