AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator Exam
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Practice Test

Practice Test

Manage costs by using alerts, budgets, and Azure Advisorrecommendations
Configure and Utilize Cost Management Alerts
Cost Management Alerts
Azure's Cost Management Alerts are vital tools for keeping track of and controlling your spending by notifying you when costs go beyond set limits. These alerts serve as an important part of managing expenses and ensuring resources aren't wasted. By receiving notifications, you can take necessary actions to prevent overspending.
Setting Up Cost Alerts
To start setting up cost alerts, access the Cost Management + Billing section in the Azure portal. Here, you can create budgets dedicated to monitoring spending. Budgets can be tailored using filters or tags, allowing you to specify which resource groups or services are being tracked. This customization lets you carefully follow costs related to particular projects or services, providing a better understanding of where money is being used.
Customizing Alerts
You have the option to personalize your alerts by modifying how they're organized. In the timeline view on the alerts page, selecting the Edit icon permits changes in how alerts are grouped—such as by dimensions, tags, labels, etc. This customization helps in focusing only on the most relevant alerts, assisting in effective resource management and facilitating quick responses to any unusual spending patterns.
Managing Alerts
The Alerts page within the Azure portal presents a complete summary of all alert instances produced over the past 30 days. You can refine what you see by filtering alerts according to time range, subscription details, alert condition, severity, and more. The Alert details page further provides detailed information about each alert, including possible user actions and additional specifics. While alerts are automatically deleted after 30 days, conditions leading to those alerts remain available for resolution purposes.
Viewing Alerts as a Timeline
Azure allows alerts to be displayed as a timeline, highlighting how many alerts were triggered within particular time slots. This timeline aids in understanding alert occurrences within your Azure structure. With filtering options based on severity, resource type, and other factors, this timeline allows for deeper exploration into specific periods, providing more actionable insights into spending behavior.
Programmatic Management
For more advanced use cases, managing alerts programmatically is possible through Azure Resource Graph and the Alert Management REST API. These tools enable the creation of custom views, thorough analysis of alert patterns, and alterations to existing alerts outside of the Azure portal. This flexibility proves helpful when integrating alert management into ongoing workflows and organizational systems.
In summary, setting up and effectively using cost management alerts in Azure is critical for monitoring and controlling expenses. By implementing personalized alerts, managing them carefully, and utilizing programmatic tools, users can ensure they maintain proactive oversight over their Azure spending environment.