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Microsoft Azure Cache for Redis: In-Memory Data Storage

Posted by Errin O'Connor on Oct, 01, 2021 05:10

Microsoft Azure Cache for Redis: In-Memory Data Storage

In the contemporary competitive world, organizations need to tackle their data in a smart and structured manner to gain benefits from it. Caching is one among these structured methods, which when applied, provides the user company with certain advantages that prove to be beneficial for the business in the long run. The term ‘Caching’ generally refers to a method of storing data temporarily in certain storage locations or cache instances. The process is advantageous in lessening the server load which implies that users do not require to download data whenever they access the actual data source. The enterprise Cache instances provide very low latency that allows the stored data to be accessed with ease. In this blog post, we will discuss Azure Cache for Redis pricing and features as one such service.

The importance of caching is felt by organizations when the caching solution helps in increasing the performance speed of applications and their ability to compute resources. The data is stored locally through the caching process which helps in loading browsers and websites very quickly. This in turn proves to be beneficial and cost-effective for the user organization.

What is Azure Cache for Redis and its use cases

The features within the Azure Redis cache pricing range collectively form a high-performing caching service that is designed by Microsoft to provide the user company with an in-memory data store. This subsequently increases the data retrieval capacity and speed that later benefits the user to a great extent.

Azure Redis Cache: Use Cases in organizations

The use cases of the application include the following scenarios:-

  • Acting as an in-memory data source for the user company
  • As a distributed data or content cache
  • A store for data sessions
  • A message broker
Performance Improvement using Azure Cache for Redis

Pricing Structure model of Azure Redis Cache

Azure Cache for Redis provides the user organization with the ability to use an open-source Redis cache that is completely secure in terms of storing organizational data. It is one of the most responsive products designed by Microsoft and managed by the Azure Government. The most important function of this product is to aid the creation of extremely scalable applications by providing the user quick access to the essential data. The Azure Redis Cache pricing structure can be categorized in the following manner:-

  • Basic
  • Standard
  • Premium
  • Enterprise
  • Enterprise flash

These categories under Azure Cache for Redis pricing model can be individually explained and enumerated as follows:-

Basic tier –

The basic tier involves the use of a single node cache which is beneficial for the workloads related to the development and non-critical issues.

Cache NameCache SizeNetwork performanceNumber of Client ConnectionsPrice
C0250 MBLow256$0.022/hour
C11 GBLow1,000$0.055/hour
C22.5 GBModerate2,000$0.09/hour
C36 GBModerate5,000$0.18/hour
C413 GBModerate10,000$0.21/hour
C526 GBHigh15,000$0.42/hour
C653 GBHighest20,000$0.84/hour

Standard tier –

The standard tier consists of replica cache nodes that by default consist of two nodes. The automatic replication between the nodes provides high availability SLA.

Cache NameCache SizeNetwork performanceNumber of Client ConnectionsPrice (two-node)
C0250 MBLow256$0.055/hour
C11 GBLow1,000$0.138/hour
C22.5 GBModerate2,000$0.224/hour
C36 GBModerate5,000$0.45/hour
C413 GBModerate10,000$0.524/hour
C526 GBHigh15,000$1.05/hour
C653 GBHighest20,000$2.10/hour

Premium tier –

The premium tier under Azure Cache for Redis pricing consists of all the features provided under the standard tier. In addition to these, there are some other unique features provided under the premium tier which can be categorized in the following manner:-

  • Better performance than the Redis cache provided by the standard tier
  • Capacity to tackle bigger workloads
  • Capabilities of disaster recovery
  • Increased security to the organizational data
  • Redis persist allows the persisting data in the Redis cache
  • Redis cluster aids the sharing of stored data across nodes.
  • The deployment of Azure Virtual Network provides increased security and required isolation to stored organizational data.
  • Multi-replica support allows the stored data to be replicated up to three replica cache instances per node.
Cache NameCache SizeNetwork performanceNumber of cache Client ConnectionsPay As You Go (Per Shard, Two Node)1 Year Reserved (% Savings)3 Year Reserved (% Savings)Pay as You Go Price per additional node
P16 GBModerate7,500$0.554/hour$0.355/hour ~36% savings$0.250/hour ~55% savings$0.277/hour
P213 GBHigh15,000$1.11/hour$0.711/hour ~36% savings$0.500/hour ~55% savings$0.555/hour
P326 GBHigh30,000$2.218/hour$1.420/hour ~36% savings$0.999/hour ~55% savings$1.109/hour
P453 GBHighest40,000$4.44/hour$1.420/hour ~36% savings$1.999/hour ~55% savings$2.22/hour
P5120 GBHighest40,000$10.04/hour$6.432/hour ~36% savings$4.523/hour ~55% savings$5.02/hour

Enterprise tier –

The features of the Enterprise tier under Azure Cache for Redis pricing range integrate the unique capacities provided by the Redis Enterprise software developed by the Redis labs. The high-performance capabilities can fulfill the needs of the most demanding user organizations. These modules add the data types to the Azure database that enhance machine learning and other capacities. The exclusive features of this Azure Redis cache pricing tier include the following:-

