by Mark | Mar 17, 2023 | Azure, Azure Blobs, Azure FIles, Cloud Storage, Cloud Storage Manager, Storage Accounts
5 Tips to streamline your Azure Blob Storage Costs
Azure Blob Storage is a popular cloud storage solution that is both scalable and cost-effective. However, as organizations store more and more data, their storage costs can quickly get out of control. In this article, we will discuss five cost-effective tips for Azure Blob Storage, including how our software Cloud Storage Manager can help you manage your Azure Blob Storage more effectively.
Tip #1: Choose the right tier for your data
One of the key ways to save money on Azure Blob Storage is to choose the right tier for your data. Azure Blob Storage offers four different storage tiers: Hot, Cool, Archive, and Premium. Hot and Cool tiers are ideal for frequently accessed data, while Archive is designed for long-term storage of infrequently accessed data. Premium is designed for high-performance workloads.
To determine the right tier for your data, you need to consider how frequently you will access it, how quickly you need to access it, and how long you need to keep it. With Cloud Storage Manager, you can quickly see the tiering of your blobs and decide which ones to move to a lower tier to reduce costs.
Tip #2: Delete unnecessary data
Another way to save money on Azure Blob Storage is to delete unnecessary data. As data accumulates over time, it’s easy to forget about old files and blobs that are no longer needed. Deleting this unnecessary data can free up storage space and reduce costs.
Cloud Storage Manager‘s Azure Storage Tree view allows you to easily see all your blobs and delete those that are no longer needed. You can also use Cloud Storage Manager’s reporting features to see which storage accounts and containers are the largest and may contain unnecessary data.
Tip #3: Set up lifecycle policies
Azure Blob Storage offers lifecycle policies that allow you to automate the deletion and tiering of data based on certain criteria. For example, you can set up a lifecycle policy to automatically move data to a lower tier after a certain amount of time, or delete data after a certain period of inactivity.
Setting up lifecycle policies can help you reduce costs by ensuring that data is stored in the most cost-effective way possible. With Cloud Storage Manager, you can easily see where you should apply lifecycle management to your Azure Blob Storage.
Tip #4: Monitor your storage usage
To avoid unexpected costs, it’s important to monitor your Azure Blob Storage usage regularly. With Cloud Storage Manager’s Overview tab, you can quickly see how much Azure Blob Storage you have consumed, as well as the number of Azure Subscriptions, Storage Accounts, Containers, and Blobs. You can also use Cloud Storage Manager‘s reporting features to see how your storage usage is growing over time.
Use our Cloud Storage Cost Caculator to get an estimate of how much you can save, or your cloud storage will cost.
Tip #5: Optimize your data transfers
Finally, optimizing your data transfers can help you save money on Azure Blob Storage. By reducing the amount of data you transfer, you can reduce your data transfer costs. You can also use Azure Blob Storage’s data transfer options, such as Azure Data Box or Azure File Sync, to optimize your data transfers.
Cost Optimising Azure Blob Storage FAQs
| Question |
Answer |
|
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Azure Blob Storage is a cloud-based storage service provided by Microsoft Azure that allows users to store unstructured data such as text, images, and videos. |
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There are several ways to save money on Azure Blob Storage, including optimizing storage tiers, using data compression, leveraging Azure Blob Storage lifecycle management, deleting unused data, and using shared access signatures.
Also, using Cloud Storage Manager to understand exactly where your costs are increasing, and what storage accounts are no longer in use. |
|
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Azure Blob Storage offers three tiers: Hot, Cool, and Archive. Hot storage is optimized for frequently accessed data and is more expensive, while Cool storage is designed for infrequently accessed data and costs less. Archive storage is intended for rarely accessed data and is the cheapest option, but it also comes with longer retrieval times. |
How can I optimize my Azure Blob Storage usage?
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To optimize your Azure Blob Storage usage, you can choose the appropriate storage tier for your data, compress your data to reduce storage costs, set up lifecycle management to automatically move data to a cheaper storage tier, and regularly delete any unused data. |
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Azure Blob Storage lifecycle management allows users to define rules to automatically move data between different storage tiers or delete data based on specific criteria, such as data age or access frequency. This can help users save money by ensuring that data is stored in the appropriate storage tier based on its usage patterns. |
How can I use shared access signatures to save money?
|
Shared access signatures (SAS) allow users to grant temporary access to their Azure Blob Storage containers or blobs, without having to create a new account or provide their own account credentials. This can save money by reducing the number of accounts needed to access your data, and by limiting the amount of time that a user has access to your data. |
What is data compression and how can it save me money?
