Azure Databricks Meters vs Databricks SKUs from system.billing table

[Escarigasco]

When it comes to DBU, I am being charged by Azure for the following meters:

- Premium Jobs Compute DBU <-- DBUs that my job computes are spending
- Premium Serverless SQL DBU <-- DBUs that the SQL Warehouse compute is spending
- Premium All-Purpose Photon DBU <-- Photon DBUs that Personal Computes are spending
- Premium All-purpose Compute DBU <-- DBUs that Personal Computes are spending
- Premium Automated Serverless Compute DBU <-- ???
- Premium Interactive Serverless Compute DBU <-- ???
- Premium Jobs Compute Photon DBU <-- Photon DBUs that jobs computes are spending

Can someone advise if my understanding is correct and clear the remaining meters which I cannot explain?

Also how those these maps to Databricks SKUs coming from system.billing table:

- PREMIUM_JOBS_SERVERLESS_COMPUTE_US_EAST_2
- PREMIUM_JOBS_COMPUTE_(PHOTON)
- PREMIUM_ALL_PURPOSE_SERVERLESS_COMPUTE_US_EAST_2
- PREMIUM_ALL_PURPOSE_COMPUTE_(PHOTON)
- PREMIUM_SERVERLESS_SQL_COMPUTE_US_EAST_2
- PREMIUM_ALL_PURPOSE_COMPUTE
- PREMIUM_JOBS_COMPUTE

Many thanks!
Federico

[bianca_unifeye · Accepted solution]

Hi Federico,

Great question, Azure billing meters vs. Databricks SKUs can be confusing because:

• Azure exposes meters (what you get invoiced for),

• Databricks exposes SKUs (logical product categories),

• And system.billing surfaces SKU usage, not Azure meter names.

Premium Jobs Compute DBU

Billed for classic jobs clusters running non-Photon workloads.

Premium Jobs Compute Photon DBU

Same as above but when the job cluster uses Photon.

 Premium Serverless SQL DBU

DBUs consumed by Serverless SQL Warehouses.

Premium All-Purpose Compute DBU

DBUs consumed by interactive / all-purpose clusters (not using Photon).

 Premium All-Purpose Photon DBU

Same as above but when the cluster uses Photon.

🔸 Premium Automated Serverless Compute DBU

This is for Serverless Jobs Compute — the serverless replacement for classic jobs clusters.

Used when:

• You run a Job with Jobs Compute = Serverless

• No cluster provisioning — Databricks runs the compute in its serverless pool

Equivalent Databricks SKU:
➡ PREMIUM_JOBS_SERVERLESS_COMPUTE_<region>

Premium Interactive Serverless Compute DBU

This is for Serverless All-Purpose Compute (in Public Preview in some regions).

Used when:

• You create a Serverless All-Purpose Workspace cluster

• Interactive notebook sessions run in serverless mode

• Photon is on by default

Equivalent Databricks SKU:
➡ PREMIUM_ALL_PURPOSE_SERVERLESS_COMPUTE_<region>

Below is the clean 1:1 mapping:

Azure Meter (what Azure bills you for) Corresponding Databricks SKU (system.billing)

Premium Jobs Compute DBU	PREMIUM_JOBS_COMPUTE
Premium Jobs Compute Photon DBU	PREMIUM_JOBS_COMPUTE_(PHOTON)
Premium Serverless SQL DBU	PREMIUM_SERVERLESS_SQL_COMPUTE_<region>
Premium All-Purpose Compute DBU	PREMIUM_ALL_PURPOSE_COMPUTE
Premium All-Purpose Photon DBU	PREMIUM_ALL_PURPOSE_COMPUTE_(PHOTON)
Premium Automated Serverless Compute DBU	PREMIUM_JOBS_SERVERLESS_COMPUTE_<region>
Premium Interactive Serverless Compute DBU	PREMIUM_ALL_PURPOSE_SERVERLESS_COMPUTE_<region>

[Escarigasco]

Thank you Bianca, great answer!