Comprehensive Tutorial on On-Demand Pricing in DevSecOps

by

1. Introduction & Overview

What is On-Demand Pricing?

On-demand pricing, also known as dynamic pricing, is a pricing model where costs for services or resources are adjusted in real-time based on factors like demand, supply, market conditions, or usage patterns. In DevSecOps, it refers to pay-as-you-go pricing for cloud resources, CI/CD pipelines, or security tools, where costs are incurred based on actual usage (e.g., compute hours, API calls, or security scans) rather than fixed subscriptions. This model is common in cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, as well as DevSecOps tools such as Snyk or Checkmarx.

History or Background

On-demand pricing originated in industries like airlines and hospitality, where prices fluctuated based on demand (e.g., surge pricing for flights or hotels). With the advent of cloud computing in the early 2000s, led by AWS, on-demand pricing became a cornerstone of cloud services, allowing businesses to scale resources without large upfront investments. In DevSecOps, this model supports the rapid, iterative nature of modern software development, aligning costs with development velocity and security needs.

Why is it Relevant in DevSecOps?

On-demand pricing is critical in DevSecOps because it:

  • Saves Costs: Charges only for resources used, optimizing budgets for variable workloads.
  • Enables Scalability: Supports dynamic scaling of CI/CD pipelines, security scans, or infrastructure during peak cycles.
  • Promotes Agility: Allows teams to test new tools or security practices without long-term commitments.
  • Supports Security: Facilitates continuous security testing (e.g., SAST, DAST) by making scans affordable and accessible.

In DevSecOps, where security is integrated into every phase of the software development lifecycle (SDLC), on-demand pricing ensures cost alignment with development and security activities, fostering efficiency and shared responsibility.

2. Core Concepts & Terminology

Key Terms and Definitions

  • On-Demand Pricing: A model where costs are based on actual usage (e.g., per API call, per compute hour, per scan).
  • Pay-as-You-Go: Synonym for on-demand pricing, emphasizing payment for consumed resources.
  • Price Elasticity: The sensitivity of demand to price changes, influencing dynamic pricing adjustments.
  • CI/CD Pipeline: Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment pipeline, where on-demand pricing supports scalable builds and tests.
  • SAST/DAST/IAST: Static, Dynamic, and Interactive Application Security Testing tools, often priced on-demand based on scan frequency or code volume.
  • Cloud-Native: Applications designed for cloud environments, leveraging on-demand pricing for scalability.
TermDefinition
On-demand InstancePay-as-you-go compute unit billed by the second or hour.
Spot InstanceDiscounted but interruptible compute resources.
Reserved InstanceLong-term commitment with reduced costs.
Elastic Resource AllocationScaling infrastructure based on usage.
Metered BillingTracking usage for precise billing.
Auto-terminationAutomatic shutdown of unused resources to save costs.

How It Fits into the DevSecOps Lifecycle

On-demand pricing integrates into the DevSecOps lifecycle by providing flexible cost structures across:

  • Plan: Budgeting for tools like threat modeling or code analysis based on project needs.
  • Code: On-demand SAST tools (e.g., Snyk) scan code during development.
  • Build: CI/CD platforms (e.g., GitLab) use on-demand compute for builds.
  • Test: DAST/IAST tools (e.g., Burp Suite) perform on-demand security scans.
  • Deploy: Cloud platforms (e.g., AWS) scale infrastructure on-demand for deployments.
  • Monitor: Real-time monitoring tools (e.g., Detectify) charge based on scan frequency.
StageUsage of On-demand Pricing
PlanForecast infrastructure cost models.
DevelopProvision test/staging environments instantly.
Build/TestCI/CD runners, automated DAST/SAST tools on demand.
ReleaseBlue-green deployments with isolated environments.
OperateDynamic threat detection with scalable monitoring tools.
MonitorSecurity analytics tools (e.g., SIEM) that scale with logs.

This ensures costs scale with development and security activities, reducing waste and supporting rapid iteration.

3. Architecture & How It Works

Components and Internal Workflow

On-demand pricing in DevSecOps relies on:

  • Usage Metering: Tracks resource consumption (e.g., CPU hours, API calls, scan executions).
  • Pricing Engine: Calculates costs based on usage data and predefined rates.
  • Billing API: Integrates with cloud or tool providers to generate invoices.
  • Automation Layer: Dynamically adjusts resource allocation based on demand.

The workflow involves monitoring usage, applying pricing rules, and generating real-time billing updates, typically visible in cloud dashboards or DevSecOps tool interfaces.

Architecture Diagram Description

The architecture for on-demand pricing can be visualized as:

  • Client Layer: DevSecOps teams interacting with tools (e.g., GitLab, Snyk).
  • Service Layer: Cloud services (e.g., AWS EC2, Lambda) and security tools (e.g., SAST, DAST).
  • Metering Layer: Tracks usage metrics (e.g., number of scans, compute hours).
  • Pricing Engine: Processes usage data to calculate costs.
  • Billing System: Generates invoices and integrates with payment gateways.
[CI/CD Pipeline] 
     | triggers 
     v
[Orchestrator (Terraform)] 
     | provisions
     v
[Cloud Provider (AWS/GCP/Azure)]
     | bills based on usage
     v
[Security Tools (OWASP ZAP, SonarQube)]
     | reports back to
     v
[Monitoring/Logging Stack]

Data flows from client actions to usage tracking, pricing calculations, and billing outputs.