|
Data compression is a technique used to reduce the size of data, making it take up less space in storage. By compressing your data before storing it in Azure Blob Storage, you can reduce your storage costs and save money. |
How can I delete unused data from my Azure Blob Storage?
|
To delete unused data from Azure Blob Storage, you can use the Azure portal, Azure Storage Explorer, or Azure CLI to delete individual blobs or entire containers. You can also set up lifecycle management rules to automatically delete data that meets certain criteria, such as data age or access frequency. |
What are the benefits of using Azure Blob Storage?
|
Azure Blob Storage offers several benefits, including scalability, durability, availability, and security. With Azure Blob Storage, users can store vast amounts of unstructured data in the cloud, while also having the ability to access and manage that data easily. Azure Blob Storage is also highly secure, with features like encryption and role-based access control, and it offers high availability and durability to ensure that your data is always accessible and safe. |
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To get started with Azure Blob Storage, you can create a free Azure account and follow the step-by-step instructions provided by Microsoft to create your first Blob Storage container. From there, you can start uploading and managing your data in Azure Blob Storage, using features like lifecycle management and shared access signatures to optimize your storage |
Conclusion
In conclusion, by following these five cost-effective tips for Azure Blob Storage and using our software Cloud Storage Manager, you can manage your Azure Blob Storage more effectively and reduce costs. Whether it’s choosing the right tier for your data, deleting unnecessary data, setting up lifecycle policies, monitoring your storage usage, or optimizing your data transfers, Cloud Storage Manager provides the tools you need to take control of your Azure Blob Storage.
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by Mark | Mar 7, 2023 | Azure, Azure Blobs, Azure FIles, Storage Accounts
Key Takeaways
| Topic |
Insight |
| Storage Visibility |
Use Cloud Storage Manager to get a complete view of storage usage across all accounts. |
| Tiered Storage |
Move data to Hot, Cool, or Archive tiers based on how often it’s accessed. |
| Auto-Tiering |
Automate data movement between tiers to save on long-term storage costs. |
| Retention Policies |
Set automatic deletion timelines for stale data to prevent waste. |
| Compression |
Compress data to save space and reduce transfer costs. |
| Monitoring |
Regularly monitor usage to avoid unexpected overages. |
| Excel Exports |
Export reports to Excel for detailed offline analysis or audits. |
| Subscription Breakdown |
See which subscription each storage account belongs to for chargeback clarity. |
| Azure Advisor |
Use recommendations to optimize costs, security, and performance. |
| Security |
Apply access policies and encryption to protect stored data. |
How big are your Storage Accounts?
In today’s digital age, managing data storage has become increasingly important, especially with the growth of cloud-based solutions. Azure Storage Accounts, a cloud-based storage solution provided by Microsoft, offer users a scalable and cost-effective way to store large amounts of data. However, as the amount of data stored in a storage account grows, it becomes crucial to manage the size of the account to optimize cost and performance.
Considering Performance Tiers: When managing Azure Storage Accounts, it’s not just about the size of the storage but also the performance tier. Standard storage is perfect for general-purpose workloads and cost savings, but for applications requiring high-speed data access, Premium storage may be necessary. Understanding the balance between storage size and performance needs can help optimize both cost and efficiency in your Azure environment.
In this article, we will explore how to view the sizes of all Azure Storage Accounts and provide best practices for managing them.
What are the benefits to knowing the size of your Azure Storage Accounts?
- Cost optimization: By understanding how to manage Azure Storage Account sizes, users can optimize their storage environment and reduce storage costs.
- Performance optimization: Users can optimize the performance of their storage environment by understanding how to select the appropriate storage tier and monitoring usage metrics.
- Compliance: Understanding how to view and manage Azure Storage Account sizes can help users ensure they are meeting compliance requirements for data retention and deletion.
- Capacity planning: By monitoring usage metrics and understanding how to manage Azure Storage Account sizes, users can better plan for future storage needs and avoid unexpected storage overages.
- Security: Implementing security best practices, such as configuring access policies and using encryption, can help users protect their data stored in Azure Storage Accounts.
Overall, understanding how to view and manage Azure Storage Account sizes is essential for users who want to optimize their storage environment for cost, performance, compliance, capacity planning, and security purposes.
How to view Azure Storage Account sizes
To view the sizes of your Azure Storage Accounts, you can use Cloud Storage Manager, a powerful tool that enables you to manage all aspects of your Azure Storage environment from a single interface. Here’s how to use Cloud Storage Manager to view Azure Storage Account sizes:
Launch Cloud Storage Manager
Launch Cloud Storage Manager. From the Overview Tab, you can quickly see how much Azure Storage you are consuming, including the number of Azure Subscriptions, Storage Accounts, Containers, Blobs, Azure Files, your Azure Virtual Machines, and more.
