Configure Unused resources operations

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 1 minute to read

    • The Unused resources feature recommends termination or power-off for resources that are wasting money because they aren’t being used. Configure Unused resources processes and specify the potential savings that trigger notifications.

    Before you begin

    Run Discovery on each service account.

    Ensure that the Billing Download job has completed for each provider.

    Ensure that the Price Sheet Download job has completed for each provider.

    Role required: insights_admin [sn_clin_core.insights_admin] or insights_owner [sn_clin_core.insights_owner].

    About this task

    Note:
    Microsoft Azure only: The Azure Advisor service generates the recommendations that appear in Rightsizing and Unused resources reports. Cloud Cost Management doesn't generate the recommendations.

    Procedure

    1. Navigate to Cloud Cost Management Workspace > Operations > Recommendations > Unused resources.
    2. Select Settings.
    3. On the form, fill in the fields.
      Table 1. Unused Machine Settings
      Field Value

      Enable Unused Machines

      Option for enabling Unused resources activities.

      This field is automatically enabled.
      Advanced Option to specify non-default change templates.
      Auto pause interval

      Indicates the minimum idle time for the Azure SQL database in minutes.

      Default: 60 minutes
      Maximum age for snapshots in AWS/Azure/Google (days) Age of the snapshot. The snapshot data is displayed in the Rationale column in the Recommendations tab.

      Default: 90 days
      Notify when potential unused savings exceed (%) of total spend Percentage of overall cloud spend on unused resources that triggers an email notification to the users or groups that you specify.

      The value is calculated using the amount that could be saved if all Unused resources recommendations are applied.

      Default: 15%

      The default value of 15 means that notifications are sent only when the cost of operation for unused resources is greater than 15% of total costs.
      Notify users / Notify groups

      Users or groups to notify by email when the spend for unused resources exceeds the specified percentage of overall cloud spend.

      For information on configuring the email, see Create an email template.
      Auto-approval (Standard Change)
      Script include

      This field appears only when the Advanced check box is selected.

      CLINRSStandardChangeRequestUtil

      Script include to use for change requests when a resource matches a policy of the specified type. The Change group is derived from the Standard Change template and can’t be overridden.
      Manual approval (Normal Change)
      Script include

      This field appears only when the Advanced check box is selected.

      CLINRSNormalChangeRequestUtil
    4. Select Save.