Azure Advisor is not enough

Here are some important aspects which cant be cover by Azure Advisor 

✅ 1. Tag-Based Cost Allocation & Compliance

• Advisor Limitation: Cannot analyze cost based on custom tags or enforce tag governance.

• Manual/Tool Method: Use Azure Cost Management + custom tag policies via Azure Policy or scripting.

• Example: "Show me all untagged resources across subscriptions."

• Optimization Insight: Identify which cost belongs to which app, environment, or department → reclaim shadow IT or assign chargebacks.

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✅ 2. Cross-Subscription & Management Group Aggregation

• Advisor Limitation: Works only per subscription.

• Manual/Tool Method: Use Power BI with Cost Management exports, or custom scripts to aggregate cost data across multiple subscriptions.

• Example: "Give me total monthly compute cost across 12 subscriptions under 'Corp-IT'."

• Optimization Insight: Spot overprovisioning or inconsistent VM sizes between teams.

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✅ 3. Idle or Underused PaaS Services (ADF, Logic Apps, Function Apps)

• Advisor Limitation: Doesn’t monitor low-activity or idle PaaS usage.

• Manual/Tool Method: Use Log Analytics or Diagnostic Logs + KQL to determine executions and cost impact.

• Example: Identify Logic Apps triggered less than 5 times in 30 days.

• Optimization Insight: Decommission or downgrade tier → monthly savings.

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✅ 4. Storage Lifecycle & Tiering Optimization

• Advisor Limitation: Doesn't analyze access frequency vs storage tier.

• Manual/Tool Method: Use Storage Analytics logs or lifecycle management policies + scripts.

• Example: Hot-tier blob accessed once every 60 days.

• Optimization Insight: Move to Cool/Archive → reduce GB cost by 50–70%.

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✅ 5. App/Feature-Level Cost Correlation (App Insights, SQL DTUs, etc.)

• Advisor Limitation: Can’t correlate app usage metrics with cost.

• Manual/Tool Method: Use Azure Monitor + Cost Management + Application Insights together.

• Example: An App Service using 1% CPU with Standard S1 plan costing ₹7,000/month.

• Optimization Insight: Downgrade to Basic → save 40%.

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✅ 6. Azure Kubernetes Services (AKS) Cost Breakdown

• Advisor Limitation: Does not provide per-node, per-namespace, or container cost view.

• Manual/Tool Method: Use Kubecost, Azure Monitor Container Insights, or open-source Prometheus + Grafana.

• Example: 3 namespaces consuming 90% of node resources.

• Optimization Insight: Rightsize node pools, autoscaling → prevent overcommitment.

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✅ 7. Network Egress Analysis

• Advisor Limitation: Doesn’t analyze bandwidth usage or cost.

• Manual/Tool Method: NSG flow logs + Traffic Analytics in Log Analytics.

• Example: VM sending 5TB/month to another region → high inter-region egress costs.

• Optimization Insight: Consolidate workloads in same region → avoid hidden data transfer charges.

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✅ 8. Backup & Recovery Vault Cost Optimization

• Advisor Limitation: Doesn't assess over-retention or excessive backup frequency.

• Manual/Tool Method: Analyze backup policies vs usage in Recovery Services vault or Azure Backup Reports.

• Example: SQL backups retained for 180 days but only needed for 30 days.

• Optimization Insight: Tune policies → save vault storage cost.

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✅ 9. VM Licensing Optimization (SQL, Windows)

• Advisor Limitation: Doesn’t analyze license type impact (AHUB, BYOL, pay-as-you-go).

• Manual/Tool Method: Use Azure Migrate or Azure Cost Management + VM inventory + license mapping.

• Example: SQL Enterprise VMs costing ₹40,000/month while Standard SKU suffices.

• Optimization Insight: Downgrade license tier or use Azure Hybrid Benefit (AHUB) → 30–50% savings.

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✅ 10. Forecasting Based on Custom Growth Scenarios

• Advisor Limitation: No cost forecasting or scenario modeling.

• Manual/Tool Method: Azure Cost Management “Forecast” + Power BI models + usage trend extrapolation.

• Example: Forecast impact of doubling AKS nodes or scaling ADF activities by 3x.

• Optimization Insight: Budget planning and proactive RI/Savings Plan purchase.

