Softchoice’s Cloud Lifecycle Service helps organizations manage costs across their Azure cloud environments. Our fully funded service is provided to customers purchasing Azure through the Cloud Service Provider (CSP) program with Softchoice as the designated partner. It offers streamlined procurement, simplified billing, reporting, and 24/7 technical support, complete with ongoing guidance on cloud cost efficiency.

Intended Audience

Cloud Lifecycle Services are a fully-funded service provided to Softchoice's Azure CSP customers. It is intended to address the following issues:

• Substantial spikes in Azure bills as users spin up resources without centralized purchasing procurement models or budget controls.

• Redundant software, duplicate functionality, shadow IT, and costly audit failure fines from a lack of dedicated license subscription administration or visibility into technology entitlements.

• Complex billing data makes it difficult to understand expenses related to cloud costs.

Solution Details

Cloud dashboard guidance - We provide quarterly guided sessions on best practices to help customers improve the use of the Azure Cost Management dashbaord. These sessions typically include guidance on analyzing cost and usage reports, tracking cost drivers, setting budget alerts, and pinpointing and implementing cost improvement recommendations.

Standard spend and forecast reports - Our Cloud Lifecycle advisors analyze customer's past and current spend data to set cloud cost budgets and forecast spend over a 12-month period.

Quarterly reviews - Our advisors offer personalized optimization recommendations based on the customer’s Azure consumption and associated costs. Advisors also explain the business and IT impact of technology trends to customers alongside their cloud provider’s feature and release updates.

Simplified billing and management process - We help customers set up a consistent billing and subscription management approach for Azure. By working with Softchoice, customer IT teams receive standardized and predictable invoices in a single billing workflow.

Billing and technical support - We offer 24/7 phone and email support for billing elements and reactive technical resolution for non-critical cloud workloads. Billing support includes:

• Identifying and implementing cost-saving measures

• Assistance with invoice and forecast report inquires

Technical support includes:

• Restoring disrupted cloud services

• Modifying specific cloud resources

• Engaging Azure support when additional support is needed

Softchoice As your Azure Partner

Cost-effective and high-value – Our fully-funded service offers customers savings and efficiency gains without upfront investments.

Industry-leading partnerships- With deep business and technical expertise in Azure, we help customers take advantage of the latest technologies.

Comprehensive– We offer a complete set of planning, implementation, and managed services, ensuring customers meet all their needs in one place.

Personalized– Our cloud experts offer tailored recommendations for cost-reduction and other opportunities.

As well, Cloud Lifecycle Services helps customers:

• Implement a standard approach to billing reconciliation, cloud account management, and financial reporting.
• Identify cost reduction opportunities and technical resolutions to maximize efficiency gains.
• Build cost expertise within IT teams with ongoing guidance on Azure cost efficiency best practices.
• Analyze their Azure resources and control costs.