Microsoft Azure is a comprehensive collection of cloud-based services and features, ranging from Infrastructure as a Service virtual machines to Software as a Service offerings, such as Office 365. Using Azure subscriptions, businesses can choose which Azure services and features they want to deploy in the cloud. Prior to deployment to Azure, it is important to know how Microsoft bills for Azure services as well as what levels of support are provided.
This course provides an explanation of Azure subscriptions, the different types of subscriptions that are available, and the options available that can be used to save money in an Azure deployment. The course then focuses on Azure services, how they are priced and, where applicable, what metering costs are associated with the service, and how it is metered. This course also covers the Service Level Agreements that are available for some of the Azure services and the different levels of support that can be purchased. Lastly, it covers the Azure service lifecycle, including public and private previews of new services and features, and how you can be notified when they become available for preview.
Learning Objectives
- Understand Azure subscriptions and subscription types
- Understand Microsoft’s Azure pricing
- Plan and manage costs associated with subscriptions
- Understand Azure support options
- Understand Microsoft’s Service Level Agreements
- Understand Azure’s service lifecycle
Intended Audience
- Sellers or purchasers of cloud-based solutions and services
- Individuals preparing for Microsoft’s Azure AZ-900 exam
Prerequisites
- Basic understanding of cloud computing
- Experience with Azure, while not required, will be helpful
A Service Level Agreement or SLA is a formal document that provides specific terms that state the level of service that will be provided to a customer. Microsoft's Azure SLA defines three primary characteristics of Azure service, performance targets, uptime, and connectivity guarantees. It should be noted that the free and shared tiers of many services do not come with an SLA.
The performance target specifies a guaranteed uptime, expressed in 9's, as is common in the IT industry. Azure uptime performance targets range from three nines or 99.9% uptime to four nines or 99.99% depending upon the resource. Azure databases for MySQL, for example, guarantee a 99.99% uptime.
Azure SLAs also define how Microsoft responds if an Azure resource fails to perform according to the SLA specification. In some cases, Microsoft may apply a discount to the customer bill as compensation.
Jeff is a technical trainer and developer residing in Arizona, USA. He has been a Microsoft Certified Trainer for the past 18 years, providing in-house development and training on Microsoft server operating systems, PowerShell, SQL Server and Azure. When he’s not developing and delivering courses on Azure, he’s photographing galaxies, nebulae and star formations from his computer-automated observatory in Chino Valley, Arizona using a 14” Schmidt Cassegrain telescope.