Cloud Cost Modeller

This article will be taking you through the process of applying cost models via the cloud cost modeller.

Contents

Modelling settings

Rapid cloud cost modelling

Vendor Incentives

Saving modelling costs for servers

Information of note

Modelling settings

The cloud cost modeller is a tool within the platform that allows you to apply different future cloud cost models to groups of servers within the inventory.   This is achieved by creating a model using the available settings, applying the model to a selected group of servers and when ready, saving those settings (and costs) to the selected servers.

The cloud cost modeller can be found here:

On this page you will see that you can make settings changes, this is to ensure you apply the most accurate pricing to the server according to its current usage and planned future use.  

You can configure settings for the Cloud cost modeller on the side bar. The first setting you will see is the 'Standard configuration' section this allows you to price based on the current configuration of the server or the server rightsized to actual usage as well as planned running hours per month.

This section also allows you to define the number of hours a month a server is estimated to be running.  For example, for a test or development environment, you may reduce the default setting from 720 hours (running 24x7) if the server will be shut down outside working hours.

You can also cost to include / exclude VM's with a status of Powered off as well as what the Monthly Network Usage is over a month in GB.

You will see specific settings relating to AWS, Azure and GCP to the right of the page. 

You also have the capability of adding Custom Line Items.

Once the appropriate settings have been selected, click on Apply Modelling Settings.

The Cloud Cost Modeller now has the option to apply a vendor discount to each of the hyperscalers across AWS, Azure and GCP. Use this to model out the applicable discount and its impact on your total cloud spend.

In the event you wish to turn off specific AWS machines from the recommendations, you can configure this on the following page.

Rapid cloud cost modelling

Under the cost modelling settings you will see the ability to rapid cost model. This requires you to fill out 3 elements to allow you a more accurate costing compare to the standard cost displayed at a faster rate. This however, is not as accurate as cost modelling at the server level using specific settings for scenario’s. The 3 areas to complete rapid cost modelling are:

• Cloud Parking

• Reservations

• VM Sizing

Vendor Incentives

Once you have cost modelled, you will be able to view if you have vendor Incentives available to you. This is featured at the top of the AWS and Azure cards. Once you select this option a pop-up appears and shows you what incentives you may be entitled to.

Admins have the capability to toggle Vendor Incentives off and on within the platform. This can be done via the following page:

Saving modelling costs for servers / Recommended Payment Method

Once you have applied the settings above, you can then begin the process of applying these cost models to a group(s) of servers. Many data points can be used in the filters in the server list to find the appropriate servers to apply the model to.

You can interact with cost modelling using the button towards the top right of the Recommended Payment Information table. This button has 3 options:

• Update Recommended Payment Method - This allows you to dictate the Payment method you want saving across either AWS or Azure.

  • On-Demand

  • 1 Year

  • 3 Year

• Update Uptime - This allows you to specify in 10’s percentagewise roughly how long each server will be active. This will automatically update the Recommended Payment Method unless manually altered.

• Save Costs - This allows you to save costs against selected servers. By either saving the following

  • Save AWS Recommended Payment Method

  • Save Azure Recommended Payment Method

  • Save GCP On-demand price

  • Save GCP 1-Year Reservation Price

  • Save GCP 3-Year Reservation Price

This will apply the cost model to these servers and feed through to the future run costs for these servers and associated applications. It will also apply these elements to the servers

• Cloud Provider

• Machine Name

• Hours per Month

• Saved Payment Type

• Compute Price per Month

• Compute Upfront Price

• Compute Effective Price per Month

• Storage Price per Month

• Total Price per Month

Once a cost model is applied the chart towards the top of the page will update, showing a breakdown of Total Price Per Month and Percentage of Servers that have cost models saved.

Information of note

All pricing is pulled from the API and updated regularly.

We will match machine types to the cheapest option available.

If the machine does not have a 1 year or 3 year reservation cost it will not be shown in the calculator.

If Dev / Test is selected on Azure then every non-production machine you have will be priced the same as Linux.  You will also need a Visual Studio Enterprise License for Dev / Test environments on Azure.