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✅ 11. Detailed RIs & Savings Plan Utilization Analysis

• Advisor Limitation: Recommends RIs but doesn’t track usage efficiency or unused RIs.

• Manual/Tool Method: Use Cost Management > RI utilization view or custom reports.

• Example: 3 RIs only 40% utilized due to VM resizing.

• Optimization Insight: Swap RI scope or adjust VM size back to original → improve utilization.

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✅ 12. Inactive/Old Resources Cleanup

• Advisor Limitation: Can miss aged snapshots, unattached disks older than 30 days, or test VMs.

• Manual/Tool Method: Azure Resource Graph or CLI scripts to list resources >90 days old or zero access logs.

• Example: 10 unattached disks costing ₹500/month each for over 6 months.

• Optimization Insight: Delete/merge → instant savings.

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✅ 13. Dev/Test vs Production Cost Validation

• Advisor Limitation: Doesn’t cross-check against actual usage vs tag/environment name.

• Manual/Tool Method: Check VM runtime and tag-based grouping; compare weekend/holiday usage.

• Example: Dev VMs running 24x7 even though needed only 9–5 on weekdays.

• Optimization Insight: Schedule shutdown/startup automation → cut costs up to 70%.

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✅ 14. Cost of Orphaned or Zombie Resources

• Advisor Limitation: No deep dependency validation.

• Manual/Tool Method: Use Azure Resource Graph or Azure Migrate for dependency mapping.

• Example: NICs, Public IPs, or NSGs with no VMs attached.

• Optimization Insight: Remove these → clean architecture + savings.

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✅ 15. Visualizing Application or Business Unit-Level Cost

• Advisor Limitation: No visual drill-down across business structure.

• Manual/Tool Method: Cost Management > Power BI export by Tags/Resource Group/Subscriptions.

• Example: Marketing team using 3x cost than Sales team with similar infra.

• Optimization Insight: Rebalance resources or apply usage limits.

16. Architectural Improvements (Infrastructure Optimization)

Azure Advisor Limitation: Doesn’t evaluate your architecture for cost/performance trade-offs.

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Improvement Area	What to Do	Tools/Method	Example	Cost Impact
Move from IaaS to PaaS	Host web apps or databases on Azure App Services / Azure SQL MI	Azure Migrate + App Services Migration Assistant	SQL on VM → Azure SQL MI	No OS costs, built-in HA, backup
Use Reserved Instances or Savings Plans for predictable workloads	Lock predictable VMs under 1/3-year RIs	Azure Cost Management + VM inventory	20 always-on VMs → 3-year RIs	Up to 72% savings
Auto-scale and schedule shutdowns	Scale in/out or shutdown off-peak workloads	Azure Automation, Logic Apps, DevTest Labs	Auto-shutdown Dev/Test VMs at 7 PM daily	Save up to 60% in compute
Consolidate VMs / DBs	Reduce number of servers by consolidating apps	Dependency mapping via Azure Migrate	4 small VMs merged into 1 large VM	Reduce cost per GB and CPU overhead
Use ephemeral disks for stateless workloads	Replace managed disks with temporary storage	Azure VM config (Ephemeral OS disk)	Front-end stateless VMs	No disk cost + faster performance
Replace ExpressRoute with Azure Virtual WAN where suitable	Centralized networking for multiple regions	Azure Network Topology Review	ER from multiple sites → Azure VWAN hub	Simplified routing, cost-effective scaling
Use Azure Files or Azure Blob for shared storage instead of VM-based FS	Replace Windows File Server VMs	Azure File Sync, Blob Lifecycle Mgmt	10TB file server → Azure Files Premium	Pay only for used GBs, auto-tiering available

17. Application Modernization (Refactor, Rearchitect, Rebuild)

Modernization Strategy	Description	Tool/Manual Method	Example	Cost Optimization Insight
Refactor (Code or Config Changes)	Modify code or config to run on PaaS services	Azure App Services, Functions, Azure SQL	Move .NET app from VM to Azure App Service	Eliminate VM OS, patching, disk & compute overhead
Rearchitect (Change Design)	Redesign to use native Azure services like Event Grid, Cosmos DB	Azure Migrate (App Containerization), Well-Architected Review	Replace VM-hosted API with Azure API Management + Functions	Reduced maintenance, scale-on-demand billing
Rebuild (Cloud-native)	Rebuild app as containers or microservices	Azure Kubernetes Service, Azure Container Apps	Monolith app converted to microservices on AKS	Autoscaling + resource pooling = better efficiency
Replace (SaaS)	Use SaaS solutions instead of custom hosting	Power BI, Microsoft 365, Logic Apps	Replace custom dashboard with Power BI Embedded	Lower infra costs + license-based pricing

18. Evaluate and Migrate to Serverless Architectures

Advisor Limitation: Can’t detect if your workload is suitable for serverless models.

