Introducing Burst Protection Pricing for Hydra: Flexible Licensing for Unpredictable Spikes

July 31, 2025

Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) is essential for remote work, scalability, and productivity. However, one challenge for IT teams and finance departments alike is managing unexpected spikes in usage, especially under annual contracts for a fixed number of users.

Unlike month-to-month plans where costs can fluctuate and reset, annual commitments often lock in the peak usage as the new baseline. This forces companies to pay at that elevated level for the remainder of the term even after the spike subsides.

Whether it’s due to seasonal demands, emergency remote work scenarios, or even summer interns ramping up operations, these temporary surges lead to unwelcome surprises in licensing and billing.

Login VSI is excited to introduce our new Burst Protection Pricing, designed to provide short-term flexibility without the sting of permanent upgrades or shock bills.

The Hidden Costs of Usage Spikes in VDI Environments

Imagine your organization maintains a stable user base of 1,000 concurrent users on AVD. Then, an unforeseen event, like a natural disaster, temporary workforce additions, or rapid team expansion forces you to add 200 more users in just a few weeks.

In traditional setups, this can trigger a cascade of issues:

Permanent License Upscaling: Many platforms treat this peak usage as the new normal. For instance, if your usage hits 1,200 users, even temporarily, you might find your contract automatically scaled to that level, locking in higher costs for the entire term. This is not uncommon in today’s licensing models where overages aren’t easily reversed.

Unexpected Overage Charges: Without built-in buffers, short-term spikes result in immediate billing hikes or “true ups”.

These models, while robust for steady-state operations, often penalize flexibility. Customers are frustrated with “gotcha” bills at quarter- or year-end, eroding trust and complicating renewal discussions. This rigidity not only strains budgets but discourages innovation, as teams hesitate to scale during critical moments.

Hydra’s Burst Protection: A Customer-First Solution

Hydra’s Burst Protection Pricing flips the script by offering built-in flexibility for annual contracts, allowing you to handle short-lived spikes without immediate overages or forced permanent upgrades.

Here’s how it works

Included Burst Allowance: Every annual contract comes with 1 month of burst protection per year, where you can scale up to 2x your contracted users at no extra cost. This absorbs those unpredictable spikes, be it emergencies, seasonal rushes, or onboarding waves, giving you breathing room.

Additional Bursts: Need more? During scoping, you can purchase extra burst months upfront (our recommended approach for predictability if you know you have seasonal spikes) or on-demand. 

Real-World Example

Consider a customer committing to $40K/year for 1,000 concurrent users:

In January, an emergency pushed usage to 1,800 users. This is fully covered by the included 1-month, up to 2x license burst, at no extra charge.

In this example the customer determines that this temporary peak will continue for 2 additional months (e.g., summer projects or temporary workers) at 1,800 users, they can then add additional “Burst Months” for a fee. In August, when the projects complete and load returns to the 1000 user baseline, you will NOT need to “true up” or be charged for any license overages. 

Why Burst Protection Benefits Everyone

For customers I see three benefits when going with an annual contract with Burst Protection:

• No Surprise Bills: Unlike monthly billing models (e.g., Hydra purchased from the Marketplace and not via contract) or rigid overage systems on other platforms, Hydra shields you from short-term penalties.
• Better Customer Experience: Customer-friendly pricing, eliminating the “I shouldn’t pay for what I don’t use year-round” frustration.
• Enhanced Flexibility: Scale confidently during disruptions without long-term commitments.

In a world where spikes are handled through consumption-based hikes or license expansions, Hydra’s approach stands out by prioritizing the customer and understanding that “emergencies happen”.

Are you Ready to Burst-Proof Your AVD environment?

Burst Protection Pricing is more than a pricing feature, it’s a commitment to making Hydra the most adaptable, customer friendly, EUC management solution available.

If you’re dealing with volatile user demands or want to explore how this fits your AVD setup, get a demo today or try Hydra yourself on Azure Marketplace.

Stay tuned for more Hydra innovations!