On Tuesday, Microsoft Azure announced the general availability of smart tier, a feature designed to automatically optimize storage costs for object data.
The new capability adjusts data placement in real time, moving less frequently accessed files to lower-cost storage tiers without manual intervention. Azure stated that this reduces expenses by aligning storage costs with actual usage patterns. The feature is now available in all regions where Azure Blob Storage operates.
Smart tier works with existing Blob Storage accounts and does not require data migration. Customers can enable it through the Azure portal or via REST APIs. Microsoft highlighted that early adopters have seen cost reductions of up to 40% for certain workloads.
The announcement follows Microsoft’s broader push to make cloud storage more affordable as enterprises scale their data storage needs. Analysts note that rising cloud costs have become a growing concern for businesses relying on object storage for backups, archives, and unstructured data.
Azure did not disclose pricing for smart tier separately, as it is included in the Blob Storage pricing model. The company emphasized that the feature is now production-ready and fully supported.
Source: azure.microsoft.com