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Save up to 82% with Azure Reserved VM Instances

Friday 17th November 2017

Today, Microsoft have announced the general availability of Azure RIs. Azure RIs enable you to reserve VMs to prioritize workloads with a 72% cost savings over pay-as-you-go pricing on all VMs, or up to 82% savings when combined with the Azure Hybrid Benefit. Azure offers the most cost effective RIs for Windows Server workloads. RIs improve budgeting and forecasting because they are purchased in 1- and 3-year terms with a single up-front payment.

Purchasing requires you to select only three items: region, VM series, and term. If your business or workload needs change, you can easily exchange or cancel your reservations at any time. Pricing information is now available here.

Lower your total cost of ownership by combining RIs with pay-as-you-go prices to manage costs across predictable and variable workloads. Improve budgeting and forecasting with a single upfront payment, making it easy to calculate your investments.


Benefits
Exchange at any time

Exchange a Reserved Instance for another at any time

  • The time remaining will serve as a credit applied to the new Reserved Instance purchase
  • The new RI purchase must be of equal or greater value than the pro-rated amount
  • The new RI purchase will be for the full 1-year or 3-year term

Cancel at any time

Cancel a Reserved Instance at any time during the term

  • A pro-rated refund will be provided back onto your Azure Monetary Commitment
  • A small early termination fee of 12% will be applied to the pro-rated refund
  • Customers will have a cap on the amount of cancellations they can do per year

Assignment

  • Assign Reserved Instances at enrolment level meaning all subscriptions can benefit
  • Assign Reserved Instances to specific subscriptions
  • Easily change assignment post purchase


Make additional savings with the Azure Hybrid Benefit for Windows Server

  • If you have Windows Server licenses with Software Assurance you can assign these to Azure for use with reservations with Hybrid Benefit
  • Whether the instances are procured via reservation or on-demand, there will be no charge within Azure for Windows Server
  • You must maintain Software Assurance to use the Hybrid Benefit
  • With Reserved Instance and Azure Hybrid Use Benefit together get up to 82% savings relative to on-demand prices


Next Steps
Understand which virtual machines are eligible for Reserved Instances and Hybrid Benefit along with what the cost savings will be with our Azure Cost Savings Analysis service. Speak to your Bytes Account Manager for more information.

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