Published: Mar 15, 2024
Key Takeaways:
- Microsoft has announced the removal of egress fees for business customers transferring data out of its Azure cloud infrastructure.
- Customers must initiate the transfer process by creating a support request and providing the necessary information for migration.
- The upcoming European Data Act is driving cloud providers like Microsoft, AWS, and Google to adjust their policies.
Microsoft has announced that business customers will no longer need to pay an egress fee to remove data from its Azure cloud infrastructure. This decision aligns with similar actions taken by competitors, including Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud.
Google announced in January that it will no longer charge businesses for transferring their data to another cloud provider or an on-premises data center. However, the fee waiver will only apply to customers who cancel their accounts once the migration is complete. Last week, AWS also announced similar plans to waive egress fees, but unlike Google, it does not require account cancellation.
Previously, Microsoft allowed customers to transfer up to 100GB of data out of Azure environments monthly at no additional cost. This has changed, as customers can now migrate an unlimited amount of data and move to another cloud provider.
“We support customer choice, including the choice to migrate your data away from Azure,” Microsoft explained. “Azure now offers free egress for customers leaving Azure when taking their data out of the Azure infrastructure via the internet to switch to another cloud provider or an on-premises data center.”
Microsoft requires Azure customers wishing to transfer their data to initiate the process by creating a support request. In this request, they must provide their Subscription ID and an estimated data volume to be transferred. Customers will have 60 days to finalize the migration and cancel all Azure subscriptions linked to their account. They will also need to reach out to a support agent to claim credit for incurred egress charges.
It is worth noting that Microsoft, AWS, and Google seem to be getting ready for the upcoming European Data Act. It’s aimed at fostering competition in Europe by simplifying the process of switching cloud providers. The European Data Act will come into effect in September 2025.