Cloud Storage Manager Reports TAB
Now, since we are trying to find out just how much Azure storage we are consuming across our complete Azure Tenancy, we need to go to the Reports TAB.
Cloud Storage Manager Reporting
Highlight the report named “All Storage Accounts listed by size”
Right click this report and choose Run Report
All Storage Accounts listed by Size Report
Cloud Storage Manager will now detail all the Storage Accounts you have in Azure, including which subscription they are in, the Storage Account name and most importantly the size.
All Storage Accounts listed by Size in Microsoft Excel
As with all our Cloud Storage Manager reports on Azure Storage, you can choose to export this data to Microsoft Excel.
Storage Account Sizes Best Practices
| Best Practice |
Description |
Use tiered storage
|
Azure Storage offers hot, cool, and archive tiers for Blob storage. The hot tier is designed for frequently accessed data, the cool tier for infrequently accessed data, and the archive tier for data that is rarely accessed. By using the appropriate tier for your data based on access patterns and retention requirements, you can save costs by only paying for the storage you need. |
Implement retention policies
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Setting retention policies for data that is no longer needed ensures that it is deleted automatically after a specified time period. This can help you to avoid incurring unnecessary storage costs for data that is no longer needed. |
Use auto-tiering
|
Azure Blob Storage’s automatic tiering feature automatically moves data to the appropriate tier based on access patterns. This means that frequently accessed data is moved to the hot tier, while infrequently accessed data is moved to the cool or archive tier, depending on the access patterns. This helps to optimize performance and cost. |
Compress data
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Compressing data before storing it in Azure Storage can save space and reduce costs. Compressed data takes up less storage space and requires less bandwidth to transfer, which can reduce storage and data transfer costs. |
Monitor usage
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Monitor the usage of your Azure Storage Account with Cloud Storage Manager to ensure you are not exceeding storage limits or incurring unexpected costs. |
Use Azure Advisor
|
Azure Advisor provides personalized recommendations for optimizing your Azure Storage Account. It can provide recommendations on cost savings, security, and performance. By following these recommendations, you can optimize your storage account for your specific use case. |
Follow security best practices
|
Implementing security best practices is important to ensure that your data is protected. This includes configuring access policies, using encryption, and implementing other security measures to protect against unauthorized access. |
Conclusion
Managing Azure Storage Account sizes is essential for optimizing cost, performance, and scalability. By using Cloud Storage Manager and following best practices, you can ensure that your Azure Storage environment is optimized for your specific use case. With Cloud Storage Manager, you can easily view and manage the size of your Storage Accounts, making it simple to optimize storage usage and reduce costs. Start managing your Azure Storage Account sizes today and enjoy a more efficient and cost-effective storage environment.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Why is it important to track Azure Storage Account sizes?
Storage costs can grow quickly in Azure. Tracking account sizes helps avoid bill surprises, identify unused storage, and improve overall efficiency.
2. How do I find out which storage accounts are using the most space?
Use Cloud Storage Manager’s “All Storage Accounts Listed by Size” report to see usage by account, subscription, and container.
3. What types of Azure storage are included in this report?
The tool reports on Blob storage, Azure Files, and associated container usage across all subscriptions you connect.
4. Can I export Azure storage size data for reporting?
Yes. Cloud Storage Manager allows exporting any report—including storage size breakdowns—to Microsoft Excel.
5. Does Azure provide native reports like this?
Not with the same depth or usability. Azure Portal provides limited views, but Cloud Storage Manager gives detailed, actionable insights.
6. What is Azure’s tiered storage model?
Azure offers Hot, Cool, and Archive tiers for Blob storage. The Hot tier is for frequent access, while Cool and Archive are for less frequent access at lower costs.
7. How does auto-tiering work in Azure?
Auto-tiering automatically moves blobs between tiers based on access patterns—ensuring you only pay for what you need.
8. Are there security considerations when managing storage?
Yes. Always configure access controls, enable encryption at rest and in transit, and audit storage regularly for unusual access patterns.
9. How can I reduce my Azure storage bill?
Use tiered storage, delete old data using retention policies, compress files, and use tools like Cloud Storage Manager to spot inefficiencies.
