Making the Most of Azure: 3 Key Areas to Consider for Success

With the best will in the world, businesses of any size, implementing or managing their cloud deployment are unlikely to have enough in-house experience or time to tackle all aspects of Azure – minimise costs and maximise efficiency.

Navigating this complex Azure ecosystem requires strategic planning and understanding. To make the most of Azure, here are three crucial areas you should consider: understanding Azure pricing, leveraging savings plans, and collaborating with an Azure partner.

1. Understanding Azure Pricing: Unraveling the Complexity

Azure has a pay-as-you-go pricing model that is intended to provide you with the option to pay only for the resources you use. However, this flexibility can result in complex invoicing systems that are difficult to understand as they have hundreds of line items which it can be hard to match back to your applications. Before you start trying to make your Azure footprint cost-effective you need to understand how the pricing model works and be able to match that back to your bill.

Azure services are divided into tiers, each with its own pricing structure which you need to review for each of your services. Virtual machines, storage, databases, and networking services all have varying pricing models. Additionally, there are data transfer costs, support plans, and additional services that can contribute to your bill. Familiarise yourself with the Azure Pricing Calculator, which can help estimate costs based on your usage patterns.

Did you know?

UK MS Data Centres can be approximately 30% more expensive than other European MS Data Centres. We monitor all Azure changes enabling us to offer the best service possible.
Azure pricing can change every month which does affect your monthly billing. By choosing Azure with IG CloudOps, your pricing is caped for the duration of your 1, 2 or 3-year contract, eliminating spikes in your billing.
When configuring Azure, there are multiple Series and configurations to choose from, in the same way, you’d configure a car – make of car, model, engine, fuel, colour, and every trim and feature you can think of. Every choice impacts your monthly cost and end performance.

2. Leveraging Savings Plans: Optimising Costs for Long-Term Success

While Azure's pay-as-you-go model provides flexibility, it might not be the most cost-efficient option for sustained usage. This is where Azure's savings plans come into play. Savings plans offer the opportunity to commit to a specific usage amount, allowing you to lock in lower rates for your services. These plans can result in significant cost savings, especially for workloads that have predictable usage patterns.

Azure offers various savings plans tailored to different usage scenarios, such as Compute Savings Plans and Reserved Instances. By analyzing your organisation's historical usage data, you can strategically choose the savings plan that aligns with your needs. Regularly review and adjust your plan to ensure you're not overcommitting or underusing resources.

3. Collaborating with an Azure Partner: Expertise and Guidance

Navigating Azure's vast array of services and features can be overwhelming, especially for businesses without dedicated cloud expertise. This is where partnering with an Azure expert can make a substantial difference. Azure partners are certified professionals who have a deep understanding of the platform and its capabilities. They can assist you in everything from migration to optimisation, ensuring that you're leveraging Azure's potential to the fullest.

As an Azure partner, we can assist you in developing a customised strategy based on your business objectives, recommending the best services for each workload and providing ongoing support. Whether you're embarking on your first cloud adventure or looking to upgrade your current setup, as an Azure partner we can provide insights that lead to better decision-making and increased operational efficiency.

Conclusion

Making the most of Azure requires a holistic approach that encompasses understanding pricing intricacies, harnessing the benefits of savings plans, and collaborating with an Azure partner. By mastering these three key areas, you can position your organisation for success in the dynamic world of cloud computing.

Remember that Azure is not a static platform; it evolves with new services and capabilities over time. You and your team need to continually update your knowledge and maintain your Azure deployments to stay on top of things as they evolve.

If you would like to speak to a member of our UK Azure team about your Azure challenges, then contact us here.

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