Web UI Operational Cost Breakdown¶
Running the Web UI of Karafka involves costs for data transfer and storage. Below is an estimate to help you understand and plan for these expenses and see the impact of using the Web UI.
Estimate Only
The following cost estimation is just an estimate and may differ depending on the Kafka vendor used versus self-hosted setups, among other factors.
Cost Factors¶
Several factors influence the cost of running the Karafka Web UI. Understanding these factors can help in managing and optimizing operational expenses. Here is a detailed list of the key cost factors.
Setup Specificity
Depending on your specific setup, additional factors may affect costs, or some of the listed factors may not apply.
Message Characteristics and Throughput¶
Understanding the specific characteristics of Web UI topics is crucial for accurate cost estimation. The following details explain how messages are serialized and what throughput to expect:
Topics and Message Frequency¶
The Web UI uses several internal topics with specific message patterns:
karafka_consumers_reports: 1 message every 5 seconds per consumer processkarafka_consumers_states: 1 message every 5 seconds (not per process, single aggregate message)karafka_consumers_metrics: 1 message every 5 seconds (similar to states, single aggregate message)karafka_consumers_commands: 0 messages unless commands are sent via Web UI (1 message per command)karafka_errors: 0 messages if no errors occur, 1 message per error occurrence when errors happen
Throughput Impact Factors¶
The number of messages consumed by your regular Karafka consumers does not directly impact the throughput of the internal Web UI topics. The Web UI topic throughput is primarily determined by:
- Number of consumer processes (affects reports volume)
- Error frequency (affects error topic volume)
- Command usage frequency (affects commands topic volume)
- Fixed 5-second intervals for state and metrics reporting
| Factor | Description |
|---|---|
| Reporting Frequency | Each Karafka process produces one report message every 5 seconds (17,280 messages per day per process). |
| State Materialization | States and metrics are materialized every 5 seconds as single aggregate messages (not per process). |
| Message Size | An average size of 1 KB per report message (compressed JSON), 30 KB for state data, and 60 KB for metrics data. |
| Number of Processes | More consumer processes generate more report messages (1 message per process every 5 seconds). |
| Ingress/Egress Cost | Additional costs for data transfer, including return responses and message acknowledgments. |
| Compaction Settings | Proper configuration reduces storage requirements by managing data efficiently. |
| Cluster Settings and Size | The configuration and size of your Kafka cluster, including the number of brokers and replication factors, impact operational costs. |
| Storage Cost | The cost of storing data, influenced by retention policies, compression, and the amount of data generated and retained. |
| Web UI Topics Configuration | Properly manage and configure Web UI topics to ensure efficient data handling and storage. |
Example Calculation¶
Below, you can find an example calculation that you can use to understand what factors and how they impact running Karafka with Web UI enabled.
| Category | Description | Value | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rates | Networking | $0.05 | Per GB. Same for egress and ingress |
| Storage | $0.08 | Per GB per month | |
| Reports Data | Reports per day per consumer process | 17,280 | One report every 5 seconds |
| Report size | 1 KB | Compressed / Approximation | |
| Daily data per consumer | 17 MB | 17,280 x 1 KB | |
| Monthly data per consumer | 527 MB | 17 MB x 31 days | |
| Number of Consumers | 100 | Process with multiple subscription groups counts as one | |
| Ingress data for 100 consumers | 52.7 GB | 527 MB x 100 consumer processes | |
| Estimated Storage | 1 GB | Total storage of Web UI with correct topics settings due to retention | |
| Reports Cost | Networking | $2.63 | $0.05 x 52.7 GB |
| Storage | $0.08 | $0.08 x 1 GB | |
| Subtotal | $2.71 | $2.63 + $0.08 | |
| States and Metrics Data | State Size | 30 KB | Single State Size |
| Total States Data per Month | 16 GB | 30 KB * 535,680 States | |
| Metrics Size | 60 KB | Single Metrics Materialization | |
| Total Metrics Data per Month | 32 GB | 60 KB * 535,680 States | |
| Reports Consumption Egress | 52.7 GB | Consumed to materialize states and metrics | |
| Estimated Storage | 1 GB | Total storage of Web UI with correct topics settings due to retention | |
| States and Metrics Cost | Networking | $5.03 | $0.05 x (52.7 GB + 32 GB + 16 GB) |
| Storage | $0.08 | $0.08 * 1 GB | |
| Subtotal | $5.11 | $5.03 + $0.08 | |
| Total Monthly Cost | Reports | $2.71 | |
| States and Metrics | $5.11 | ||
| Overestimation Factor | 5x | Compensate for error tracking, extra networking, etc | |
| Total | $39.1 | ($2.71 + $5.11) x 5 |
Simplification Notice
The calculation above is a simplification, and there may be other factors impacting the cost. This estimate does not include the cost of maintaining a Kafka cluster but rather the additional cost of running the Web UI within an existing cluster.
Simplified Formula¶
For a quick estimation, a single Karafka consumer will cost between $0.07 and $0.40 per month. This range accounts for the variability in factors such as message frequency, state materialization, data size, and the efficiency of your Kafka configuration.
This simplified formula provides a ballpark figure to help you plan and budget the operational costs of running Karafka with its Web UI. Remember that actual costs can vary based on your specific setup and usage patterns.
Last modified: 2025-09-22 12:37:20