Integration Points with CI/CD or Cloud Tools

On-demand pricing integrates with:

  • CI/CD Platforms: Tools like GitLab or Jenkins use on-demand compute for builds/tests.
  • Cloud Platforms: AWS, Azure, or GCP provide on-demand instances (e.g., EC2, Azure VMs).
  • Security Tools: Snyk, Checkmarx, or Detectify offer on-demand scans within CI/CD pipelines.
  • Monitoring Tools: Tools like New Relic or Datadog charge based on data ingested or monitoring frequency.

For example, a CI/CD pipeline might trigger an on-demand SAST scan via a GitHub Action, with costs calculated per scan.

4. Installation & Getting Started

First Method

Basic Setup or Prerequisites

  • Cloud Account: AWS, Azure, or GCP account with billing enabled.
  • DevSecOps Tool: Access to a tool like Snyk, Checkmarx, or GitLab with on-demand pricing options.
  • API Key: For integrating tools with CI/CD pipelines.
  • Basic Knowledge: Familiarity with CI/CD concepts and cloud resource management.

Hands-On: Step-by-Step Beginner-Friendly Setup Guide

Here’s how to set up on-demand pricing for Snyk in a GitLab CI/CD pipeline:

  1. Create a Snyk Account:
  • Sign up at https://snyk.io and select the on-demand pricing plan.
  • Obtain an API key from the Snyk dashboard.
  1. Configure GitLab:
  • In your GitLab project, go to Settings > CI/CD > Variables.
  • Add SNYK_TOKEN as a variable with your Snyk API key.
  1. Set Up .gitlab-ci.yml:
   stages:
     - test

   snyk_test:
     stage: test
     image: snyk/snyk:alpine
     script:
       - snyk auth $SNYK_TOKEN
       - snyk test --all-projects
  1. Run Pipeline: Push code to trigger the pipeline. Snyk will scan for vulnerabilities, with costs based on scan frequency.
  2. Monitor Costs: Check Snyk’s billing dashboard for usage-based charges.

Second Method

Prerequisites

  • Cloud account (e.g., AWS/GCP/Azure).
  • CLI tools (e.g., AWS CLI, Terraform).
  • CI/CD platform (e.g., GitHub Actions, Jenkins).
  • DevSecOps tools (e.g., Trivy, OWASP ZAP).

Step-by-step Guide: Deploy OWASP ZAP on AWS On-demand EC2

  1. Install AWS CLI bashCopyEditbrew install awscli aws configure
  2. Create EC2 On-demand Instance 
aws ec2 run-instances \
  --image-id ami-0abcdef1234567890 \
  --instance-type t2.medium \
  --key-name MyKeyPair \
  --security-groups MySecurityGroup

3. SSH and Install ZAP 

    ssh -i MyKeyPair.pem ec2-user@<instance-ip>
sudo apt install zaproxy

    4. Run ZAP Security Scan 

      bashCopyEditzap-cli quick-scan --self-contained --start-options '-config api.disablekey=true' http://testapp.local

      5. Terminate EC2 Instance Post-scan 

        aws ec2 terminate-instances --instance-ids i-1234567890abcdef0

        5. Real-World Use Cases

        • E-Commerce Platform: An e-commerce company uses AWS Lambda with on-demand pricing to scale API security scans during Black Friday sales, ensuring secure transactions without over-provisioning.
        • Fintech Startup: A fintech startup integrates Snyk’s on-demand SAST scans into its CI/CD pipeline to secure payment processing code, paying only for scans during active development sprints.
        • Healthcare Provider: A healthcare app uses Azure’s on-demand VMs to run DAST scans during compliance audits, aligning costs with regulatory requirements.
        • Gaming Industry: A gaming company leverages GCP’s on-demand Kubernetes clusters to deploy secure game servers during peak player hours, optimizing costs with usage-based pricing.

        6. Benefits & Limitations

        Key Advantages

        • Cost Efficiency: Pay only for resources used, reducing waste.
        • Scalability: Scales with development and security needs.
        • Flexibility: Supports experimentation with new tools without long-term commitments.
        • Real-Time Insights: Aligns costs with real-time usage, aiding budget planning.

        Common Challenges or Limitations

        • Cost Overruns: Unmonitored usage can lead to unexpected bills.
        • Complexity: Requires understanding of usage metrics and pricing models.
        • Vendor Lock-In: Dependency on specific providers’ pricing structures.
        • Limited Personalization: May not suit fixed-budget projects requiring predictable costs.

        7. Best Practices & Recommendations

        • Monitor Usage: Use cloud dashboards (e.g., AWS Cost Explorer) to track spending.
        • Set Budget Alerts: Configure alerts for exceeding usage thresholds.
        • Automate Scans: Integrate security tools into CI/CD to optimize on-demand scans.
        • Compliance Alignment: Ensure tools meet standards like GDPR or HIPAA for regulated industries.
        • Review Pricing Regularly: Compare provider rates to avoid overpaying.

        8. Comparison with Alternatives

        FeatureOn-Demand PricingSubscription-Based Pricing
        Cost StructurePay-per-useFixed monthly/yearly fee
        ScalabilityHighly flexibleLimited by plan tiers
        Best ForDynamic workloadsPredictable usage
        Cost PredictabilityVariable, can be highFixed, easier to budget
        Example ProvidersAWS, Snyk, DetectifyGitHub Enterprise, Checkmarx (fixed plans)

        When to Choose On-Demand Pricing: Opt for on-demand pricing for projects with variable workloads or frequent security scans. Choose subscription-based pricing for stable, predictable usage.

        9. Conclusion

        On-demand pricing is a powerful enabler in DevSecOps, providing cost-efficient, scalable, and agile solutions for integrating security and operations into the SDLC. As DevSecOps evolves, on-demand pricing will likely incorporate AI-driven cost optimization and deeper cloud integrations.

        Leave a Comment