How can I temporarly stop paying for SQL Server Pay-as-you-go license hosted on Azure VM..?

Question

How can I temporarly stop paying for SQL Server Pay-as-you-go license hosted on Azure VM..?

Shivendoo Kumar 751

Hi All,

I have SQL Server 2016 hosted on Azure VM. We installed VM and SQL Server from Marketplace and we are using pay-as-you-go license. I want to stop paying for SQL Server License for couple of days/weeks.

How can I do this..?

Do I need to stop SQL Sever completely? is that all..?

Expert/Gurus please advise.

prmanhas-MSFT 17,946 Reputation points Microsoft Employee Moderator

2020-08-12T15:27:06.657+00:00

@Shivendoo Kumar , Hope the information provided is helpful. Please do not forget to accept the post from @Ronen Ariely as answer as it covers all possibilities and explains the reasons of choice better, so that it can help other members of the community searching for similar answer.

Accepted answer

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prmanhas-MSFT 17,946 Reputation points Microsoft Employee Moderator

2020-08-12T15:27:06.657+00:00

@Shivendoo Kumar , Hope the information provided is helpful. Please do not forget to accept the post from @Ronen Ariely as answer as it covers all possibilities and explains the reasons of choice better, so that it can help other members of the community searching for similar answer.

Answer 1

Good day @prmanhas-MSFT

If I understand the question correctly then the OP ask about SQL Server on Virtual machine and your response was about Azure SQL Database.

Moreover (assuming we are speaking on Azure Database)...

use the import/export service to export a copy of your DB to blob storage

This is a very bad idea in my opinion. import/export create a copy and not a point in time backup. you might lose data or get inconsistent data! I highly recommend to search a recording of one of my lectures regarding the internals of bacpac files - there are versions online in Hebrew and English.

change the service tier to Basic to minimize your bill.

This is the only clear way which should be done in most cases.

drop it and restore

This is great solution (as you wrote) in some cases. This is a real backup/restore and it is safe to be used (no data lose like in bacpac option for example) as long as your backups are still available (azure keep the backup for limited time)

If weeks then exporting the database and importing when needed is another option.

Again, Highly NOT recommended if you cannot confirm that no data was lost, as explain above.

Azure SQL Database Serverless

This is a great solution for most cases that we need Azure Database to be used for short time from time to time, like the one described here (if it was about Azure Database). This service was designed for such cases, but this mean that we are NOT using SQL Server on VM but a database level service which is totally different level of control.

### Good day @vendooKumar-8455

How can I temporarly stop paying for SQL Server Pay-as-you-go license hosted on Azure VM

You cannot. Even when the VM is closed you still pay for the SQL Server licence.

I want to stop paying for SQL Server License for couple of days/weeks.

You can backup the VM -> remove the VM -> restore the VM

It is very complex solution, which personally I did not find any scenario that might fit this option yet, but it is an option, so you should know about it and check if this fit your needs.

SO, What next?

(1) Use the right edition with lower cost, which fit your needs

If you use the server only for development and tests, then use the freely licensed SQL Server Developer edition.

If you only need lightweight production (less than 4 cores, less than 1 GB memory, less than 10 GB for each database), then use the freely licensed SQL Server Express edition.

For Small web sites use SQL Server web edition

For small needs use Standard edition

Obviously if these editions do not cover your needs, then you will need to use the Enterprise edition.

(2) The licensing cost of SQL Server is directly related to the number of vCPUs.

Choose the smaller VM size that matches your needs. When you do not use the Server then you can change the tier to a smaller one with one or less than one vCPU.

Important!!!

For most cases which really need this behavior you should probably use Azure SQL Database instead of SQL Server on Virtual Machine. Check this option! Without moire information it sound like this might fit your needs. In this case, read what I wrote above regarding reducing the cost in Azure Database (my respond to prmanhas)

prmanhas-MSFT 17,946 Reputation points Microsoft Employee Moderator

2020-08-12T15:22:03.173+00:00

@Ronen Ariely Thank you for your detailed and explanatory answer. I completely agree with you that I would have done a better job explaining the SQL on VM part. I found your lecture on bacpac on YouTube but its only available in Hebrew without a close caption. Is there any English version for the same ? If yes , please do share. Thank you for your insights and experience in helping the azure community. I would say i have learnt some really good things from your answer and I will surely be mindful of them while answering in future. Your help on this issue is much appreciated.
Ronen Ariely 15,206 Reputation points

2020-08-12T16:04:47.577+00:00

Thanks a lot for the feedback @prmanhas-MSFT

I spoke in the "Lightup Virtual Conference" in English. The organizers promise that it is recorded. I got awesome feedback after the session so I assume that it was OK, but I never saw the recording yet. I have no idea where/if they published all the recordings :-(

https://www.2020twenty.net/lightup/

I must contact the organizers to understand where is the recording. If anyone find it, then please inform me :-)

By the way, I submitted this topic to 2 more events (In English) around the world. So if the organizers of these event will accept it then I will have better version (Usually I improve the lecture in the second time).

Another By the way is that the Hebrew Version is a bit more detailed since I had 90 minutes and in the Lightup Virtual Conference I had only 50 minutes.

So... where is my English recording from the Lightup Virtual Conference?!?
Shivendoo Kumar 751 Reputation points

2020-08-13T03:01:36.777+00:00

Hi Pituach,

Thanks for explaining it in detail.

What happens if I stop the VM from Azure Portal. Still do I need pay for SQL Server License..?

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/pricing/details/virtual-machines/sql-server-enterprise/

Answer 2

@Shivendoo Kumar Thank you for your query.

We have several ways to achieve what you are looking for.

One is to use the import/export service to export a copy of your DB to blob storage, and another is to change the service tier to Basic to minimize your bill.

You can refer to this article for more information.

Another approach depends upon how long you want to stop it and how immediately you want it and the size of the database. If it is for a couple hours then it may not worth it because the billing is hourly and you may have round off issues. If days then you can drop it and restore when needed. If weeks then exporting the database and importing when needed is another option. Also you may want to check backup strategy for the edition you choose before preferring export / restore but it is not recommended.

One more choice is to use Azure SQL Database Serverless. The Serverless option provides great flexibility and does not bill unless it is actually getting used. This is great for databases that get low usage over time. The startup time after it goes into standby is a factor to take into account however. For Developmental purposes, this is excellent however.

You can refer to this article as well for more information.

Hope it helps.

Please 'Accept as answer' if it helped, so that it can help others in the community looking for help on similar topics.

Thanks

Answer 3

Shivendoo Kumar 751

Actually, I stopped the VM and now my VM Status is Stopped (Deallocated) and I think I will not be charged for SQL License and VM (Computation). I will be only charged to STORAGE.

I found this and wanted to add here:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/41932934/azure-vm-software-cost-when-vm-stopped

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/pricing/details/virtual-machines/sql-server-enterprise/

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How can I temporarly stop paying for SQL Server Pay-as-you-go license hosted on Azure VM..?

Good day @prmanhas-MSFT

SO, What next?

Important!!!

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