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Configuring Azure FOCUS Exports

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Configuring Azure FOCUS Data Exports for CerteroX

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Storage Account

Configure an Azure Storage Account as a destination for FOCUS data exports, and as a source from which the CerteroX Reporting Module will ingest the data.

  1. In the Azure portal, search for and open Storage accounts.

  2. Click Create to create a new storage account.

  3. Select your Subscription and create or select a Resource group.

  4. Provide a Storage account name (e.g. certeroxfocus).

  5. Select a Region.

  6. Set storage type as required.

  7. Set performance and redundancy options as required, with minimums being acceptable.

Choosing a region closest to the Certero reporting module infrastructure will help ensure best performance. The UK South Azure region for UK/EU customers is preferred.

Create Shared Access Signature (SAS)

The CerteroX Reporting Module will access the Storage Account using a Shared Access Signature (SAS), which is a least-privilege, timebound key.

  1. Open the Storage Account you created.

  2. In the left navigation, go to Security + networking → Shared access signature.

  3. Configure the Allowed services:

    • ☑ Blob

    • ☐ File, Queue, Table

  4. Configure the Allowed resource types:

    • ☑ Container

    • ☑ Object

    • ☐ Service

  5. Configure the Allowed permissions:

    • ☑ Read

    • ☑ List

    • ☐ All others

  6. Set the Start and End expiry dates for the SAS token.

  7. Select a Signing key (e.g. key1).

  8. Click Generate SAS and connection string.

  9. Copy the Blob service SAS URL and provide it to Certero.

The Signing key is the Storage Account key that underpins the SAS token. Revoking the key will revoke the SAS token.

FOCUS Exports

For each Billing Scope where data is required in the CerteroX Reporting Module, configure a FOCUS export.

  1. In the Azure portal, go to Cost Management + Billing.

  2. Select a Billing scope from the list.

  3. In the left navigation, go to Cost management → Cost analysis.

  4. Click Configure billing account near the top-right.

  5. Select Exports.

  6. Click Create → Cost and usage (FOCUS).

  7. Enter an Export prefix using the Billing Scope name.

  8. Click the edit icon to open the export configuration editor.

  9. Configure the export settings:

    • Type of data → Cost and usage details (FOCUS) - Preview

    • Export name → [Billing Scope name]-focus-cost

    • Dataset version → 1.0r2

    • Frequency → Daily export of month-to-date costs

  10. Click Save then Next.

  11. Configure the Destination settings:

    • Storage type → Azure blob storage

    • Destination and storage → Use existing

    • Subscription → Select the subscription containing your storage account

    • Storage account → Select the storage account you created

    • Container → certero-focus (or your preferred name)

    • Directory → default

    • Format → CSV

    • Compression type → None

  12. Enable File partitioning.

  13. Enable Overwrite data.

  14. Click Next then Create.

If your Billing Scopes don't have unique names, add additional characters to ensure export names/prefixes are unique across all Billing Scope exports.

The blob storage Container and Directory will be created by the first export and used by exports for all other Billing Scopes.

Repeat these steps to create an export for each Billing Scope you want included in the CerteroX Reporting Module, using the same settings except for the Export prefix/name, which should be unique and based on each Billing Scope name.

Historical FOCUS Data

Cloud cost reporting may be of limited use until at least a full month's data is collected. Historical data for previous months provides additional value. As a one-time effort, manually export data for the previous few months.

  1. Navigate to Cost Management + Billing → your Billing Scope → Cost analysis → Configure billing account → Exports.

  2. Locate the FOCUS export you created for the Billing Scope.

  3. Click the context menu (ellipsis ...) on the export row.

  4. Select Export selected dates.

  5. Enter the Start and End dates for a single month (e.g. 01/10/2025 to 31/10/2025).

  6. Click Execute.

  7. Repeat for each historical month you wish to export.

You can only export a single month at a time. You'll need to repeat this for all historical months for all Billing Scopes.

You can submit multiple requests for queuing. Monitor the Run history in the export properties to track the status of submitted historical month requests.