Cloud services are becoming a more and more critical part of IT strategies for businesses all over the world. And lately, Microsoft Azure has become one of the most popular cloud platforms.
However, using Azure can be expensive if not managed correctly. The good news is that you can regain control of your Azure cloud expenses and save money with some simple analysis and careful preparation. Azure cost optimization is crucial to learn and consider, especially for organizations and companies that recently migrated to using the platform.
This article will look at the top ways you can save money on Microsoft Azure costs. Following these tips and practices, you can optimize your spending and get the most out of your investment in Azure!
Contents
Microsoft Azure Cost Optimization
Best Practices to Save Money
As more and more organizations move their resources to the cloud computing platform, keeping an eye on your expenses is essential. Indeed, Microsoft Azure is a popular choice for many businesses, but it can be expensive if you’re not careful.
Luckily, some built-in pricing models can help you save money and tools that can help visualize and manage costs. This article will look at the top ways to make Azure cost savings when investing in and implementing it into your company’s IT strategy.
So, what are the best practices in Azure Cost Optimization?
Optimizing Azure Storage Costs
Microsoft Azure offers many built-in features and tools that can help you save money on your cloud costs. By taking advantage of these features, you can optimize your spending and get the most out of your investment in Azure! Microsoft Azure Database is a fully managed, cloud-based relational database service that offers built-in security and performance.
Azure Reserved Instances
One of the best ways to save money on Azure is to purchase reserved instances. Reserved instances are a pricing model allowing you to buy resources in advance at a discounted price. By reserving capacity for your workloads, you can save up to 72% compared to pay-as-you-go prices.
Reserved instances can be purchased for a one-year or three-year term and are available for most Azure compute, storage, and database services.
Azure Test Pricing
Microsoft offers a free trial if you’re unsure if Azure is the right cloud platform for your business. During the period, you can check out the features of Azure and the services it offers. Moreover, you can learn how to find the perfect fit for your Microsoft Azure support plan during the said period.
After the free trial period expires, you can convert your free trial account to a pay-as-you-go subscription and only pay for the resources you use. Or, you can cancel your subscription and not be charged at all.
Azure Cost Management
Azure Cost Management is a free service that helps you visualize, manage, and optimize your Azure spend. It provides cost analysis and recommendations to make informed decisions about where to allocate your resources.
Cost Management also allows for creating budgets and tracking spending against those budgets over time. You can use this data to help make Azure cost savings decisions in the future.
Moving from Traditional Database
Another way to reduce the cost of your Microsoft Azure services is to move your traditional databases, such as Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, or MySQL, to the Microsoft Azure Database. Doing this allows you to take advantage of the pay-as-you-go pricing model and only pay for the resources you use.
Finding the Correct Size
Finding the correct size for your virtual machines is another way to reduce the cost of Microsoft Azure If you’re using a virtual machine that’s too large for your workload, you’re wasting money on resources you’re not using.
To find the right size for your workloads, Microsoft offers a sizing tool that you can use to find the optimal size for your needs. To access the sizing tool, sign in to the Azure portal and select Sizing from the left-hand navigation menu.
Shifting Workload to Containers
If you have infrequently used workloads or that can be run without a virtual machine, you can save money by using containers or serverless computing. Containers allow you to package your application code and dependencies into a portable unit that can be deployed on-premises or in the cloud.
Locating and Deleting Unused Disks
Disks or images that are no longer being used cost you bucks. This is why, if you have them, Microsoft Azure offers a tool, the Azure Disk Cleanup Utility, that can help you locate and delete them. To use the Azure Disk Cleanup Utility, sign in to the Azure portal and select Disk cleanup from the left-hand navigation menu.
Make Use of Storage Tiering
One way to optimize storage costs is to make use of storage tiering. Storage tiering allows you to store your data on different types of storage, depending on how often it’s accessed. For example, you can store infrequently accessed data on cheaper, slower storage and store frequently accessed data on more expensive, faster storage.
Monitor Application Dependencies
Another practice you can do to reduce Microsoft Azure costs is to monitor your application dependencies. By understanding which services your application depends on, you can avoid paying for resources that you don’t need.
Price Matching with AWS
If you’re using Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS), you can take advantage of price matching. Price matching allows you to get the same price for a resource on both Azure and AWS. To start with price matching, sign in to the Azure portal and select Price match from the left-hand navigation menu. You may also want to learn how to achieve AWS cost optimisation to ensure you’re getting value for money.
Choose the Right Payment Option
When you’re signing up for Microsoft Azure, you can pay as you go or sign up for a subscription. If you’re not sure which payment option is right for you, Microsoft offers a tool that can help you choose. You will pay less service and transaction fees to lessen your cost burden.
FAQs
Q: What are some of the ways I can save money on Microsoft Azure?
A: Some ways you can save money on Microsoft Azure include using the pay-as-you-go pricing model, signing up for a subscription, using the Azure Disk Cleanup Utility to delete unused disks, and using storage tiering.
Q: What is storage tiering?
A: Storage tiering is a way to store your data on different types of storage, depending on how often it’s accessed. For example, you can store infrequently accessed data on cheaper, slower storage and store frequently accessed data on more expensive, faster storage.
Q: What is the Azure Disk Cleanup Utility?
A: The Azure Disk Cleanup Utility is a tool that helps you locate and delete unused disks. To use the Azure Disk Cleanup Utility, sign in to the Azure portal and select Disk cleanup from the left-hand navigation menu.
Q: What is price matching?
A: Price matching is a way to get the same price for a resource on both Azure and AWS. To start with price matching, sign in to the Azure portal and select Price match from the left-hand navigation menu.
Conclusion
Microsoft Azure provides organizations with many features and benefits, so it’s essential to ensure you get the most out of your investment. As you can see, there are several ways you can practice saving money on Microsoft Azure, such as using the pay-as-you-go pricing model, signing up for a subscription, and using the Azure Disk Cleanup Utility to delete unused disks. With these practices, you can optimize your Microsoft Azure costs. Make sure to manage your finances continuously, and you are good to go!