specification: FinOps Framework
specificationVersion: '1.0'
schema: https://www.finops.org/framework/
provider: Kubernetes Services
providerId: kubernetes-services
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:
  - FinOps
  - FOCUS
  - Kubernetes
  - Networking
  - Open Source
description: 'FOCUS-aligned FinOps for the Kubernetes Services API: the abstraction itself is free open
  source, but real spend appears on the cloud-provider invoice when Services of type LoadBalancer provision
  cloud LBs, when NodePort/ClusterIP traffic crosses zones, or when external IPs and egress are billed.
  FinOps signal therefore comes from the underlying cloud bill, allocated back to Services via labels
  and CCM annotations.'
sources:
  - https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/services-networking/service/
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 (CNCF)
serviceCategory: Open Source / Container Networking
billingModel:
  pricingCategory: Open Source (no license fee)
  billingFrequency: N/A
  billingCurrency: USD
  chargeCategories:
    - Usage
focusColumns:
  ServiceName: Kubernetes Services
  ServiceCategory: Container Orchestration / Networking
  ProviderName: Kubernetes (CNCF)
  PublisherName: Cloud Native Computing Foundation
  BillingCurrency: USD
meters:
  - name: load_balancer_hours
    unit: instance-hour
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - cluster
      - cloud_provider
      - lb_type
  - name: public_ip_count
    unit: ip
    aggregation: max
    dimensions:
      - service
      - region
  - name: cross_zone_egress
    unit: GB
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - service
      - source_zone
      - destination_zone
  - name: data_processed
    unit: GB
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - service
      - lb_type
  - name: endpoint_count
    unit: endpoint
    aggregation: max
    dimensions:
      - service
principles:
  - name: Visibility
    description: Use OpenCost / Kubecost network attribution and cloud-provider LB tags to surface per-Service
      cloud spend; correlate Service annotations with FOCUS BilledCost from the cloud invoice.
  - name: Allocation
    description: Tag Services with team/product/environment labels; ensure cloud-provider Cloud Controller
      Manager (CCM) propagates those labels to LB resources so the bill carries the same allocation dimensions.
  - name: Optimization
    description: Consolidate small per-app LBs behind shared Ingress / Gateway API; use ClusterIP + Ingress
      instead of one LoadBalancer Service per app; enable topology-aware routing to keep traffic in-zone
      and reduce egress; consider internal LBs where external exposure is unnecessary.
  - name: Accountability
    description: Platform team owns the shared Ingress / Gateway and the CCM configuration; product teams
      own the Services they create. Review LB sprawl monthly; deprecate Services without active endpoints.
maintainers:
  - FN: Kin Lane
    email: kin@apievangelist.com