> **aks-cost-optimization** — skill 1 of 53 in [microsoft/azure-skills](https://skillsdocs.com/microsoft/azure-skills).
>
> Book (all skills, one file): https://skillsdocs.com/microsoft/azure-skills.md
> Machine manifest: https://skillsdocs.com/microsoft/azure-skills/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json
> Install the book: `npx skills add microsoft/azure-skills`
> Upstream: https://github.com/microsoft/azure-skills/blob/main/.github/plugins/aks-skills/skills/aks-cost-optimization/SKILL.md @ `main`
> Raw bytes, no header: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/azure-skills/main/.github/plugins/aks-skills/skills/aks-cost-optimization/SKILL.md
> Base for relative paths: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/azure-skills/main/.github/plugins/aks-skills/skills/aks-cost-optimization/
> Licence: MIT — https://spdx.org/licenses/MIT.html
>
> Bundled files (13), referenced from this skill's directory:
>   - `references/aks-bin-packing.md` — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/azure-skills/main/.github/plugins/aks-skills/skills/aks-cost-optimization/references/aks-bin-packing.md
>   - `references/aks-nap.md` — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/azure-skills/main/.github/plugins/aks-skills/skills/aks-cost-optimization/references/aks-nap.md
>   - `references/aks-savings-plans-reservations.md` — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/azure-skills/main/.github/plugins/aks-skills/skills/aks-cost-optimization/references/aks-savings-plans-reservations.md
>   - `references/aks-storage-optimization.md` — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/azure-skills/main/.github/plugins/aks-skills/skills/aks-cost-optimization/references/aks-storage-optimization.md
>   - `references/bin-packing-evidence.md` — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/azure-skills/main/.github/plugins/aks-skills/skills/aks-cost-optimization/references/bin-packing-evidence.md
>   - `references/nap-decisions.md` — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/azure-skills/main/.github/plugins/aks-skills/skills/aks-cost-optimization/references/nap-decisions.md
>   - `references/nap-enablement-and-rollback.md` — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/azure-skills/main/.github/plugins/aks-skills/skills/aks-cost-optimization/references/nap-enablement-and-rollback.md
>   - `references/nap-evidence-collection.md` — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/azure-skills/main/.github/plugins/aks-skills/skills/aks-cost-optimization/references/nap-evidence-collection.md
>   - `references/node-scaling-bottlenecks.md` — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/azure-skills/main/.github/plugins/aks-skills/skills/aks-cost-optimization/references/node-scaling-bottlenecks.md
>   - `references/self-hosted-karpenter-migration.md` — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/azure-skills/main/.github/plugins/aks-skills/skills/aks-cost-optimization/references/self-hosted-karpenter-migration.md
>   - `references/storage-container-insights.md` — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/azure-skills/main/.github/plugins/aks-skills/skills/aks-cost-optimization/references/storage-container-insights.md
>   - `references/storage-decisions.md` — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/azure-skills/main/.github/plugins/aks-skills/skills/aks-cost-optimization/references/storage-decisions.md
>   - `references/storage-metrics.md` — https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/azure-skills/main/.github/plugins/aks-skills/skills/aks-cost-optimization/references/storage-metrics.md
>
> Content © its authors, served unmodified. Takedown: https://github.com/DreambaseAI/skillsdocs/issues/new?labels=takedown&title=Takedown+request

<!-- Verbatim upstream SKILL.md follows, YAML frontmatter included. -->

---
name: aks-cost-optimization
license: MIT
metadata:
  author: Microsoft
  version: "1.0.10"
description: "Analyze advanced AKS cost efficiency. WHEN: \"AKS NAP readiness\", \"AKS bin packing\", \"AKS node scaling bottleneck\", \"AKS blocked scale-down\", \"AKS storage cost\". DO NOT USE AS DIRECT ENTRY FOR: overall AKS cost assessments or rightsizing/VPA/CAS/Spot (azure-kubernetes); spend/anomalies/commitments (cost-analysis/cost-optimization); incidents (aks-troubleshooting)."
---

# AKS Cost Optimization

## When to Use This Skill

Use for advanced existing-cluster analysis requiring scheduling, placement, or
verified storage mapping. Route overall AKS cost assessments to
`azure-kubernetes`, spend/anomalies to `cost-analysis`, commitments to
`cost-optimization`, and incidents to `aks-troubleshooting` when those skills are available. When called from an overall assessment, return findings for its ranked report.

## MCP Tools

Prefer fitting Azure MCP reads. Never invent tools or use `az`/`kubectl`
without approved shell access and a target-bound context.

## Workflow/Steps

1. Bind the subscription, cluster, resource group, and kube context.
2. Route to [NAP readiness](references/aks-nap.md),
   [bin-packing](references/aks-bin-packing.md),
   [node-scaling bottlenecks](references/node-scaling-bottlenecks.md), or
   [storage optimization](references/aks-storage-optimization.md).
3. When invoked for AKS commitment context, use the
   [commitment-demand handoff](references/aks-savings-plans-reservations.md)
   and return demand evidence without benefit analysis or a transaction.
4. Keep reads non-mutating; require approval for every change.

## Error Handling

- Missing capability: analyze supplied evidence or provide a collection plan;
  mark dependent cost or commitment results unavailable.
- Evidence conflict: mark the conclusion unconfirmed.