# Azure Virtual Machines optimization | Cloud Efficiency Hub Canonical: https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/cloud-services/azure-virtual-machines 12 documented Azure Virtual Machines cost inefficiencies, each with how to detect it and how to fix it. [Cloud Efficiency Hub](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub) 12 documented Azure Virtual Machines cost inefficiencies, each with how to detect it and how to fix it. ## 12 inefficiencies [All services](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub#browse-by-service) - Azure Virtual Machines CER-0289 ### [Underutilized Azure Savings Plan Due to Overly Narrow Scope](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/underutilized-azure-savings-plan-due-to-overly-narrow-scope) An Azure Savings Plan is scoped too narrowly relative to where eligible compute usage actually runs. When usage is spread across multiple subscriptions or fluctuates significantly (for example, development and test workloads that are... Compute - Azure Virtual Machines CER-0240 ### [Azure Hybrid Benefit Not Enabled on Virtual Machines](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/azure-hybrid-benefit-not-enabled-on-virtual-machines-a8f4b) Many organizations purchase Software Assurance or subscription-based Windows and SQL Server licenses that entitle them to use Azure Hybrid Benefit. However, if the setting is not applied on eligible resources, Azure continues charging... Compute - Azure Virtual Machines CER-0104 ### [Suboptimal Architecture Selection for Azure Virtual Machines](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/suboptimal-architecture-selection-for-azure-virtual-machines) Azure offers x86-64 VMs (Intel and AMD) and Arm64 VMs (Ampere Altra and Azure Cobalt 100), but default provisioning often leans toward Intel-based SKUs due to inertia or pre-configured templates. AMD and ARM alternatives offer lower list... Compute - Azure Virtual Machines CER-0102 ### [Outdated Virtual Machine Version in Azure](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/outdated-virtual-machine-version-in-azure) Many organizations choose a VM SKU and version (e.g., \`D4s\_v3\`) during the initial planning phase of a project, often based on availability, compatibility, or early cost estimates. Over time, Microsoft releases newer hardware generations... Compute - Azure Virtual Machines CER-0144 ### [Missing Scheduled Shutdown for Non-Production Azure Virtual Machines](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/missing-scheduled-shutdown-for-non-production-azure-virtual-machines) Non-production Azure VMs are frequently left running during off-hours despite being used only during business hours. When these instances remain active overnight or on weekends, they generate unnecessary compute spend. Azure offers... Compute - Azure Virtual Machines CER-0040 ### [Inactive and Stopped VM](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/inactive-and-stopped-vm) A virtual machine is left in a stopped (deallocated) state for an extended period but continues to incur costs through attached storage and associated resources. These idle VMs are often remnants of retired workloads, temporary... Compute - Azure Virtual Machines CER-0045 ### [Underutilized Azure Virtual Machine](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/underutilized-azure-virtual-machine) Azure VMs are frequently provisioned with more vCPU and memory than needed, often based on template defaults or peak demand assumptions. When a VM operates well below its capacity for an extended period, it presents an opportunity to... Compute - Azure Virtual Machines CER-0402 ### [Missing Reservation or Savings Plan Coverage for Steady-State Azure VMs](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/missing-reservation-or-savings-plan-coverage-for-steady-state-azure-vms) Azure VM compute is billed at pay-as-you-go rates unless a commitment discount applies. Production VMs and scale sets that run around the clock for months or years at a stable size are the usage that Azure Reservations and the Azure... Compute - Azure Virtual Machines CER-0405 ### [Interruptible VM Workloads Running on Standard Instead of Spot VMs](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/interruptible-vm-workloads-running-on-standard-instead-of-spot-vms) Azure Spot Virtual Machines run on unused Azure capacity at a significant discount to pay-as-you-go prices; Microsoft's Spot Priority Mix documentation cites savings of up to 90% for interruptible workloads. In exchange, Spot VMs have no... Compute - Azure Virtual Machines CER-0407 ### [Non-Production Workloads Not Using Azure Dev/Test Pricing](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/non-production-workloads-not-using-azure-dev-test-pricing) Development, test and staging environments are frequently created in the same production-offer subscriptions as live workloads. There they are billed at full rates, including the Windows Server and SQL Server license portion of every VM... Compute - Azure Virtual Machines CER-0436 ### [Paid SQL Server Edition on Non-Production Azure VMs](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/paid-sql-server-edition-on-non-production-azure-vms) SQL Server on Azure VMs built from pay-as-you-go Web, Standard or Enterprise images include the SQL Server license in the per-second VM price, and that license cost scales with the number of vCPUs. For development, test and... Databases - Azure Virtual Machines CER-0437 ### [SQL Server License Charges on Passive Secondary Replicas](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/inefficiencies/sql-server-license-charges-on-passive-secondary-replicas) Highly available SQL Server deployments on Azure VMs, such as Always On availability groups or failover cluster instances, run one or more secondary replicas alongside the primary. Microsoft grants free licensing for one passive secondary... Databases ## More Azure services - [Azure Cognitive Services 10](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/cloud-services/azure-cognitive-services) - [Azure SQL 10](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/cloud-services/azure-sql) - [Azure Managed Disks 9](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/cloud-services/azure-managed-disks) - [Azure Blob Storage 7](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/cloud-services/azure-blob-storage) - [Azure AKS 6](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/cloud-services/azure-aks) - [Azure Cosmos DB 6](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/cloud-services/azure-cosmos-db) - [Azure Database for PostgreSQL - Flexible Server 4](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/cloud-services/azure-database-for-postgresql---flexible-server) - [Azure Log Analytics 4](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/cloud-services/azure-log-analytics) - [Azure App Service 3](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/cloud-services/azure-app-service) - [Azure App Service Plans 3](https://www.pointfive.co/efficiency-hub/cloud-services/azure-app-service-plans) --- Source: the public page above. Product screenshots and illustrative interfaces are examples, not live customer data.