I'm planning to transition my 90 users to a cloud-based desktop solution like Azure Virtual Desktop and need an idea of the monthly costs. I've been using the online pricing calculator, but the numbers seem way off compared to our current 'cloud' service. For context, I have 30 'heavy' users who need significant access, averaging 8-10 hours a day during the workweek, handling tasks like Excel, Word, and QuickBooks. Meanwhile, the 60 'light' users only use their desktops for about 1-5 hours a week for things like emails and some light tasks.
I want to pool all 90 virtual desktops onto a few VMs to save costs, ensuring they're always available for late-night work. My thinking is that the heavy users would require 3 vCPUs and 16GB of RAM each, while the light users need 1 vCPU and 8GB of RAM. So, ideally, I'd need around 150 vCPUs and 960GB of RAM, which could be met with 10 VMs at 16 vCPUs and 96GB RAM each. Also, does Azure offer VMs like this, or should I consider something else?
I want to understand how the workload distribution works: does Azure fill up one VM before moving on to the next? And how does that affect costs—especially if many VMs are idle? Also, while the storage isn't a huge concern (most data will be in OneDrive/SharePoint), I'm curious about potentially saving with reserved pricing versus pay-as-you-go options. What's the estimated monthly cost for all of this?
5 Answers
Honestly, it’s tough to pin down an exact number for your situation. There’s a sizing guide for Azure that can help. For light users, you might find 0.25 cores per user is sufficient. I managed to optimize costs drastically by deploying smaller VMs with lower user counts—one cluster I handled went from projected costs of $1800-$2400 to just $200-$400 monthly through auto-scaling! Think about your time zones too—having multiple clusters can optimize runtimes if your users are scattered globally.
You might want to consider using local VMs linked to your host pool since that could save costs on hardware. Just remember, these setups require your own hardware investment. Definitely look into that option!
Just a heads up, Azure can be a bit tricky to navigate compared to AWS. If you’re just starting out, you may face resource quotas. It's wise to plan for that! Plus, think about bandwidth needs—90 concurrent users could strain the network, especially if not everyone is remote. Virtual desktops can be a productivity drag if latency is an issue. Just things to consider!
From my experience, a full setup for AVD could be around $20k a month, considering all the components you’ll need. It's not only about the VMs themselves—Make sure to also budget for the networking, profile storage, and backups. Definitely do your homework on those aspects.
It sounds like you're on the right track with your estimates, but remember that there’s much more involved than just the VM costs. You’ll need to account for things like profile storage, backups, firewall setups, and overall infrastructure maintenance. That said, a comprehensive estimate might land you around £15k a month for a full AVD setup with those 90 users. Don’t forget to factor in those extra services!
That's a great tip! I've also noticed that spreading out workloads can save a ton, especially with different usage patterns.