GCP Load Balancer
Ghost Hunter
👻 Hunt down forgotten GCP Load Balancers consuming resources but not serving traffic like a ghost hunter chef tracking down phantom ingredients in your Google Cloud kitchen.
Quick Start
🔍 Professional Ghost Hunting Features
Enterprise-grade load balancer discovery and analysis for Google Cloud Platform
Native gcloud CLI Integration
Leverages Google Cloud SDK for authenticated access and reliable data retrieval across projects and regions
Intelligent Project Discovery
Automatic project enumeration or targeted project analysis with lifecycle state validation
Advanced Ghost Scoring Algorithm
Multi-factor analysis with 0-100 scale scoring system for accurate ghost load balancer identification
Comprehensive Load Balancer Analysis
Evaluates backend services, forwarding rules, health checks, and traffic patterns for complete assessment
Multi-Region Support
Scans across all GCP regions or targets specific regions for focused resource management
Authentication Verification
Built-in gcloud authentication testing with clear guidance for credential setup
Professional Reporting Engine
Dual-format output with structured CSV for analysis and rich HTML for executive presentation
Cost Impact Assessment
Identifies potential cost savings from unused load balancers with detailed resource utilization analysis
👻 Intelligent Ghost Scoring System
Multi-factor analysis with 0-100 scale for accurate ghost load balancer identification
Ghost Classification Levels
🍳 Usage Examples
Real-world scenarios for effective GCP load balancer ghost hunting
Complete Organization Scan
Scan all accessible GCP projects for ghost load balancers
.\GCP-LoadBalancer-GhostHunter.ps1Perfect for initial discovery and comprehensive ghost hunting across your entire GCP organization
Targeted Project Analysis
Focus on specific projects for detailed load balancer analysis
.\GCP-LoadBalancer-GhostHunter.ps1 -ProjectIds "project-prod","project-staging"Ideal for focused analysis of critical production and staging environments
Regional Load Balancer Hunt
Target specific regions for geographically focused ghost hunting
.\GCP-LoadBalancer-GhostHunter.ps1 -Regions "us-central1","europe-west1"Useful for regional cost optimization and compliance with data residency requirements
Custom Report Location
Specify custom paths for CSV and HTML report generation
.\GCP-LoadBalancer-GhostHunter.ps1 -CsvPath "./reports/gcp-ghosts.csv" -HtmlPath "./reports/gcp-report.html"Perfect for automated reporting pipelines and integration with existing workflows
⚙️ Technical Specifications
Enterprise-grade requirements and comprehensive feature documentation
Requirements
- PowerShell 5.1+ with advanced cmdlet support and JSON processing capabilities
- Google Cloud SDK (gcloud CLI) installed and configured with proper authentication
- Valid GCP credentials configured via gcloud auth login or service account authentication
- Compute Engine and Load Balancer read permissions across target projects and regions
- Network connectivity to Google Cloud APIs and sufficient API quota for discovery operations
Parameters
Core Analysis Features
Discovery Engine
- • Automatic project enumeration and validation
- • Multi-region load balancer discovery
- • Authentication verification and guidance
- • Comprehensive error handling and logging
Analysis Capabilities
- • Backend service health evaluation
- • Forwarding rule activity assessment
- • Health check configuration analysis
- • Traffic pattern and utilization review
📊 Professional Reporting
Dual-format output for technical analysis and executive presentation
CSV Report
Structured data format perfect for analysis, filtering, and integration with existing workflows.
- • Load balancer details and configuration
- • Ghost scores and classification status
- • Backend service and health check information
- • Project and region metadata
- • Timestamp and analysis metadata
HTML Report
Rich visual presentation with charts, summaries, and executive-friendly formatting.
- • Executive summary with key metrics
- • Visual ghost score distribution
- • Detailed load balancer analysis tables
- • Cost optimization recommendations
- • Professional CloudCostChefs branding
👨🍳 Chef's Tips
Professional best practices for effective GCP load balancer ghost hunting
🔐 Authentication Setup
Ensure proper gcloud authentication with gcloud auth loginor configure service account credentials. The script includes built-in authentication verification to guide you through setup.
⚡ Performance Optimization
For large organizations, consider targeting specific projects or regions first to understand the scope. Use the project filtering feature to focus on critical environments before running organization-wide scans.
🎯 Ghost Analysis Strategy
Focus on "DEFINITE GHOST" and "LIKELY GHOST" classifications for immediate action. Review "SUSPICIOUS" load balancers manually, and use "REVIEW NEEDED" items for optimization opportunities.
📈 Report Integration
Use CSV reports for detailed analysis and automation workflows. Share HTML reports with stakeholders for executive visibility. Both formats include comprehensive metadata for tracking and compliance.
🔗 Related CloudCostChefs Tools
Complete your GCP optimization toolkit with these complementary tools