A useful Azure cost review starts with your bill and your workloads. Set a baseline, identify accountable owners and check the operational effect of each change before committing to a savings target.
What should an Azure cost review include?
- Costs grouped by subscription, resource group and service.
- Resource owners and business purpose, including test environments.
- Usage patterns and performance requirements.
- Existing commitments, licensing and support costs.
Use Microsoft's recommendations as a starting point
Azure Cost Management and Advisor provide cost recommendations. Review them with workload owners; a suggested reduction still needs testing against application demand and recovery requirements. Document the proposed change, expected effect, owner and rollback.
When should you consider a savings plan?
Microsoft provides purchase recommendations based on usage. Compare the recommended commitment with expected future demand and existing coverage. Right-size first, then evaluate the remaining baseline rather than committing to capacity you intend to remove.
Separate recurring savings from a one-time credit
Track recurring cost changes independently from promotional credits. A partner offer must state eligibility, exclusions and billing terms. This guide does not guarantee a free month or a percentage reduction. Validate a billing transfer's requirements before scheduling it.
Measure the result
Record the baseline period, changes made and the following billing periods. Account for changes in usage before attributing a lower bill to optimization. Review service performance alongside cost.
Sources: Microsoft cost recommendations and savings plan purchase recommendations.