Creating cost variables in OpsCenter
Cost reports in OpsCenter Analytics are based on the user-defined variables that define the cost of various services.
Typically, each service is represented by one variable that reflects the cost of the service, for example $1.00 per backup job. However, you can account for rate changes in one of two ways: by creating two variables for the same service (which you can include in a single cost formula later) or by incorporating both rates into a single variable. For example, a single variable can incorporate the rate of $1.00 per backup job until 31 December 2004 and the rate of $1.25 per backup job starting on 1 January 2005.
Note:
To generate deduplication savings reports, you must create a cost variable with the Protected Job Size (GB) metric.
To set up OpsCenter to run cost reports, you need to create the variables that define the cost of various services.
To create a cost variable
- Log on to the OpsCenter console with administrator privileges.
- In the OpsCenter console, click Settings > Chargeback.
Click Cost Variable.
- On the Cost Variable tab, click Add.
- Enter the variable name.
- Select any of the following variable metrics from the drop-down list:
Daily Occupancy
Job Count
Job Size
Protected Job Size
Storage Size
- If necessary, select additional parameters to refine the metric you selected. For Job Count, Job Size, and Protected Job Size select the Job Type, Job Policy Type, Job Transport Type, and Job Storage Type.
Note:
These fields are not applicable for the Daily Occupancy and Storage Size variable metrics. For Storage Size, Cloud Provider field is available.
- Add one or more date ranges using the drop-down lists for Month, Day, Year, and Time. Add an associated rate by typing a cost per service unit (such as backup jobs or backed-up GB) in the Rate field.
Add at least one date range.
- Optionally, to add more date ranges, click Add New Range.
This can be useful for defining multiple date ranges to represent historical or future changes in service costs. You can also modify the variable later to add or delete date ranges as costs change.
- Click OK .
You can now use the variable you created to build the formulas that form the basis for cost reports.