Chapter 5 · Cost and Governance·v2.0.0·Updated 6/3/2026·~13 min
What's changed: Revamped AZ-900 Chapter 5 to the new depth (cost factors/tools/savings, Policy/locks/RBAC/Purview/landing zones)
5.1Cost Management
Key points
Understand what drives cloud cost and the tools to manage it: estimating (Pricing Calculator / TCO Calculator), tracking actual spend (Microsoft Cost Management), and organizing (tags).
The cloud is pay-as-you-go, yet cost varies a lot with your design. The key to control is thinking in three phases: estimate before you build, track while running, and organize and save. First understand what drives cost, then use the right tool for each phase.
5.1.1What drives cost
| Factor | Explanation | Saving tip |
|---|---|---|
| Resource type/size | VM size, storage type, etc. | Right-size |
| Region | Prices differ by region | Pick a cheaper/near region |
| Uptime/usage | Running time, requests, stored volume | Stop idle resources |
| Data transfer (egress) | Outbound is commonly billed | Reduce/optimize transfer |
| Licensing | OS/software license cost | Use Azure Hybrid Benefit |
5.1.2Tools to estimate, track, and organize
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