Windows Azure SQL Reporting - Great to see a dramatic price decrease for lower volume users

I was really excited about Windows Azure SQL Reporting being released. That lasted until I saw the pricing. If I just deployed a server and didn’t use it, the price was 89c per hour for up to 300 reports per hour. What many people didn’t understand is that the price applied whether or not you used the reporting server.

That meant that the minimum price for deploying a server was 89c x 24 hours x 365 days = $7796.40 per year.

That price was way more expensive than just deploying an Azure VM and purchasing a standard edition license for SQL Server to put on it. And the standard edition license had way more functionality, apart from the high availability provided by WASR.

At every session where I showed the product, the feedback was the same: “Love the idea, but have you seen the price?”.

Many of us complained loudly (internally) to Microsoft about this, and I’m pleased to say that I just got an email that covers dramatic price reductions.

From February 1, 2013, the price drops to 16c per hour (all USD) for up to 30 reports per hour.

That means the minimum price for deploying a server is 16c x 24 hours x 365 days = $1401.60 per year, as long as you don’t exceed 30 reports per hour. The pricing still isn’t where I’d like to see it, but it’s way more palatable now.

If you’ve been put off by the pricing of Windows Azure SQL Reporting, it’s time to take another look at it.

2012-12-21