How-to generate a cost estimate of virtual machines

Owned by JM Lopez, created
Last updated: Jul 26, 2024
2 min read

The virtual machine calculator provided by the ITS Private Cloud is a useful tool for estimating the costs of virtual machines. In this guide, we will walk you through the process of using the calculator to generate a cost estimate.

Refer to https://utor.cloud for pricing.

 Instructions

  1. Access the Virtual Machine Calculator by going to https://utor.cloud/vm-cost-calculator

  2. Enter Main Resources. The main resources section of the calculator allows you to specify the basic characteristics of your virtual machine. These include:

    1. Number of vCPUs: Enter the number of virtual CPUs you require for your virtual machine.

    2. Number of vRAM in GB: Enter the amount of vRAM (virtual RAM) you require in gigabytes.

    3. Storage Capacity in GB (SSD or HDD): Enter the amount of storage capacity you require in gigabytes, and select whether you prefer SSD (solid-state drive) or HDD (hard disk drive) storage.

  3. Confirm or update the Period. By default the Months setting is 12, however if you would like to only consider your monthly charges, you can select 1, or if you need to forecast 2 years, update the value to 24.

  4. Add Additional Resources. The additional resources section of the calculator allows you to specify additional features you may require for your virtual machine. These include:

    1. vGPU in GB: Enter the amount of vGPU (virtual graphics processing unit) you require in gigabytes.

    2. vRAM in GB (Reserved): Enter the amount of Reserved Memory you require in gigabytes.

  5. Add Additional Services. The add-on services section of the calculator allows you to specify additional services you may require for your virtual machine. These include:

    1. UTORrecover Backups: Select this option if you require backups of your virtual machine.

      1. The annual cost per GB is currently $1.25 and is based on spinning disk as the storage medium (i.e., not tape).

      2. There is an annual charge of $275 per server to cover the cost of the EMC Networker license(s) including maintenance and support.

      3. Please bear in mind that, for every GB of data you wish to backup, ITS must provision anywhere from 3 to 6 times that amount, based on a 30 day retention period.

      4. The calculator assumes a daily churn rate of 5% by default. For servers that have higher daily churn rates, the invoiced cost may be higher.

    2. System Management: Select this option if you require system management services for your virtual machine. This service is provided by the Systems and Solutions Group (SSG).

      1. Backups are required when System Management is added.

  6. Add. Click the button “Add +” and repeat these steps for every virtual machine you’d like to estimate.

  7. Once completed, click on “Export to PDF”, to save.

 Related articles

University of Toronto - Since 1827