AKS node pools sized for requests
Pods request far more CPU and memory than they use, so nodes sit half empty.
Azure cost optimization
Azure cost optimization, from VMs to AKS
A detailed review of compute, AKS, storage, Log Analytics and commitments across your subscriptions, with a monthly value and a safe order for every change.
Hands-on, every day, in production
- AWS
- Azure
- Amazon EKS
- Azure AKS
- Kubernetes
- Terraform
- GitHub Actions
- Prometheus
- Grafana
- OpenTelemetry
Where Azure money usually leaks
Licences paid twice
Windows and SQL Server workloads not using Azure Hybrid Benefit.
Log Analytics ingestion
Every container log and diagnostic setting sent to the most expensive tier.
What the Azure audit covers
Billing data from Cost Management, checked against Azure Resource Graph and real utilisation.
Virtual machines and scale sets
The usual biggest line.
- Rightsizing from Azure Monitor metrics
- Current-generation VM sizes
- Auto-shutdown for non-production
- Spot VMs for batch and dev
AKS
Kubernetes waste is easy to miss on Azure.
- Requests and limits vs real usage
- Node pool layout and autoscaler
- Spot node pools
- Kubernetes version support status
Commitments and licences
Bought against the right-sized baseline.
- Reservations vs savings plan for compute
- Azure Hybrid Benefit eligibility
- Dev/Test pricing for non-production
Storage and databases
Quiet, steady growth.
- Managed disk tiers and unattached disks
- Blob access tiers and lifecycle rules
- Azure SQL and PostgreSQL sizing, serverless options
Monitoring and logs
Often a surprise on the invoice.
- Log Analytics ingestion and retention
- Basic and Auxiliary log tiers
- Diagnostic settings that send everything
Governance
So the savings last.
- Tagging and cost allocation
- Budgets and alerts per subscription
- Azure Policy guardrails for expensive SKUs
AWS and Azure, in one engagement
Many teams run mostly on one cloud with a growing footprint on the other: a product on AWS and Microsoft 365, Entra ID and a few workloads on Azure, or the other way round. NextOpsLab works on both, including Kubernetes on EKS and AKS, so you get one audit and one plan instead of two consultants who each see half the picture.
How the audit works
20-minute call
You tell me what the bill looks like and what you have tried. No slides, no demo.
Read-only access
For a paid audit, you create a read-only IAM role (AWS) or Reader role (Azure). I send the exact policy.
Savings report in 5 days
Every finding has a monthly value, the effort to fix it and the risk.
I implement, or you do
Hand the plan to your team, or I make the changes with your approval on each one.
Read-only access. NDA on request. No change is made without your written approval.
What it costs
Every engagement starts with a free 20-minute review, so you know the size of the opportunity before you spend anything.
Step 1
Free cloud bill review
Free
A 20-minute call and a one-page note naming the 3 biggest leaks in your bill.
- You send a Cost Explorer or Azure Cost Management export
- 20-minute call to understand your workload
- One-page note: 3 biggest leaks, with rough monthly value
- No access to your account needed
Step 2
Cloud Cost Audit
₹14,999 – ₹24,999$299 – $499
5 working days. A savings report with a value against every line, and a plan to get it.
- Read-only access review of AWS or Azure
- Savings report with ₹ / $ value per finding
- Prioritised fix plan: quick wins first, risk noted
- 45-minute walkthrough with your team
If the audit does not find savings worth at least 3x its fee, the fee is refunded.
Start with the free reviewStep 3
Savings implementation
Fixed quote
I make the changes from the audit, with your approval on each one.
- Rightsizing and idle-resource cleanup
- Savings Plans, Reserved Instances and Azure reservations
- Storage tiering, gp2 → gp3, Graviton and Spot where safe
- Tagging, budgets and cost alerts
Fixed quote, or 20–25% of the first 6 months of verified savings.
Book a callQuestions people ask
Azure reservations or Azure savings plan for compute?
Reservations give the deepest discount for a specific VM family and region that will not change. The Azure savings plan for compute is more flexible across families, regions and services such as App Service and Container Apps. Many teams use both: reservations for the fixed core, a savings plan for the rest of the baseline.
Can we use Azure Hybrid Benefit?
If you have Windows Server or SQL Server licences with Software Assurance (or qualifying subscriptions), yes, and it is often one of the largest single savings on Azure. The audit checks which VMs and databases are eligible and not using it.
How do you reduce AKS costs?
Mostly by fixing requests and limits so pods ask for what they use, splitting system and user node pools, enabling the cluster autoscaler, moving suitable workloads to Spot node pools and picking current VM sizes. Staying on a supported Kubernetes version also avoids long-term support charges.
What access do you need?
Reader and Cost Management Reader on the subscriptions or management group in scope. These roles can view resources and costs but cannot change anything.
We have an Enterprise Agreement or MCA. Does that change anything?
It changes where the billing data lives and which discounts you already have, not the approach. The audit accounts for negotiated rates so savings are calculated on what you actually pay.
Find out what your cloud bill is hiding
Five fields, one minute. You will get a reply within one working day, and a link to book your 20-minute call straight away.
Or email hello@nextopslab.in