How do I use Nerdio Cost Estimator?

Applies to: Nerdio for Azure (NFA) Managed Service Partners (MSPs) only.

Nerdio offers a unique feature called “Cost estimator”, with the help of which you can easily estimate your costs for running an IT environment in Azure. The costs can be divided into the following four components:

• Azure costs
• Office 365 license cost
• RDS or Windows 10 license costs
• Nerdio costs

Let's look at how you can use Nerdio Cost Estimator.

Sign in to Nerdio Admin Portal (NAP) as a partner admin. On the Accounts page, from the main menu, select Billing option:

Select "NFA cost estimator" menu option:

You will be directed to the cost estimator page. All you need to do is specify your IT infrastructure requirements and get an estimate of monthly costs:

You can predict your monthly costs based on the following factors:

1. Your use case
2. Desktop information
3. Servers
4. Office 365 and Windows 10 Enterprise
5. Other features and
6. Cost assumptions

Let us explore them one by one.

1. Use case

Note: By default, the “Cost estimator” page displays options related to ITaaS use case. You can, however, select the use case as per your individual requirements. Nerdio caters to the following use cases:

• Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS): Manage, auto-scale and back up line-of-business application and database servers in Azure, with NFA Core
• Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS): Leverage Azure for a simple virtual desktop environment for a small organization, with NFA Professional
• IT-as-a-Service (ITaaS): Run a complete, virtual desktop-centric IT environment in Azure for an organization of any size, with NFA Enterprise.

Using NFA for Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) 

Let's imagine your financial institution has a need to:

• Manage, auto-scale and back up line-of-business application and database servers in Azure with NFA Core plan
• Extend existing network and Active Directory (AD) into Azure
• Configure auto-scaling, back up and DR of server VMs
• Manage the entire environment from an easy-to-use, “three clicks or less” management portal

To estimate costs correctly, we assume certain foundational resources - such as storage environment, two network security groups, and one VM for domain controller are mandatory. Other VMs will be as selected by the user, and other options are as per user preferences under relevant sections:

• Servers
• Other features
• Cost assumptions

Using NFA for Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) 

Let's imagine your retail customer with multiple store locations has a need to:

• Leverage Azure for a simple virtual desktop environment, with NFA Professional Plan
• Stand up an entire office, small office, without the need to install local desktops
• Migrate applications and servers to Azure and deploy cloud desktops in minutes
• Back up user data and application

To estimate costs correctly, we assume that foundational resources such as storage environment, two network security groups, VMs for gateway, domain controller and file server, and VPN are mandatory. RDS hosts and other options are as per user preferences under relevant sections:

• Desktop information
• Office 365 and Windows 10 Enterprise
• Other features
• Cost assumptions

Using NFA for IT-as-a-Service (ITaaS)

Let's imagine your manufacturing customer has a need to:

• Run a complete, virtual desktop-centric IT environment in Azure, with NFA Enterprise Plan
• Migrate their full IT stack to the Microsoft cloud
• Run desktops, servers, applications, back up and security in Azure
• Integrate with email, collaboration and file storage in Office 365

To estimate costs correctly for ITaaS use case, we assume that foundational resources such as storage environment, network security groups, VMs for gateway, domain controller and file server, and VPN are mandatory. Additionally, users can adjust the following:

• Desktop information
• Servers
• Office 365 and Windows 10 Enterprise
• Other features
• Cost assumptions

Note: Depending on your selected use case, you will need to provide the following information:

2. Desktop Information

You will need to fill information for:

3. Servers

You need to specify the instance size, OS disk size, data disk size each for:

• AD domain controller
• File server
• ADFS Proxy
• RD Gateway #1
• RD Connection Broker or
• You can add any other server

4. Office 365 AND Windows 10 Enterprise

You need to fill information for:

• How many Office 365 licenses will you sell to the customer? Note: Every desktop user that needs the Microsoft Office suite requires a Office 365 license.
• How will you license Windows 10 Enterprise or RDS CALs? Select an option from:
  • Customer will provide licenses
  • I will sell licenses to customer via CSP

5. Other features

You will need to select "other features" from the ones listed below:

Nerdio Tip

• Cost estimates are calculated using the values you provide and the current rates of Nerdio, Office 365 and Azure services, which can vary over time. Hence the actual costs may vary from the estimates.
• Nerdio will charge customers for NFA licenses only. You will get a bill directly from Microsoft for Azure, O365 and RDS CALs.