Vantage Launches Nested Virtual Tags

Today, Vantage is launching Nested Virtual Tags, which allows customers to use Virtual Tags within the definition of other Virtual Tags. This allows customers to use the business logic defined within previously created Virtual Tags to create new Virtual Tags, allowing them to build out hierarchies or nested structures for Virtual Tags.

Nested Virtual Tag that references another existing Virtual Tag to create a hierarchy of applications associated with each business unit

Vantage customers use Virtual Tags to apply consistent tagging across cloud providers, standardize naming conventions, and extend tag coverage to untagged cloud resources. For many customers, however, this is typically only the first step, and once the data is standardized and tagged effectively, these customers wanted to align cloud provider data with their internal taxonomies for effective grouping and querying. Previously, customers could create Virtual Tags based only on cloud provider-native fields. If customers wanted to apply Virtual Tags to costs that were already tagged with another Virtual Tag in Vantage, they had to duplicate the same filtering logic.

Now, with the launch of Nested Virtual Tags, customers can reference previously defined Virtual Tags in the creation of new Virtual Tags. Users with the Vantage “Owner” role can now select Virtual Tags as well as provider tags, during the Virtual Tag configuration, and the new Virtual Tag will inherit the business logic of previously defined Virtual Tags. These Nested Virtual Tags can then be used for filtering, grouping, and creating cost allocation models within the Vantage console.

Nested Virtual Tags are now available to all users. To get started, users can navigate to the Tags page in the Settings section of the console. For more information on how to get started, see the Tagging documentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is being launched today?

Vantage is launching Nested Virtual Tags, which allows customers to reference already created Virtual Tags in the configuration of new Virtual Tags.

2. Who is the customer?

Any Vantage customer can view Nested Virtual Tags within other areas of the Vantage console, such as in Cost Reports and Resource Reports.

3. How much does this cost?

There is no additional cost to use Nested Virtual Tags.

4. How do I create a Virtual Tag that references a Virtual Tag?

When defining a Virtual Tag, once you have chosen a provider, select “Tag” as your filter value. From here, you can choose any provider or Virtual Tag key. Virtual Tags will be represented by a pink tag icon, with the Vantage logo.

5. Can I reference any existing Virtual Tag when creating a new Virtual Tag?

At this time, you cannot use Virtual Tag keys that use any form of cost allocation (i.e., cost-based allocation or business metric-based allocation).

6. Does a Virtual Tag need to be fully processed before it can be used in a Nested Virtual Tag?

No, once a Virtual Tag is created, it is immediately available for selection in tag filters.

7. Can I create a Virtual Tag that references itself?

No. You’ll get an error; cyclical references aren’t allowed.

8. Can I use Nested Virtual Tags for filtering or grouping, such as in Cost Reports and Resource Reports?

Yes, once processed, Nested Virtual Tags can be used to filter reports, just like provider tags.

9. When I update filters of a Virtual Tag that is referenced by another Virtual Tag, what happens?

Your costs will be re-processed with the resulting Virtual Tag hierarchy and filters.

10. Can I create Nested Virtual Tags via API and Terraform?

Yes, you can continue creating Virtual Tags and reference existing ones via the VirtualTagConfig API endpoint.

11. Who can create Nested Virtual Tags?

Vantage users with the “Owner” role.

12. What happens if I delete or rename a Virtual Tag that is referenced as part of another Virtual Tag?

You will be shown a warning dialog noting that it’s referenced by other Virtual Tag configurations. If you’d like to proceed, your costs will be processed with the resulting hierarchy.

13. Is there a limit to how many layers of Virtual Tag references I can create?

Customers can create up to 50 distinct tag keys. Given this limit, it is possible to create up to 49 Nested Virtual Tags. Because this data is processed sequentially, the more nested values created, the longer it will take to complete the tagging process.