In partnership with

Microsoft
MUST READ for Azure Large Users

Microsoft has two different modeols for big companies to buy Azure cloud services. The Enterprise Agreement (EA) and the Microsoft Customer Agreement (MCA). The main differences are:

• EA becomes Billing Profile

• Department becomes Invoice Section

• Account Owner becomes Subscription Creator

MCA allows multiple invoices with sections and individual payment methods. This makes it easier to split costs between teams or departments. Some key points to remember:

1. Make sure to update any systems using old EA role names. Check if marketplace offers can transition to MCA.

2. Verify commitment transfers like reservations.

3. After moving to MCA, review roles, cost reports, and automation.

4. Consider creating multiple invoice sections to track costs separately.

5. MCA can simplify billing for companies with multiple branches or affiliates

Moving to MCA requires some work, but offers more flexibility in managing Azure costs and billing. Plan the transition carefully to avoid issues.

In partnership with CloudZero
5 FinOps Slides Every Board Will Love

Struggling to demonstrate cloud ROI? We've got you covered.

Our new board slides template is designed to help you:

• Highlight your team's impact with actionable insights

• Simplify complex data for easy board discussions

• Showcase essential cloud cost metrics

Make your next board meeting smooth, impactful, and stress-free.

Company Culture
The Role of FinOps Enabling Teams

A FinOps team can work well as an "enabling team" in the Team Topologies framework. This approach helps technology teams work more efficiently.

Team Topologies defines different team types, including stream-aligned teams that deliver value quickly. Other team types support them.

A FinOps enabling team can help other teams improve their cloud cost management skills, create tools to make cloud costs clearer. Also, they can set up ways to spot unusual spending & help measure the value from cloud services

The FinOps team should aim to work closely with other teams when it's most useful. Moreover, they should lead efforts to share knowledge across the company and provide self-service tools for analyzing costs

By doing these things, a FinOps enabling team can help the whole organization use cloud resources more wisely.

Automation
Optimize cloud costs with FinOps automation strategies

FinOps automation is helping companies control cloud costs more effectively. This article looks at how two companies, Intuit and Roku, are using this approach.

Intuit's FinOps team focuses on:

1. Using AWS accounts as the main way to track costs

2. Setting data standards early

3. Using a special system to understand costs in Kubernetes clusters

4. Automating things like prepayment optimization and cost forecasting

Roku takes a different approach:

1. They use the 80/20 rule to focus on the most important cost-saving actions

2. They show engineers how much effort different cost-saving actions take

3. They focus on prepayment plans and reserved instances for big savings

4. They use automation for things like adjusting container sizes and scaling systems

Both companies show that good data management and focusing on high-cost areas are key to success with FinOps automation. By using these methods, companies can save money and make better decisions about their cloud spending.

Together with CloudYali
Turn Cloud Chaos into Cost Control

Your cloud bills shouldn't be a mystery.

CloudYali gives you clear visibility into every dollar spent across AWS, GCP, and AI platforms. Our standardized tagging tool ensures consistent tracking, while real-time analytics and waste detection optimize spending.

Custom dashboards make costs clear for every team. From engineers to finance leaders, CloudYali speaks your language.

Join companies saving up to 35% on cloud spend.

Try CloudYali Free for 30 Days. Full platform access. No credit card.

Microsoft
Optimize Microsoft Fabric with FinOps Best Practices

Microsoft Fabric is a cloud service that brings changes to how companies use data. It's important to use it wisely to get the most out of it. Here are some key points about using FinOps with Microsoft Fabric:

1. Understand the value: Think about how using data can help your business make money or save money.

2. Plan ahead: Learn how Microsoft Fabric charges for its service. This can help you guess how much it will cost.

3. Keep an eye on usage: Use tools to see how much of the service you're using and how much it costs.

4. Make it better: Look for ways to use the service more efficiently. This might mean changing how you set things up or teaching people better ways to use it.

By following these ideas, companies can make sure they're getting the most out of Microsoft Fabric while keeping costs under control. This article is complementary to a Lorant Kiss content we featured at How to Optimize AWS Costs in 2025 

AWS
AWS Tagging Strategy & Best Practices [Updated Guide]

Best practices for tags

Tag all resources, not some

Don't put sensitive data in tags

Document tagging standards clearly

Monitor tag usage and automate fixes

Use tools to fix tagging mistakes in bulk

Use consistent formatting like camelCase

Set up proper governance and permissions

Think long-term when designing tag schemas

Plan tags carefully with input from different teams

A good tagging strategy can have lots of benefits, such as:

Make teams more efficient through better organization

Save money by tracking costs and resource usage

Lower risk by marking sensitive data

Enable automation of tasks

Common challenges include getting buy-in, keeping standards updated, and avoiding too many tags. Using cloud management tools can help implement tagging strategies effectively.

A solid tagging approach is crucial for managing growing cloud environments. It takes work to set up but provides many benefits for organizing and optimizing cloud resources.

🎖️ Mention of Honour
FinOps Weekly Youtube Channel Now Available!

The content FinOps Practitioners deserve.

From FinOps to FinOps.

👷‍♂️ FinOps Job Offer

Build the next FinOps product with The Duckbill Group

The Duckbill Group is throwing our hat into the ring by building a new FinOps product and we're looking for another engineer for the team. The role is on-site in San Francisco (we'll help with relocation!).

Come help us build something amazing.

🏆 Quick Wins

Announcements

Amazon EventBridge announces direct delivery to cross-account targets - AWS → Read

Amazon EC2 introduces provisioning control for On-Demand Capacity Reservations in the AWS GovCloud (US) Regions - AWS → Read

Articles & Podcasts

Analyzing AWS Transit Gateway Data Processing charges with cost allocation tags | Networking & Content Delivery → Read

Benefits of a FinOps Strategy for Higher Education Institutions | EdTech → Read

How to sell your CIO the idea of FinOps? → Read

🎙️ PODCAST
New FinOps Podcast In Town (Video Available)

FinOps Weekly is providing you more content formats. Learn the top insights from professionals of the industry about how to (REALLY) do FinOps 

Professional Spotlight
Viktor Farcic

Creating a DevOps Toolkit

It was a pleasure having our first episode with Viktor. I’ve been following him for a few years (if you are a DevOps, you should). I’d love how this guy explains all the DevOps tools available and his insights. Don’t miss his Youtube Channel!

Check the Professional of this Week

Whenever You Are Ready, Here’s How We Can Collaborate

1. Sponsor this newsletter: Promote your company in this newsletter and reach the Cloud audience that wants to maximize business value and reduce costs.

2. Collaborate with SmartClouds: Our brand expands to more than just newsletters. Podcasts, Posts, Webinars, Events, and any collaboration related to FinOps are available.