# Continuous AWS Config Recording in Non-Production Environments

Canonical: https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/continuous-aws-config-recording-in-non-production-environments

[Cloud Efficiency Hub](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub) 

# Continuous AWS Config Recording in Non-Production Environments

## Explanation

By default, AWS Config is enabled in continuous recording mode. While this may be justified for production workloads where detailed auditability is critical, it is rarely necessary in non-production environments. Frequent changes in development or testing environments - such as redeploying Lambda functions, ECS tasks, or EC2 instances - generate large volumes of CIRs. This results in disproportionately high costs with minimal benefit to governance or compliance. Switching non-production environments to daily recording reduces CIR volume significantly while maintaining sufficient visibility for tracking changes.

## Relevant Billing Model

AWS Config charges per Configuration Item Recorded (CIR). Continuous mode generates a CIR for every resource change, while daily mode generates a maximum of one CIR per resource per day. In non-production environments with frequent deployments or updates, continuous mode creates unnecessary cost without meaningful compliance value.

## Detection

- Review whether AWS Config is set to continuous recording in non-production accounts or environments

- Evaluate change frequency in development, QA, and staging systems to estimate unnecessary CIR volume

- Confirm whether governance or compliance requirements justify continuous recording in these environments

- Assess consistency of recording settings across production vs. non-production accounts

## Remediation

- Update AWS Config settings in non-production accounts to daily recording frequency instead of continuous

- Apply environment-specific configuration baselines to enforce lower granularity tracking outside of production

- Validate that compliance and auditing needs remain satisfied after reducing recording frequency

## Relevant Documentation

[Submit Feedback](https://hub.pointfive.co/inefficiencies/continuous-aws-config-recording-in-non-production-environments)

## At a glance

Reference

CER-0201

Cloud provider

AWS

Service

AWS Config

Category

[Other](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/service-category/other)

Inefficiency type

Excessive Recording Frequency

## Contributed by

- ### Jérémy Nancel

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Source: the public page above. Product screenshots and illustrative interfaces are examples, not live customer data.