  • Redis module support for the Redis Cluster, RedisBloom and RecisTimeSeries module.
  • The active geo-replication feature enables the use of globally distributed caches with a local latency.
  • Higher availability of enterprise-level reliability.
Cache NameCache SizeNetwork performanceInfrastructure Cost (pay as you go, two data nodes)Software IP Cost (pay as you go, two data nodes)Total Cost (pay as you go, two data nodes)
E1012 GBHigh$0.962/hour$0.374/hour$1.336/hour
E2025 GBHigh$1.919/hour$0.746/hour$2.665/hour
E5050 GBHighest$3.77/hour$1.466/hour$5.236/hour
E100100 GBHighest$9.046/hour$2.931/hour$11.977/hour

Enterprise Flash tier –

The features included in the Enterprise flash tier work in a combination of RAM and flash non-volatile memory storage methods.

Cache NameCache SizeNetwork performanceInfrastructure Cost (pay as you go, three-node)Software IP Cost (pay as you go, three-node)Total Cost (pay as you go, three-node)
F300384 GBHigh$6.018/hour$4.833/hour$10.851/hour
F700715 GBHighest$12.034/hour$9.666/hour$21.700/hour
F15001,455 GBHighest$24.069/hour$19.331/hour$43.40/hour

Meaning of Zone Redundancy and Geo-Replication: Uses

The terms Zone Redundancy and Geo-replication are very significant in the context of Azure Redis for the cache. Geo-replication refers to a certain feature available in the Premium, Enterprise, and Enterprise Flash tiers within Azure cache for Redis. It allows two Azure cache instances distributed across the Azure storage to be linked together in the replica relationship. In the premium caches tier, the user can only read from the replica cache instances. On the other hand, enabling the active geo-replication in the Enterprise cache tier and the Enterprise flash storage tiers increases the avail of data up to 99.99%.

On the other hand, the zone redundancy feature ensures that the stored data stays resilient under the Admin Azure. This feature provides the user organization with the best opportunity to save data against disasters and mishaps. The premium caches, enterprise caches, and enterprise flash caches are capable to host replica nodes in various availability zones which increases data resiliency against a single disaster and plays the role of a load balancer.

Top features for Azure Redis Cache:

The top features of the Azure Redis cache include the following:-

  • The capacity of tackling large workloads of ever-growing organizations
  • Saving, receiving and updating the data saved from web pages
  • Proving maximum data persistence for the maximum satisfaction of the user
  • Scaling the storage through the clustering method
  • Synchronizing the data sessions globally through active geo-replication.
Azure Cache For Redis Working

Automation in Azure Redis Cache:

Automation feature in the application consists of the following abilities:-

  • Automatic patching feature for regular and frequent update of the cache connection strings
  • The ability to manually set up updates and scaling the storage system to provide maximum benefit to the user organization.

Speeding up an application using the distributed cache: Azure Cache for Redis perspective

One of the major benefits of using Azure Redis Cache and the managed cache service provided by the Azure Database is the ability to speed up the time taken by applications to complete their workloads. This is done by this caching service through the use of a distributed cache structure. The user organization can also use this product to compliment the activities of the database services by Azure, for instance, Azure SQL Database and the Azure Cosmos DB by opting for a certain data tier that permits the scaling of data at low cost.

This is completed by the use of expanded database instances. In addition to this, the user company can also store and share the results of queries, session states, and other static content to make the application far more scalable.

The function of a message is broker:

Message Broker

Under this Azure cache for Redis pricing, there are several unique features under its purview that provide several advantages to the user company. One of these advantages includes the use of the Azure Redis cache as a message broker for communicating between services. In simple words, the product can be used to implement, publish, subscribe, or que architectures for applications. Messages can also be communicated in real-time and web communication processes can be improved to a great extent.

Azure Consultation related to Azure Redis Cache: EPC Group Approach

The EPC Group consists of a dedicated group of experts that are bent on helping their clients throughout the implementation and use of Microsoft Dynamics and Azure services and applications. With more than two decades of experience and a structured training pattern, the organization designs tailor-made training programs for their clients to address their issues and concerns which later results in a smooth transition from the on-premise to the cloud structure.

Apart from this, the EPC group has been a gold-certified partner of Microsoft for a long period, for which the company is adept in the process of consulting other organizations regarding Azure services and applications. Thus, the EPC Group is the best suited consulting partner for the companies looking forward to using the Azure Redis cache and gaining the benefits of fast accessing data which has been previously stored through cache implementations.

Conclusion:

The fact that the Azure cache for Redis stores the relevant and crucial data of the organization locally amidst increased security provides a great advantage to the user company. Apart from the easy access to the data during analysis, the user company can also tackle increased workloads with the data stored in the massive cache sizes. Thus, this is the perfect application for companies looking forward to accomplishing a lot of workload with increased efficiency but in a limited amount of time.

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Errin O'Connor
About the Author

Errin O'Connor

With over 25 years of experience in Information Technology and Management Consulting, Errin O’Connor has led hundreds of large-scale enterprise implementations from Business Intelligence, Power BI, Office 365, SharePoint, Exchange, IT Security, Azure and Hybrid Cloud efforts for over 165 Fortune 500 companies.

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