Deep dive: optimizing self-hosted GitHub Actions Runners on AWS and GCP for cost efficiency

Running self-hosted GitHub Actions runners on the cloud provides great control, but the costs can spiral if not optimized. In this post, I’ll share how we achieved 30% cost savings on AWS and how you can replicate similar strategies on GCP, with a touch of technical fun and actionable advice. Let's dive in!

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Why Self-Hosted Runners?

GitHub Actions' default hosted runners are convenient but can be expensive for large workloads, especially for compute-intensive tasks like integration tests or builds. Self-hosted runners, deployed on AWS or GCP, offer:

• Cost Control: Pay only for what you use.
• Custom Environments: Tailored to specific workflows.
• Scalability: Dynamically scale based on workload.

However, running self-hosted runners at scale comes with its own challenges: idle resources, inefficient configurations, and escalating network costs.

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Architecture Overview

Here’s a high-level architecture for both AWS and GCP self-hosted runners:

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Challenges in Cost Management

1. Idle Resources: Pre-provisioned runners waiting for jobs lead to unnecessary costs.
2. Networking Overheads: High outbound traffic, especially for Docker pulls.
3. Instance Type Selection: Choosing cost-effective and performant instance types.
4. Preemption Risks: Spot instances (AWS) or preemptible VMs (GCP) can fail mid-job.

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Optimization Strategies

1. Dynamic Scaling

Both AWS and GCP allow scaling instances based on demand.

AWS

• Use Auto Scaling Groups (ASGs) with Lambda functions triggered by workflow_job webhooks.
• Leverage tools like philips-labs/terraform-aws-github-runner to simplify management.

GCP

• Use Managed Instance Groups (MIGs) with custom autoscaler policies based on job queue size or CPU load.
• Cloud Functions or Cloud Run can handle scaling triggers.

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2. Spot Instances (AWS) / Preemptible VMs (GCP)

These offer significant cost savings but require careful handling of preemptions.

AWS Spot Instances

• Mix instance types in Spot Pools for better availability:
  • m5, m6i, m7i (Intel)
  • m5a, m6a (AMD)

GCP Preemptible VMs

• Use diverse instance types:
  • e2-standard, n2-highmem, t2d-standard (AMD)
• Jobs must checkpoint regularly to handle interruptions gracefully.

Pro Tip: Always have fallback capacity with on-demand instances or higher-priority pools for critical workloads.

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3. Caching and Artifact Management

Networking Optimization

• AWS: Implement S3-based caching with tools like actions/cache.
• GCP: Use Cloud Storage or Artifact Registry for similar functionality.

Docker Pulls

• Reduce Docker pull costs by:
  • Setting up a pull-through cache in GCP Artifact Registry or AWS ECR.
  • Using VPC endpoints (AWS) or private access (GCP) to minimize outbound traffic.

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4. Cost Monitoring and Analysis

Both cloud providers offer tools to analyze costs:

• AWS: Cost Explorer + CloudWatch for EC2 usage.
• GCP: Billing Reports + Monitoring with Stackdriver.

Key Metrics to Watch:

1. Idle instance time
2. Spot/preemptible interruption rates
3. Network egress traffic

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Case Study: AWS Optimization Outcomes

• Idle Runners Reduced: Adjusted runner pools based on org activity.
• Spot Pools Optimized: Added AMD-based m6a instances, reducing costs by 30%.
• Networking Costs: Introduced Docker pull-through caching with S3.

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Case Study: GCP Adaptation

• Dynamic Scaling: Managed Instance Groups with preemptible VMs.
• Networking: Switched to private Google Access for egress traffic.
• Preemptible Instances: n2-highmem provided a balance of cost and performance.

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Results

Cost reduction metrics

Cloud Provider	Baseline Cost	Optimized Cost	Savings (%)
AWS	$10,000	$7,000	30%
GCP	$9,500	$6,500	31%

User Experience Improvements

• Reduced job interruptions.
• Faster job execution due to optimized runner configurations.

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Future Opportunities

1. IPv6 and NAT Gateway Optimization:
   • Both AWS and GCP support IPv6 to reduce NAT costs.
2. Machine Learning for Scaling Decisions:
   • Use historical data to predict demand spikes.

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Conclusion

Optimizing self-hosted GitHub Actions runners on AWS and GCP can save significant costs while improving performance. By dynamically scaling resources, leveraging spot/preemptible instances, and optimizing network usage, you can achieve a highly efficient setup tailored to your workloads.

Feel free to experiment with these strategies and share your results. Happy optimizing! 🚀