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Azure Hybrid Benefit Quick Reference

The Economics of Windows Server on Azure VMware Solution

HCX AVS Gateway Cutover

How to Access my vCenter and NSX Manager on AVS

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    Cloud EconomicsHybrid Cloud

    Azure Hybrid Benefit Quick Reference

    by Greg Kaffenberger January 19, 2021
    written by Greg Kaffenberger

    As I go through the day-to-day of analyzing the economics of various VMware software on Azure, I find myself constantly referring back to nearly a dozen web pages for various Azure Hybrid Benefit information. The purpose of this article to collect the main points of the Azure Hybrid Benefit from the various publicly available places and organize it into a quick reference sheet.

    Never make licensing decisions without talking to your Microsoft license specialist or a qualified partner.

    Windows Server

    Must have current Software Assurance

    Azure VM (IaaS)

    Legacy 2 physical socket licenses = 16 physical core licenses. Must license entire VM.

    Azure Hybrid Benefit converts physical cores to virtual CPU (vCPU). Each Azure VM consumes a minimum of 8 core licenses.

    Examples Per VM. Each VM uses a minimum of 8 core licenses.
    1 vCPU = 8 physical core licenses
    2 vCPU = 8 physical core licenses
    3 vCPU = 8 physical core licenses
    4 vCPU = 8 physical core licenses
    5 vCPU = 8 physical core licenses
    6 vCPU = 8 physical core licenses
    7 vCPU = 8 physical core licenses
    8 vCPU = 8 physical core licenses
    9 vCPU = 9 physical core licenses
    10 vCPU = 10 physical core licenses
    11 vCPU = 11 physical core licenses
    12 vCPU = 12 physical core licenses
    13 vCPU = 13 physical core licenses
    14 vCPU = 14 physical core licenses
    15 vCPU = 15 physical core licenses
    16 vCPU = 16 physical core licenses

    Azure Dedicated Host

    On-Premises licenses map core for core.
    Example – 16 cores on-prem = 16 cores of Azure Dedicated Host
    Various host sizes. Minimum licensing depends on the host choice. 

    Azure VMware Solution (AVS)

    On-Premises Licenses map core for core.
    Minimum – 16 cores on-prem = 16 cores of AVS
    The minimum cluster size is 3 hosts, 36 core each. Customers will have to buy or migrate 108 cores for the three hosts.

    Info to Note

    Standard licenses have a 180-day Dual-Use (on-prem and Azure) grace period.
    Datacenter licenses have perpetual dual-use. 

    SQL Server

    Must have Software Assurance

    Azure Native IaaS SQL Server VMs [1]https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/hybrid-benefit/#why-azure-hybrid-benefit

    Microsoft shift from using the common vCPU term to the term vCore.  vCore and vCPU both reference a logical compute unit and are interchangeable [2]https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/resources/knowledge-center/what-is-a-vcore/

    Similar to on-premises 4 core licenses are the minimum number of licenses possible per SQL server [3]https://download.microsoft.com/download/3/d/4/3d42bdc2-6725-4b29-b75a-a5b04179958b/percorelicensing_definitions_vlbrief.pdf.   

    1 Enterprise physical core license = 1 Enterprise vCore (min 4 per server)
    1 Enterprise physical core license = 4 Standard vCore (min 4 per server)
    1 Standard physical core licenses = 1 Standard vCore (min 4 per server)

    SQL Managed Instance and SQL Database Service [4]https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/azure-hybrid-benefit?tabs=azure-powershell

    SQL managed instance removes the minimum and is a more direct mapping. The delineation is between general-purpose, hyperscale,  and business-critical

    1 Enterprise physical core license = 1 Business Critical vCore
    1 Enterprise physical core license = 4 General Purpose vCore
    1 Enterprise physical core license = 4 Hyperscale vCore
    1 Standard physical core licenses = 1 General Purpose vCore

    Azure Dedicated Host [5]https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/hybrid-benefit/#why-azure-hybrid-benefit

    On-Premises licenses map core for core.
    Example – 16 cores on-prem = 16 cores of SQL running on Azure Dedicated Host.

    Alternatively, you could convert your licenses to vCPU and run SQL as an Azure VM running on Azure Dedicated Host using the above SQL Server VM method.

    Linux

    Azure VM (Azure Native IaaS)

    Supported operating systems:

    • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux

    Conditions

    • Must Deploy image from the marketplace and select existing Linux subscription
    • Must choose Paygo, 1- and 3-year reservations not eligible
    • Custom Images or BYOS imaged not yet supported.
    • Cannot stack SQL hybrid benefit and Linux Hybrid Benefit

    “Reserved instances, Azure Dedicated Host instances, and SQL hybrid benefits are not eligible for Azure Hybrid Benefit if you’re already using the benefit with Linux VMs.” [6]https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/linux/azure-hybrid-benefit-linux

    Azure Dedicated Host

    Not currently supported

    Azure VMware Solution

    As of the date on this blog I suspect on Premises licenses can be brought to Azure VMware Solution. Subscriptions and compliance must be managed outside of Azure in the same method as used on-prem. Virtual Machines must be either moved from on-prem or built using VMware vCenter.

    While it is documented that you can run RHEL and SUSE on AVS [7]https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-vmware/faq I have not been able to find a document outlining the specifics.  Always speak to your Azure specialist or partner before making any decisions.

    I hope you found this article helpful. I will update it as I learn more (or corrected) and as new and exciting benefits from Microsoft emerge. The Azure Hybrid Benefit can provide significant savings when understood and applied properly.

    References[+]

    ↑1, ↑5 https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/hybrid-benefit/#why-azure-hybrid-benefit
    ↑2 https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/resources/knowledge-center/what-is-a-vcore/
    ↑3 https://download.microsoft.com/download/3/d/4/3d42bdc2-6725-4b29-b75a-a5b04179958b/percorelicensing_definitions_vlbrief.pdf
    ↑4 https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/azure-hybrid-benefit?tabs=azure-powershell
    ↑6 https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/linux/azure-hybrid-benefit-linux
    ↑7 https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-vmware/faq
    January 19, 2021 0 comment
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  • Cloud Economics

    The Economics of Windows Server on Azure VMware Solution

    by Greg Kaffenberger January 19, 2021
    January 19, 2021

    This article will analyze the cost of Microsoft Windows Server Datacenter running on Azure VMware Solution compared to running on-premises and in…

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  • Hybrid Cloud

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  • Hybrid Cloud

    How to Access my vCenter and NSX Manager on AVS

    by Victor Sandoval October 23, 2020
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    When you deploy a new instance of AVS (Azure VMware Solution), one of the first managerial tasks is to log in to vCenter and the NSX manager UI’s.

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Recent Posts

  • Azure Hybrid Benefit Quick Reference
  • The Economics of Windows Server on Azure VMware Solution
  • HCX AVS Gateway Cutover
  • How to Access my vCenter and NSX Manager on AVS

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