azure costing tools

Using both the Azure TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) calculator and the Azure pricing calculator can provide you with a good starting point for estimating costs associated with your Azure project. However, it's important to understand their limitations and consider whether third-party costing tools might be necessary for a more comprehensive analysis. Here are the pros, cons, and limitations of each:

Azure TCO Calculator:

Pros:

1. Tailored for Azure: The TCO calculator is designed specifically for estimating costs related to Azure services and resources.
2. Simplicity: It offers a straightforward interface for entering basic inputs such as workload details, existing infrastructure costs, and other parameters.
3. Microsoft Support: As a tool provided directly by Microsoft, you can expect it to be well-supported and updated to reflect changes in Azure services and pricing.

Cons/Limitations:

1. Simplistic Model: The TCO calculator may not capture all the nuances and complexities of your specific project requirements, potentially leading to oversimplified cost estimates.
2. Limited Customization: It may not allow for detailed customization or consideration of specific scenarios that are important for your project.
3. Focus on TCO: It primarily focuses on TCO analysis and may not provide detailed breakdowns of ongoing operational costs or granular pricing for individual services.

Azure Pricing Calculator:

Pros:

1. Granular Control: The pricing calculator offers granular control over selecting Azure services, regions, usage levels, and configurations, allowing for more detailed cost estimation.
2. Real-time Pricing: It provides real-time pricing information based on the selections you make, enabling you to see the cost implications of different choices.
3. Advanced Features: It includes advanced features such as export options for sharing or saving cost estimates, Azure Hybrid Benefit integration, and cost management recommendations.

Cons/Limitations:

1. Complexity: Due to its granular nature, the pricing calculator can be complex to use, especially for users who are not familiar with Azure services and pricing models.
2. Potential Overestimation: Without careful input, there's a risk of overestimating costs by including unnecessary services or overprovisioning resources.
3. Limited Context: While it provides detailed cost breakdowns, it may not provide broader context or comparisons with alternative cloud providers or on-premises solutions.
4. Using both the Azure TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) calculator and the Azure pricing calculator can provide you with a good starting point for estimating costs associated with your Azure project. However, it's important to understand their limitations and consider whether third-party costing tools might be necessary for a more comprehensive analysis. Here are the pros, cons, and limitations of each: Azure TCO Calculator: Pros:
   1. Tailored for Azure: The TCO calculator is designed specifically for estimating costs related to Azure services and resources.
   2. Simplicity: It offers a straightforward interface for entering basic inputs such as workload details, existing infrastructure costs, and other parameters.
   3. Microsoft Support: As a tool provided directly by Microsoft, you can expect it to be well-supported and updated to reflect changes in Azure services and pricing.
   Cons/Limitations:
   1. Simplistic Model: The TCO calculator may not capture all the nuances and complexities of your specific project requirements, potentially leading to oversimplified cost estimates.
   2. Limited Customization: It may not allow for detailed customization or consideration of specific scenarios that are important for your project.
   3. Focus on TCO: It primarily focuses on TCO analysis and may not provide detailed breakdowns of ongoing operational costs or granular pricing for individual services.
   Azure Pricing Calculator: Pros:
   1. Granular Control: The pricing calculator offers granular control over selecting Azure services, regions, usage levels, and configurations, allowing for more detailed cost estimation.
   2. Real-time Pricing: It provides real-time pricing information based on the selections you make, enabling you to see the cost implications of different choices.
   3. Advanced Features: It includes advanced features such as export options for sharing or saving cost estimates, Azure Hybrid Benefit integration, and cost management recommendations.
   Cons/Limitations:
   1. Complexity: Due to its granular nature, the pricing calculator can be complex to use, especially for users who are not familiar with Azure services and pricing models.
   2. Potential Overestimation: Without careful input, there's a risk of overestimating costs by including unnecessary services or overprovisioning resources.
   3. Limited Context: While it provides detailed cost breakdowns, it may not provide broader context or comparisons with alternative cloud providers or on-premises solutions.

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Marcin