COST04-BP03: Decommission resources
Execute systematic decommissioning of identified resources following established processes and procedures. Proper execution ensures safe resource removal while maintaining service continuity and data integrity.
Implementation guidance
Resource decommissioning execution requires careful coordination and systematic approach to safely remove resources while minimizing business disruption and ensuring compliance with organizational policies and regulatory requirements.
Execution Principles
Systematic Approach: Follow established procedures and checklists to ensure consistent and thorough decommissioning execution.
Safety First: Prioritize service continuity and data protection throughout the decommissioning process.
Validation: Verify each step of the decommissioning process before proceeding to prevent errors and ensure successful completion.
Documentation: Maintain detailed records of all decommissioning activities for audit, compliance, and learning purposes.
Execution Components
Pre-Execution Validation: Verify all prerequisites are met before beginning decommissioning activities.
Coordinated Shutdown: Execute resource shutdown in proper sequence to minimize dependencies and service disruption.
Data Handling: Ensure proper data backup, archival, or migration according to retention policies.
Post-Execution Verification: Confirm successful decommissioning and validate achievement of objectives.
AWS Services to Consider
Implementation Steps
1. Pre-Execution Preparation
- Verify all approvals and prerequisites are in place
- Confirm backup and data protection measures are complete
- Validate decommissioning plan and timeline
- Notify stakeholders of impending decommissioning activities
2. Execute Data Protection
- Create final backups of critical data
- Verify backup integrity and accessibility
- Archive data according to retention policies
- Document data locations and access procedures
3. Perform Dependency Management
- Update or migrate dependent services
- Modify configurations to remove dependencies
- Test dependency changes in staging environments
- Prepare rollback procedures for dependency issues
4. Execute Resource Shutdown
- Follow planned shutdown sequence
- Monitor for errors or unexpected issues
- Validate each step before proceeding
- Document any deviations from planned procedures
5. Validate Decommissioning Success
- Confirm resources are properly terminated
- Verify cost savings are achieved
- Validate service continuity is maintained
- Update inventory and documentation systems
6. Complete Post-Execution Activities
- Conduct final validation and testing
- Update monitoring and alerting configurations
- Archive decommissioning documentation
- Conduct lessons learned review
Resource-Specific Decommissioning
EC2 Instance Decommissioning
RDS Instance Decommissioning
Common Challenges and Solutions
Challenge: Service Dependencies During Decommissioning
Solution: Implement comprehensive dependency mapping and impact analysis. Use staged decommissioning approaches. Create detailed rollback procedures and test them regularly.
Challenge: Data Loss Prevention
Solution: Implement mandatory backup procedures before decommissioning. Use automated backup validation. Create multiple backup copies and verify accessibility.
Challenge: Coordinating Complex Decommissioning
Solution: Use workflow orchestration tools like Step Functions. Implement automated coordination and monitoring. Create detailed execution plans with checkpoints.
Challenge: Rollback and Recovery
Solution: Design comprehensive rollback procedures for each decommissioning step. Test rollback procedures regularly. Maintain detailed recovery documentation.
Challenge: Compliance and Audit Requirements
Solution: Implement comprehensive audit logging for all decommissioning activities. Create standardized documentation templates. Use automated compliance checking and reporting.