Azure Arc - Servers On prem Cost ?

Question

I would like to onboard my on-premises servers to Microsoft Defender for Cloud and SIEM Sentinel. However, I found that to do this, I should activate Azure Arc. So my questions are:

1/How much does adding a resource on an on-premises server cost per month in Azure Arc? (If I want to add 100 servers, for example, how much does it cost me?)

2/Are there any extra charges for Azure Arc after onboarding my servers there to be monitored through Microsoft Defender for Cloud and Sentinel?

3/Is there any method to onboard my on-premises servers without using Azure Arc?if yes , it's support the integration with Sentinel (collect logs to the workspaces through the agent installed by this method)

Answer 1

Dear @Riadh Zehani ,

I have worked with Microsoft Defender for Cloud, and Azure Sentinel back on May 2022, I am sharing with you what I have gotten from the Microsoft team regarding Azure Arc, Microsoft Defender for Cloud, and Azure Sentinel.

Please note that for the most accurate and up-to-date information, you should refer to the official Microsoft Azure sales support.

1. Azure Arc Pricing:

The cost of using Azure Arc to manage on-premises servers can be found on the Azure Arc Pricing page. Pricing is subject to change, and there may be additional costs based on the specific services and functionality you use within Azure Arc.

2. Extra Charges:

While Azure Arc itself has its pricing, other Azure services like Microsoft Defender for Cloud and Azure Sentinel have their separate pricing. If you use these services in conjunction with Azure Arc, you will incur charges for them as well. Be sure to review the pricing details for each service on the Azure website to understand the total cost of your desired configuration.

3. Onboarding On-Premises Servers Without Azure Arc:

You can onboard on-premises servers to Microsoft Defender for Cloud and Azure Sentinel without using Azure Arc by directly installing the Microsoft Monitoring Agent (MMA) or the Log Analytics agent on your servers. This agent can collect security data and send it to Azure Sentinel. The following steps outline the process:

• Install the Agent:
• Download and install the Microsoft Monitoring Agent (MMA) on your on-premises servers.
• Configure the Agent:
• During the setup, configure the agent to report to your Log Analytics workspace.
• Verify Connectivity:
• Ensure that the agent can communicate with Azure Sentinel and send data to your Log Analytics workspace.

This setup allows your on-premises servers to send logs and other security-related data to Azure Sentinel for monitoring and analysis. However, using Azure Arc provides additional management and security capabilities that may be beneficial for managing on-premises servers, so you should carefully consider the trade-offs.

In conclusion, while you can onboard on-premises servers without using Azure Arc, doing so with Azure Arc might provide you with additional functionality and ease of management that could be valuable for your organization. Be sure to thoroughly evaluate your organization's requirements and budget before making a decision.

All the best,