Avoid or reduce storage cost for lightly used Azure VM

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Avoid or reduce storage cost for lightly used Azure VM

Rishi C 26

Hi there,

I created a VM on Azure for personal use with minimum disk size HDD. If there is a month when I don't use my VM at all, I would still get billed for the storage assigned to me that contains the OS. Is there a way to avoid or reduce the storage costs if I use my VM sparingly?

Thanks!

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Answer 1

deherman-MSFT 38,021 Microsoft Employee Moderator

@Rishi C
I understand you have an infrequently used VM and want to save on the storage cost for the disk when the VM is not being used.

You are already using the lowest cost disk type for your VM. To further save on costs you could keep a snapshot of your disk. Then you could launch a new VM every time it is needed by using that snapshot then stop and delete the VM. You would need to create a new snapshot before deleting the VM. This is a fairly tedious process, if you are doing it frequently. I recommend you review the pricing page for managed disks as well as the pricing calculator to get an idea on your costs.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions or run into any issues.

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Rishi C 26 Reputation points

2022-04-12T19:29:24.553+00:00

Thank you for the answer. Do I need to delete the VM or deleting the disk only is possible? Then I could just create a disk from the snapshot and attach it to the existing VM. Or is this not possible as the VM cannot be left without an OS disk?
Thanks!
Martin Meiner Tästensen 461 Reputation points

2022-04-12T19:37:32.643+00:00

You can't delete all disks from a VM, so for this case, you would have to delete the VM and leave the snapshot behind, and from there create a disk when needed.

How large is this disk? If you are on the lowest SKUI would assume that your savings by doing the above process is negligible at best in comparison to the process of re-creating the VM every time. Even if you automate it.
Rishi C 26 Reputation points

2022-04-12T19:45:47.187+00:00

Got it. Keeping the smallest size disk seems to be a better option than recreating a VM every time. I was just wondering if there is another way. Thank you @Martin Meiner Tästensen and @deherman-MSFT .
Prrudram-MSFT 28,286 Reputation points Microsoft Employee Moderator

2022-04-13T07:25:37.323+00:00

@Rishi C ,

In addition to my comment with alternative solution above, I would like to thank you for the feedback provided on survey. We found that your recent engagement on this question was rated low. However, as we are able to share the appropriate resolution in the later answer, would you be so kind to re-evaluate your feedback, rate the overall experience by taking the survey again and provide your experience on this thread please?

Answer 2

Vineet Kumar Gupta 161

If VM is off still it will be chargeable . It will take cost for storage so to save the cost delete the server if not in use.

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Avoid or reduce storage cost for lightly used Azure VM

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