An Azure Dedicated Host provides a single-tenant, physical server that can be used to host your Azure virtual machines for either Windows and Linux. Unlike normal Azure hosts, the server capacity in a dedicated host is hardware-isolated (as the name suggests) and is therefore not shared with other customers, meaning you can now run general purpose, memory or compute intensive intensive workloads in a hardware-isolated and virtualized server environment dedicated to your organisation.
Azure Dedicated Host, helps organisations address specific compliance requirements while increasing visibility and control over the underlying virtual infrastructure. This has the following key benefits:
- Increase control without limiting choice
- Deliver against your compliance needs
- Reduce cost by leveraging you Azure Hybrid Rights Benefits
Increase control without compromising choice
Azure Dedicated hosts support Windows, Linux, and SQL Server virtual machines on Azure. The full range of options and scale are available, from server type, CPU type, number of cores, plus all the additional features. The underlying hosts are provisioned as single-tenant and dedicated to your Azure VMs and workloads for maximum security, compliance and placement control. All platform-initiated maintenance operations, such as OS patching, or hardware or software reboots can be scheduled as needed so you have full control like you’d have with on-premises workloads.
Deliver against your compliance needs
Azure Dedicated Hosts mean that its easier for your organisation to comply with your corporate or regulatory policies and standards by taking advantage of the vast range of industry certifications that Azure has earned. Add this to the fact that you can now locate Azure VMs on an isolated and dedicated physical server that runs only your workloads, you can be sure you are meeting your compliance guidelines and standards.
Reduce costs by using existing software licenses
With Azure Dedicated Hosts, you can still use your on-premises Windows Server and SQL Server licenses with Software Assurance benefits, or subscriptions with equivalent rights, when you migrate your workloads to Dedicated Host. Azure Hybrid Benefit licensing terms are available only on Azure. Microsoft also give you free extended security updates for Windows Server and SQL Server 2008 and 2008 R2 for another 3 years (bear in mind these go end of support otherwise in January).
How are they priced
- Pricing is surprisingly simple..
- Dedicated Host is charged at the host level regardless of the number of Azure VMs you run on the host.
- Software licenses are billed separately from compute resources at a VM level based on usage.
- Use Azure Hybrid Benefit for additional savings if you’re eligible.
That’s it from me.. Hope this helped and please correct me if you spot any errors or omissions.