10. Is Cloud Storage Manager a Microsoft tool?
No. It’s a SmiKar Software tool designed to give deeper insights and control over your Azure storage than native Microsoft solutions. It is also completely FREE to use.
by Mark | Mar 6, 2023 | Azure, Cloud Storage Manager, Storage Accounts
Azure Storage Consumed per Region
If you’re using Azure, you likely already know that it offers a wide range of storage options that can be used for various purposes. However, with so many storage options and regions available, it can be challenging to keep track of your usage in each Azure region. In this article, we’ll explore how to track your storage usage in each Azure region, and optimize your storage usage using Azure’s built-in monitoring and analytics tools, and Cloud Storage Manager.
Azure Storage is available in several regions around the world, and the amount of storage consumed by users varies depending on their location. The consumption of Azure Storage per region is important because it can affect the performance of Azure services in that region. The more storage consumed in a region, the more data is being processed, which can impact the performance of the Azure services in that region.
The consumption of Azure Storage per region is also important because it can affect the cost of Azure services. The cost of Azure services depends on the usage of resources, and the consumption of Azure Storage is one of the major resources used in Azure services. The more storage consumed in a region, the more expensive it can be to use Azure services in that region.
Factors that affect Azure Storage consumption per region
There are several factors that can affect the consumption of Azure Storage per region. These include:
Data type and size
The type and size of data being stored in Azure Storage can affect the consumption of storage per region. Different types of data have different storage requirements, and the larger the size of data, the more storage it requires.
Replication
Azure Storage provides different types of replication options such as locally-redundant storage (LRS), geo-redundant storage (GRS), and zone-redundant storage (ZRS). The type of replication chosen can affect the consumption of storage per region.
Access frequency
The frequency at which data is accessed can also affect the consumption of storage per region. Data that is frequently accessed requires more storage space than data that is rarely accessed.
Backup and restore
The frequency at which backups and restores are performed can also affect the consumption of storage per region. Backups and restores require additional storage space, which can impact the consumption of storage per region.
Importance of Azure Storage consumed per region
The consumption of Azure Storage per Azure region is important because it can affect the performance and cost of Azure services. By monitoring the consumption of Azure Storage per region, users can optimize their usage of Azure services and reduce their costs. They can also ensure that their data is stored in the most optimal region for their needs, which can improve the performance of their Azure services.
Tracking Storage Usage in Each Azure Region:
Azure Storage Consumption Overview Tab
Open your Cloud Storage Manager console.
From the Overview TAB you can quickly see how much storage you are using in each Azure Subscription. See how many containers you have, and even the number of Blobs. Plus how many Virtual Machines as well, and the amount of data storage they are consuming.
Azure Storage Consumption Reports Tab
Go to the Reports Tab in the Cloud Storage Manager console.
The many Azure storage reports available within Cloud Storage Manager are listed here
Azure Storage Consumption Reports
Right click the report called All Subscriptions by size per region and choose Run Report.
Azure Storage Consumption per Region Report
Cloud Storage Manager will now show you how much Azure Storage you are consuming per region.
Azure Storage Consumed per Region
If you want to manipulate the data further, click the Export to CSV button and chose a location to save the file.
From the file you can open the data in Microsoft Excel for further analysis
Storage Options in Azure
Azure offers several storage options that can be used for various use cases, including Blob Storage, File Storage, Queue Storage, and Table Storage. Here’s a brief overview of each storage option:
Blob storage is designed for storing large unstructured data like documents, images, and videos.
File storage provides fully managed file shares in the cloud that can be accessed using standard SMB protocols.
Queue storage is a message queuing service that enables reliable messaging between services.
Table storage is a NoSQL key-value store that can be used for structured data like customer profiles, device information, and other metadata.
Azure Storage Used per Region
In conclusion, Azure offers a wide range of storage options that can be used for a variety of use cases. To track your storage usage in each Azure region, use Azure’s built-in monitoring and analytics tools, and set up alerts to notify you when your usage reaches certain thresholds. By following these best practices, and using Cloud Storage Manager you can ensure that you’re using Azure’s storage options efficiently and effectively.
