Microsoft has introduced a new provisioning-based payment model for its Azure Files HDD-based file storage. This model replaces the previous pay-as-you-go model based on actual usage for this particular cloud-based storage service.
The tech giant recently announced it would introduce the same pricing model for its Azure Files HDD-disk-based Standard file storage service as its existing high-speed SSD-based Premium file storage service. In doing so, it aims to help customers better predict the cost of using the HDD-based file storage service.
Inspired by Azure Files Premium
The old pay-as-you-go pricing model for the Azure Files Standard HDD version charged based on capacity used, throughput, and data shipping costs. Three tiers were available within this model. Azure tracked actual costs at the storage account level rather than at the file share level, making estimating actual file share costs difficult.
Microsoft’s SSD-based Premium file share service, on which the new Azure Files HDD file share pricing model is now based, offers a Provisioned v1 model, which is based on the capacity used when a file share is created.
Users select the required capacity within this model, and Azure then determines the required IOPS and throughput. To achieve more IOPS and/or throughput, users must provision more capacity.
Features Provisioned v2 pricing model
Microsoft is now moving to a Provisioned v2 pricing model similar to Premium for its Standard HDD service. However, this model differs in some ways from the Premium Provisioned v1 model.
Within the Provisioned v2 pricing model, users can set their capacity, IOPS, and throughput separately for a file share. Microsoft recommends doing so based on the storage set selected.
Fileshares within this model range from 32 GiB to 256 TiB, with a maximum of 50,000 IOPS and 5 Gbps throughput. Users can also dynamically scale up and down application performance without downtime.
The new Provisioned v2 pricing model is now available in 24 Azure regions, including the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific.
Also read: Azure partners lack visibility into customer spending