specification: FinOps Framework
specificationVersion: '1.0'
schema: https://www.finops.org/framework/
provider: Azure Blob Storage
providerId: microsoft-azure-blob-storage
created: '2026-05-04'
# Provenance stamped 2026-08-11: this artifact was written by the API Evangelist
# bulk sweep dated 2026-05-04, not harvested from the provider. See roadmap#35.
method: generated
modified: '2026-05-05'
reconciled: true
tags:
  - FinOps
  - FOCUS
  - Storage
  - Microsoft Azure
description: 'FOCUS-aligned FinOps for Azure Blob Storage: per-GB-month capacity by access tier, per-10,000-transaction
  fees, retrieval and egress charges, with reserved-capacity commitments available.'
sources:
  - https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/details/storage/blobs/
  - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/storage/blobs/storage-blob-storage-tiers
alignedWith:
  framework: FinOps Foundation Framework
  frameworkUrl: https://www.finops.org/framework/
  dataSpec: FOCUS
  dataSpecVersion: '1.3'
  dataSpecUrl: https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
publisherName: Microsoft Corporation
serviceCategory: Storage / Object Storage
billingModel:
  pricingCategory: Pay-As-You-Go + Committed Use
  billingFrequency: Monthly
  billingCurrency: USD
  chargeCategories:
    - Usage
    - Purchase
    - Tax
    - Adjustment
    - Credit
focusColumns:
  ServiceName: Azure Blob Storage
  ServiceCategory: Storage
  ProviderName: Microsoft
  PublisherName: Microsoft Corporation
  InvoiceIssuerName: Microsoft Corporation
  BillingCurrency: USD
  ChargeCategory: Usage
meters:
  - name: capacity_gb_month
    unit: GB-month
    aggregation: avg
    dimensions:
      - access_tier
      - redundancy
      - region
      - account
  - name: write_transactions
    unit: transaction
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - access_tier
      - region
      - account
  - name: read_transactions
    unit: transaction
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - access_tier
      - region
      - account
  - name: data_retrieval
    unit: GB
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - access_tier
      - region
  - name: data_egress
    unit: GB
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - region
      - direction
  - name: early_deletion
    unit: GB
    aggregation: sum
    dimensions:
      - access_tier
principles:
  - name: Visibility
    description: Use Azure Cost Management with grouping by Meter Subcategory (Hot/Cool/Cold/Archive)
      and the Storage Account blob inventory report to attribute capacity and transactions per container.
  - name: Allocation
    description: Tag storage accounts and use container-level inventory reports keyed to tags or
      naming conventions for chargeback to applications and teams.
  - name: Optimization
    description: Apply Lifecycle Management policies to tier blobs from Hot to Cool, Cold, then Archive;
      use reserved capacity for stable footprints; consolidate redundancy (LRS vs GRS) to actual durability
      need; avoid early-deletion charges by aligning retention to tier minimums.
  - name: Accountability
    description: Assign per-container cost owners; alert on capacity growth and transaction-rate
      anomalies; review tier mix quarterly against access-pattern telemetry.
maintainers:
  - FN: Kin Lane
    email: kin@apievangelist.com