MICROSOFT AZURE
Microsoft Azure is a scaling as needed cloud computing platform offering infrastructure (IaaS), platform (PaaS), and software (SaaS) services. It enables businesses to build, deploy, and manage applications across a global network of Microsoft-managed data centers. Azure supports everything from virtual machines and databases to AI, analytics, and security services.
This guide explains how Azure licensing works, including pricing models, key services, and cost optimization strategies.
Azure Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG)
Best for: Startups, short-term projects, or unpredictable workloads.
How it works: No upfront commitment. You’re billed per second or hour based on actual usage.
Benefits: Maximum flexibility, ideal for testing, development, and dynamic scaling.
Azure Reserved Instances (RIs)
Best for: Predictable, long-term workloads.
How it works: Commit to a 1- or 3-year term for services like Virtual Machines.
Savings: Up to 72% compared to PAYG.
Flexibility: Some RIs allow exchanges or early cancellation.
Azure Savings Plans
Best for: Organizations with consistent usage across services.
How it works: Commit to a fixed hourly spend over 1 or 3 years.
Coverage: Applies to a broad range of compute services.
Benefits: More flexible than RIs, with comparable savings.
Use the Azure Pricing Calcular for Cost Planning & Optimization
The Azure Pricing Calculator is a free, web-based tool provided by Microsoft to help users estimate the cost of Azure services based on their specific configurations and usage patterns.
Key Features
- Service Selection
- Choose from hundreds of Azure services including Virtual Machines, App Services, Azure SQL, Storage, AI services, and more.
- Each service includes customizable options like region, instance size, operating system, and usage hours.
- Real-Time Pricing
- Displays up-to-date pricing based on your selected region and configuration.
- Automatically applies discounts for options like Reserved Instances or Hybrid Benefit if selected.
- Cost Breakdown
- Provides a detailed cost summary per service and a total monthly estimate.
- Breaks down costs by compute, storage, networking, and other components.
- Export & Share
- Export estimates to Excel or save them to your Azure account.
- Share estimates with team members or stakeholders for collaboration and approval.
- Currency and Region Support
- Supports multiple currencies and allows you to select the Azure region where your services will be deployed, which can significantly affect pricing.
Best Practices
- Realistic Usage Patterns: Estimate actual usage hours and data transfer to avoid under- or over-estimating costs.
- Compare Pricing Models: Toggle between Pay-As-You-Go, Reserved Instances, and Savings Plans to find the most cost-effective option.
- Include All Components: Don’t forget to add networking, storage, and monitoring services that may be required for your solution.
- Review Regularly: Azure pricing and services evolve frequently. Make sure to revisit your estimates periodically.
Azure Foundry for Pro Developers
Azure Foundry is a specialized toolkit for advanced developers working with Copilot Studio and AI-powered applications.
It features deep GitHub Copilot integration, prompt engineering and model fine-tuning tools, and enterprise-grade security and deployment pipelines. Available via Azure Marketplace or Azure Portal! Learn more via the link below:
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Azure AI Foundry
Azure AI Foundry is a specialized toolkit for advanced developers working with Copilot Studio and… Explore