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Azure Storage Used FAQs
| FAQ |
Answer |
How do I check storage utilization in Azure?
|
To check your storage utilization in Azure, use Cloud Storage Manager to analyse and provide insights in to your Azure Storage consumption. Easily understand where your Azure Storage costs are increasing and follow best practices to reduce your Azure costs. |
How does Azure calculate storage size?
|
Azure calculates storage size based on the size of the data being stored, as well as any additional overhead required by the storage option being used. For example, Blob storage requires additional overhead for metadata, which can increase storage size. |
How is Azure region calculated?
|
Azure region is calculated based on the location of the data centers where your resources are deployed. When you create a resource in Azure, you choose a region that corresponds to a specific data center. |
Is Azure storage account region specific?
|
Yes, Azure storage accounts are region-specific. When you create a storage account, you choose a specific region to host your data in. |
How do I check my storage allocation?
|
Use Cloud Storage Manager to monitor how much storage you are actually using. |
How do I check my storage capacity?
|
Get Cloud Storage Manager to scan your complete Azure Tenancy, to see a detailed analysis of your Azure Storage consumption. |
How does Azure measure consumption?
|
Azure measures consumption based on the amount of data being stored or processed, as well as any additional services or features being used. Consumption is typically measured in terms of storage size, data transfer, or compute usage. |
What is the maximum amount of Azure storage space?
|
The maximum amount of Azure storage space varies depending on the type of storage being used and the pricing tier selected. For example, Blob storage has a maximum capacity of 5 PB, while File storage has a maximum capacity of 100 TiB. |
|
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The storage capacity of Azure is virtually unlimited, as Azure can scale to meet the needs of even the largest workloads. However, the amount of storage available to a specific user or resource is limited by the pricing tier selected and any associated usage limits. |
by Mark | Feb 27, 2023 | Azure, Azure Blobs, Cloud Storage Manager, Storage Accounts
How to Get the Total Size of Storage Used in Azure Per Subscription
A Step-by-Step Guide
As a Microsoft Azure user, it’s essential to keep track of your storage usage to prevent exceeding your storage limits or wasting resources. In this article, we’ll guide you on how to get the total size of storage used in Azure per subscription.
Understanding Storage Usage in Azure
Azure provides a highly available and scalable cloud storage solution that allows you to store large amounts of unstructured data. Azure storage includes four different types of storage: Blob, Queue, File, and Table storage, each with its own pricing model and use case.
When you create an Azure subscription, you’re provided with a storage capacity that you can use across all your storage accounts. As you create storage accounts and store data, your storage usage will increase. Monitoring your storage usage is crucial to optimize your resources for maximum efficiency.
How to Get the Total Size of Storage Used in Azure Per Subscription
Open Cloud Storage Manager
Open the Cloud Storage Manager console.
Hopefully, you have scanned your whole environment, if not kick off a full scan.
Go to the Cloud Storage Manager TAB
Go to the Reports TAB. Choose the report called “All Subscriptions Listed by Size”. Right click the report and choose Run Report.
This report will provide you with a list of Each Subscription and will be ordered by size consumed.
View the report
Cloud Storage Manager will now show you the total amount of Storage used per your Azure Subscription across your complete Azure Tenant.
You can export this data to Microsoft Excel if you wish to manipulate the data further
Export to Excel
Now you have the data in excel that shows each Azure Subscription and how much data resides within.
By exporting the data to Microsoft Excel, you’ll have a clear understanding of your storage usage and can optimize your resources accordingly. Regularly monitoring your storage usage, analyzing your data, and taking steps to optimize your usage can help you save costs and prevent waste.
FAQs
| Question |
Answer |
What is Microsoft Azure?
|
Microsoft Azure is a cloud computing service that provides a wide range of services, including virtual machines, databases, and storage. |
What is Azure Storage?
|
Azure storage is a scalable, highly available, and durable cloud storage solution that allows you to store and retrieve large amounts of unstructured data. |
What are the different types of Azure Storage?
|
Azure provides four different types of storage: Blob, Queue, File, and Table storage, each with its own use case and pricing model. |
How can I check my Azure Storage usage?
|
You can check your Azure storage usage by opening the Cloud Storage Manager console, going to the Reports tab, selecting the “All Subscriptions Listed by Size” report, and viewing the report to see the total amount of storage used per Azure subscription. |
Why is it important to monitor Azure Storage usage?
|
Monitoring your Azure storage usage is essential to prevent exceeding your storage limits or wasting resources. Regular monitoring and optimization can help you save costs and ensure maximum efficiency. |
Can I export Azure Storage usage data to Excel?
|
Yes, you can export your Azure Storage usage data to Microsoft Excel to manipulate the data further. |
What is the benefit of optimizing Azure Storage usage?
|
Optimizing your Azure Storage usage can help you save costs and ensure maximum efficiency by preventing waste and unnecessary resource consumption. |
In conclusion, getting the total size of storage used in Azure per subscription is an important task for any Azure user. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily get a clear understanding of your storage usage and optimize your resources for maximum efficiency.
Regularly monitoring your storage usage with Cloud Storage Manager, analyzing your usage data, and taking steps to optimize your usage can help you save costs and ensure you’re not wasting resources.
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