Azure optimization
azure
Fredrik Filipsson

Learn About Azure Optimization 

As a Microsoft Azure expert who has helped hundreds of organizations with Azure optimization, I have seen firsthand the benefits of implementing effective Azure optimization strategies.

With cloud costs becoming an increasingly large part of IT budgets, it’s more important than ever to find ways to save on Azure.

In this article, I will share some of the best practices I have learned over the course of my engagements, to help you optimize your Azure costs and maximize your ROI.

Whether you are just getting started with Azure cost management or looking to further optimize your existing usage, these tips and tricks will help you save money and get the most out of your Azure services.

So let’s dive in and explore the world of Azure optimization!

Azure optimization
Table Of Contents
  1. Learn About Azure Optimization 
  2. Azure Optimization : A Practical Guide



Azure Optimization : A Practical Guide

azure optimization

Azure provides several built-in pricing models, tools, and best practices that can help you save and optimize costs. Here are five cost-saving options that you should be aware of:

1. Azure Reserved Instances

Azure Reserved Instances let you reserve instances and receive significant discounts. By paying upfront, you can get discounts of up to 65% for most virtual machines. There are three reservation options to choose from – 1-year reserved instance, 3-year reserved instance, and Spot pricing. Spot pricing allows you to bid for available capacity on the Azure marketplace and receive instances with 80-90% discounts. However, instances can be interrupted with no prior notice, so they are only suitable for certain types of workloads.

2. Azure Hybrid Benefit

Azure Hybrid Benefit is a program that leverages Microsoft’s extensive enterprise install base. If you already have licenses of Windows Server or SQL Server and you are using them on-premises, you can bring those licenses with you to the cloud. By doing so, you can receive discounts on VM costs, Windows Server VMs, SQL Server VMs, and the managed SQL Database service. Combining reserved instances with the hybrid benefit program can result in discounts of up to 80%. Additionally, migrating Windows Server and SQL Server 2008 to Azure gives you three years of security updates for free, saving the need to continue to extend the license for security and compliance reasons.

3. Azure Dev/Test Pricing

Azure provides deep discounts on services if you are using them for development and testing. You can run Windows and SQL Server VMs with no charge for Microsoft software, and Azure SQL Database and Logic Apps are also offered at a discount of up to 55%. Various other services also offer discounts for dev/test usage.

4. Price Matching with AWS

Azure guarantees to match AWS costs for comparable services. Prices are adjusted once every three months in accordance with AWS price drops. Price matching is available for Linux VMs, Azure Functions, Block Blob Storage (ZRS HOT), and Block Blob Storage (ZRS COOL).

5. Azure Cost Management

Cost Management is a free tool built into the Azure portal. It collects data and enables analysis that can help you save costs on Azure services. Azure provides additional tools for cost planning and optimization, including the Azure Advisor, Cost Calculator, Cost Analysis, Azure Budgets, and Cloudyn, which lets you track resource usage and expenditure for Azure alongside other clouds.

Azure Cost Optimization: 7 Best Practices

azure cost optimization

In addition to the built-in cost-saving options, there are several best practices you can use to optimize your Azure costs:

1. Right-sizing VMs

By choosing the appropriate size for your VMs, you can avoid overprovisioning and reduce costs. Azure provides several VM sizes with different specifications, so you can choose the best option for your workloads.

2. Locating and deleting unused disks

Unused disks can accumulate over time and consume storage, which can result in unnecessary costs. By locating and deleting these unused disks, you can optimize your storage costs and reduce waste.

3. Shifting workloads to containers

Containers are a lightweight and portable option for running applications, and they can help reduce costs by improving resource

utilization. By shifting workloads to containers, you can increase your application density and reduce your VM count.

4. Using B-series VMs

B-series VMs are a cost-effective option for workloads with variable CPU usage. These VMs are priced based on the amount of CPU used, so you only pay for what you need. They are a great option for workloads that have bursty or unpredictable CPU usage.

5. Moving from database VMs to elastic databases

Elastic databases can help you reduce costs by allowing you to share resources among multiple databases. This can help you reduce your infrastructure costs and improve resource utilization.

6. Using storage tiering

Azure offers several storage tiers with different performance and cost characteristics. By choosing the right storage tier for your data, you can optimize your storage costs and ensure that your data is stored at the appropriate level of performance.

Conclusion

Azure is a powerful cloud platform that can provide many benefits to your organization. However, it is important to manage your costs and ensure that you are optimizing your usage. By using the built-in cost-saving options and following the best practices outlined in this article, you can reduce your Azure costs and improve your cloud ROI.

Azure Optimization FAQ



Redress Compliance Azure Optimization Service

azure optimization service
  • A full review of all your Azure optimization possibilities, including a detailed analysis of your current usage and costs.
  • Reviewing the cost-saving measures with our clients to help them identify opportunities to reduce Azure costs.
  • Optimizing Azure costs by identifying unused resources, resizing underutilized resources, and migrating workloads to more cost-effective services.
  • Continuous optimization of Azure to avoid overpaying for Azure cloud services. We regularly monitor usage and costs to identify new opportunities for cost savings and optimization.
  • Providing regular reports and recommendations to help our clients stay on top of their Azure costs and optimize their usage.
  • Collaborating with our clients to develop and implement cost-saving strategies and best practices for their unique business needs.
  • Providing ongoing support and guidance to help our clients achieve their Azure optimization goals and maximize their ROI.

We aim to provide our clients with the highest level of Azure optimization services, leveraging our expertise and industry best practices to deliver tangible cost savings and business benefits.

Our experts at Redress Compliance will work with you to identify areas for improvement. Contact us today for help!