This is how we optimise costs in Microsoft Azure

Start with a cost audit

The first step to optimising Azure costs is understanding where your money is going. We conduct a comprehensive cost audit, analysing every resource, subscription, and usage pattern. This granular insight lays the groundwork for actionable recommendations.

Automate resource management

Azure’s tools for automation, such as Azure Automation Runbook and Logic Apps, allow businesses to optimise their resource management. We implement automation scripts to shut down or scale down non-essential cloud services during off-hours and scale resources dynamically based on demand. These strategies ensure you’re only paying for what you truly need.

Utilise Azure Cost Management & Billing

The Azure Cost Management & Billing tool is a goldmine for identifying inefficiencies. We can set up customised budgets, alerts, and detailed reports to give our clients real-time visibility into their spending. By tracking trends and anomalies, we help businesses stay ahead of their cost curve.

Rightsize your resources

Overprovisioning is a common mistake that can inflate costs unnecessarily. We use tools like the Azure Advisor to assess resource utilisation and ensure that every cloud service is appropriately sized for its workload.

Take advantage of spot instances

For non-critical workloads, Azure Spot Instances offer massive cost savings. We work with our clients to identify which workloads can run on these low-cost instances without impacting overall operations.

Optimise storage costs

Data storage is a major cost driver in Azure, but not all data requires premium storage tiers. We categorise data into hot, cool, and archive tiers and configure lifecycle management policies to automatically transition data between tiers as it ages. This approach ensures cost-efficient storage management.

Regularly review and refactor

Optimisation is not a one-and-done activity. Technology and business needs evolve, and so should your cloud environment. We schedule regular reviews to reassess configurations, implement best practices, and explore new cost-saving features introduced by Azure.

Empower your team with training

A well-trained team is essential for maintaining an optimised Azure environment. We provide tailored training sessions to help internal teams understand cost implications, manage resources effectively, and stay updated on Azure’s latest features.

Partner with experts

Managing Azure costs can be complex, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. At Shout, we combine technical expertise with a deep understanding of business needs to deliver cost-optimised solutions that don’t compromise on performance or scalability.