How to scale the CPU/RAM on a single VM instance running an Excel model

Graham Woolley 0 Reputation points
2024-01-22T19:44:48.43+00:00

My colleagues need to run a very complex Excel model. It currently takes ~24hr to complete the optimization, so I was instructed to set up a virtual machine on Azure to (1) free up computer time on my colleagues' local machines, and (2) to complete model runs faster. The problem is that a virtual machine that exceeds our current computing power is very expensive, and our high-compute needs arise only a few times per week, at most. I've read that I can scale a VM's computing power as the demand requires, but it's not clear how to do that in a way that meets our specific needs. We need a single VM instance that can run our Excel model at a high speed, but that only uses the expensive computing resources when it actually needs to. I would like this scaling to occur automatically, though if I have to do it manually I'm ok with that as well. Any suggestions?

Azure Virtual Machines
Azure Virtual Machines
An Azure service that is used to provision Windows and Linux virtual machines.
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Azure
Azure
A cloud computing platform and infrastructure for building, deploying and managing applications and services through a worldwide network of Microsoft-managed datacenters.
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  1. Andreas Baumgarten 117.7K Reputation points MVP
    2024-01-22T21:42:59.72+00:00

    Hi @Graham Woolley ,

    You will be charged for the compute costs of an Azure VM if the VM is in running state. If you stopp and deallocate the VM, for instance via Azure Portal navigate to the VM and click on Stop.

    If it's always the same time in a week the VM needs to be up and running you can use different options to schedule the start and stop of the VM. For instance you can use Azure Automation for this scheduled tasks.

    Another option to safe money is to change the VM size. You have to stop the VM and choose a different VM size. After the change is applied you can start the VM again, Resizing a running Azure VM is not possible.

    You will be charged for the disk(s) of an Azure VM as long as the disk(s) exists. It doesn't matter if the VM is in running or stopped/deallocate status. This is because the disk(s) are using storage in the Azure datacenter all the time. But you can reduce the costs of disk(s). The costs depend on the disk type and size, Standard HDD -> Standard SSD -> Premium SSD (from low to higher costs).


    (If the reply was helpful please don't forget to upvote and/or accept as answer, thank you)

    Regards

    Andreas Baumgarten

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