Understanding scheduler savings behaviour over time

In this page we will attempt to explain some of the behaviours you might see in the real world related to the implementation of schedules and the realized savings over a period of time.

When we configure a schedule it is important to remember that you will see the following behaviours:

1. In the first month you configure a schedule you will not see the full benefit of the schedule savings if you configure the schedule part way through the month

2. In the next month after the schedule is configured you should notice the biggest difference

3. In following months, the schedule being active becomes the new normal so you will be looking to maintain the cost for resources at a similar level month over month.  You will not see the same big drop in costs every month.

The below graph shows a simplified example of the type of view we would expect to see.

In this case the graph lines are:

• List price = The cost of the resources at Azure list price factoring in no discounts for commitments etc

• Potential savings = The potential amount saved if you apply the schedule compared to the list price you would be expected to pay if the schedule was turned off

• Amortized cost = The price you actually paid

• Monthly savings compared to last month = You would expect to see a spike in month 2 as the full effect of the schedule is realized but for subsequent months you would continue to see the same saving you get each month but there would be no new savings that were not also seen last month.

• Cumulative Savings = This is where the savings you are getting each month are building up over time compared to if you do nothing

Sample Data Behind Graph