What to Do	How	Example	Optimization Benefit
Replace VMs with Azure Functions / Logic Apps	Use triggers for event-based execution	Scheduled job on VM → Azure Function	Zero idle cost, scale to zero when not in use
Migrate CRON jobs or batch jobs	Azure Functions with Timer triggers	Nightly reports generation	Pay only for execution time
Replace REST API VMs with Functions + API Management	Event-driven scale-out APIs	Custom API backend → Function + APIM	Eliminate always-on compute

19. Move to Regionally Optimal Resources

Advisor Limitation: Doesn’t suggest regional optimization.

Strategy	How	Example	Cost Benefit
Deploy to lower-cost Azure region (if compliance permits)	Compare pricing at Azure Pricing Calculator	UAE North VM → East US	VM cost reduced by 20–35%
Move storage to GRS only if needed	Use LRS/ZRS for non-critical data	GRS blob for dev logs → LRS	Cut storage cost by 50%

These are some examples which could give me more exposure than Azure Advisor.

Azure Firewall – When to Choose Which SKU

 Azure Firewall – When to Choose Which SKU

🔹 1. Azure Firewall Basic

Choose when:

• You are a small or mid-sized customer.

• Use case is non-critical: dev/test environments, pilot projects.

• You have limited throughput needs (< 250 VMs / < 100 Mbps).

• You don’t need advanced security like TLS inspection or IDPS.

• Budget is a concern.

Not for: Production enterprise workloads, regulated industries, or internet-facing apps.

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🔹 2. Azure Firewall Standard

Choose when:

• You need enterprise-grade L3–L7 filtering.

• You want Threat Intelligence filtering, custom DNS, and FQDN filtering.

• Workloads include internet access, north-south, or east-west traffic.

• You are running production apps that are not highly regulated.

• You want integration with Azure Monitor and Azure Sentinel for visibility.

Best for: Most production workloads in mid-large environments.

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🔹 3. Azure Firewall Premium

Choose when:

• Your apps handle PII, PHI, or financial data.

• You are in a regulated industry (banking, healthcare, government).

• You need TLS inspection (SSL decryption) for outbound traffic control.

• You need Intrusion Detection & Prevention (IDPS).

• You want URL category-based access control (not just FQDN logging).

• You face sophisticated threats or require zero-trust egress control.

Best for: High-security workloads, compliance-sensitive environments, e-commerce, or hybrid apps with critical data.

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📝 Summary Recommendations

Scenario	Recommended SKU
Dev/Test Environment	✅ Basic
Small Business with ~100 VMs	✅ Basic
Production Workload (General Enterprise)	✅ Standard
Public-facing App with Egress Control	✅ Standard or Premium
PCI, HIPAA, or Financial Compliance	✅ Premium
Need for TLS/SSL Outbound Decryption	✅ Premium
Advanced Threat Protection & IDPS	✅ Premium
Cost-Optimized Centralized Firewall	✅ Standard (with Autoscaling)

Basic vs Standard Vs Premium 

Feature	Basic	Standard	Premium
Use Case	Small orgs, dev/test	Enterprise prod environments	High-security regulated workloads
Deployment Scale	Up to 100 Mbps throughput	Scales with VMSS (Gbps+)	Scales with VMSS (Gbps+)
Availability Zones	✅ Zone-redundant (select regions)	✅ Zone-redundant	✅ Zone-redundant
Threat Intelligence-based Filtering	❌	✅ Alert & deny modes	✅ Alert & deny modes
TLS/SSL Inspection	❌	❌	✅ Yes (with cert management)
IDPS (Intrusion Detection/Prevention)	❌	❌	✅ Signature-based
Web Categories (FQDN Filtering)	❌	✅ URL category logging	✅ + URL category filtering
Custom DNS / DNS Proxy	❌	✅	✅
FQDN Tags & Service Tags	✅ Basic tags	✅ All available tags	✅ All available tags
SNAT/DNAT Support	✅	✅	✅
Network & Application Rules	✅	✅	✅
Pricing	Lowest	Moderate	Highest
Azure Policy Integration	✅	✅	✅
Logging & Monitoring	Basic Logs	Full diagnostic logs	Full diagnostic logs + Threat logs

Citrix to Azure – Decision Criteria & Option Mapping

Decision Guide – When to Choose What

🔹 Option 1: Citrix DaaS on Azure (Best for Modernization with Familiar UX)

Choose if:

• You want to retain Citrix experience (HDX, Studio, Gateway).

• You want to reduce infra overhead by offloading control plane to Citrix Cloud.

• You prefer a cloud-native design but retain app delivery/custom policies.

🔹 Option 2: Full Citrix Stack on Azure IaaS (Best for Regulatory or Custom Needs)

Choose if:

• You have strict control/compliance requirements.

• You need Citrix features not yet fully supported in Citrix Cloud.

• Your team has strong Citrix/Azure IaaS management expertise.

• You want to lift-and-shift Citrix as-is with minimal rearchitecture.

🔹 Option 3: Native Azure Virtual Desktop (Best for Simplification and Cost Reduction)

Choose if:

• You are ready to move away from Citrix and simplify.

• Users can work well with native RDP experience.

• You want deep integration with Microsoft 365 (Teams, OneDrive, Intune).

• You prioritize cost and operational simplicity.

🔹 Option 4: Hybrid Citrix + AVD (Best for Phased or Mixed Needs)

Choose if:

• You want to gradually transition from Citrix to AVD.

• Certain workloads still depend on Citrix-specific features.

• You want to test AVD with a pilot before full migration.

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🔑 Other Key Factors to Ask the Customer

• Do you need GPU-backed desktops or graphics-intensive workloads?

• How important is app compatibility with legacy software?

• Are you under a contract or license commitment with Citrix?

• What is your team's capability in managing cloud-native environments?

• Are you using Citrix Cloud Gateway, or do you have your own NetScaler?

Citrix to Azure – Option Mapping

Criteria	Citrix DaaS (Citrix Cloud + Azure)	Full Citrix on Azure IaaS	Native Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD)	Hybrid (Citrix + AVD)
Current Citrix Investment	✅ Reuse Citrix licenses and tools	✅ Full control with existing infra	❌ Requires migration effort	✅ Allows phased move
Desire to Retain Citrix Features (ICA, HDX, WEM)	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ No HDX, uses RDP	✅ Partial Citrix retention
Management Overhead	🔽 Minimal (Citrix manages control plane)	🔼 High (You manage everything)	🔽 Minimal (Azure-native)	🔼 Medium
Azure Experience	🟡 Helpful, but not mandatory	✅ Required for infra design	✅ Required	✅ Required
Licensing Simplicity	🟡 Dual (Citrix + Microsoft)	🔴 Complex (RDS, Citrix, Azure)	✅ Simple with Microsoft 365	🔴 Dual licensing required
Scalability & Flexibility	✅ Built-in autoscale	🟡 Manual unless scripted	✅ Native autoscaling	🟡 Mixed
User Experience	✅ HDX & Teams optimization	✅ HDX & USB redirection	🟡 RDP only, good but less flexible	✅ Mixed
Profile Management	✅ Supports FSLogix & UPM	✅ Supports FSLogix & UPM	✅ FSLogix preferred	✅ Mixed
Use of Citrix App Layering or PVS/MCS	✅ Seamless	✅ Seamless	❌ Not applicable	🟡 Workaround possible
Internet Dependency (Control Plane)	✅ Needs Citrix Cloud access	❌ All local in Azure	✅ Native Azure access	✅ Mixed
Cost Sensitivity	🟡 Mid-cost (Citrix + Azure infra)	🔴 High (infra + license)	✅ Lower TCO	🟡 Depends on duration of coexistence
Timeline & Migration Complexity	🟡 Medium (adjust architecture)	🔴 High (rebuild Citrix stack)	✅ Easier setup	🟡 Depends on phase plan
Compliance/Control Needs	🟡 Limited control over Citrix Cloud infra	✅ Full control	✅ Native Microsoft security	✅ Flexible control