Cloud services make working with data easier and help you save money. This article provides information about the features and benefits of Microsoft’s cloud-based Azure platform.

 

What is Azure cloud service?

Cloud services enable companies to cut costs by avoiding having to buy, host, and maintain server hardware,, not to mention finding and installing the necessary software. Backed by cloud solutions, you can use all these resources remotely.

 

Microsoft Azure is one of the most popular cloud computing platforms from Microsoft, providing nearly 600 tools and services. These tools let you create, manage, and deploy apps, store and process data, and use Infrastructure as code.

 

Azure users benefit by having the following types of cloud computing to them:SaaS, PaaS, IaaS, and serverless computing. The platform allows you to complete many different tasks using third-party system tools, while Azure gives programmers access to various programming languages.

 

How does Azure work

The following popular products and services on Azure enable you to store and process data conveniently:

 

Compute resources are meant to deploy and manage virtual machines, containers, and batch jobs. With them, users get remote access to apps. This tool can be used from both public and private IP addresses and the parameter is configured according to the customer’s wishes.

 

Mobile services make it easier for developers to work on cloud apps for mobile devices: notifications and tools are available to specialists who create application program interfaces (API).

 

Azure Web gives customers access to app development and deployment services and supports search functions, content delivery, and API management.

 

Storage is cloud storage that can be easily scaled depending on the customer’s needs.

 

Analytics: Azure for Windows provides users with tools for real-time analytics, big data analytics, business intelligence, data lakes, and machine learning.

 

Networking is a group of Azure hosting services, including virtual networks, traffic analytics and diagnostics tools, dedicated connections and gateways, a load-balancing service, and DNS hosting.

 

Integration lets users recover websites, connect to both private and public clouds, and provide a backup for servers.

 

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a service for collecting and analyzing sensor data from smart devices. Those who use the Azure solution have access to notifications, analytics, and monitoring.

 

DevOps offers customers tools that provide access to collaborative software development and app diagnostics. In addition, DevOps as a service is also available to platform users.

 

Development is a category of services to help developers exchange their code, test application versions, and track or prevent possible problems. Coding in Azure is available in the most popular languages, such as JavaScript, Python, .NET, and Node.js. The support for Azure DevOps blockchain also falls into this category.

 

Security is a group of services that ensure cloud security and encryption key management.

 

Containers are a set of tools for creating and managing any containers. Azure enables users to work with the most popular container platforms, such as Docker, and also use Kubernetes cluster management.

 

Databases include Azure Cosmos DB and Azure for SQL. Databases as a service (DBaaS) are also available to customers.

 

Migration is the Azure tool that allows organizations to estimate costs and then implement cloud migration workloads from local centers to the Azure cloud service.

 

Administrators use Azure management for deployment. This service offers tools for data backup and recovery and also makes automation, scheduling, and monitoring easier.

 

Intune is a service that allows you to register user mobile devices and push security policies and mobile apps to them.

 

How to use Azure

The variety of components of Azure enables you to satisfy many needs. Here are the most popular service usage options:

 

  • Running virtual machines and containers in the cloud
  • Hosting databases in the cloud
  • Backup and disaster recovery

What are the benefits of Microsoft Azure?

Azure infrastructure as a service (IaaS) enables you to deploy and manage apps quickly and easily. Thanks to this service, Azure subscribers can get personalized cloud software settings with the features and needs of their projects in mind.

 

Analytics features

Azure supports data analysis and key insights. Cortana Analytics, Stream Analytics, SQL services, and machine learning features are available to users.

 

Azure system storage

Azure outperforms all other cloud services in terms of the number of data centers: they are located worldwide to ensure that most regions can use this solution. The platform provides customers with the fastest possible content delivery to the business environment. And the Azure environment guarantees users the security of data storage.

 

Scalability

The platform lets subscribers pay only for the services they use. It’s convenient for small enterprises planning to expand the project and scale and is the reason the cloud service of Microsoft is so popular among business owners.

 

High adaptability

Azure is highly adaptable, enabling your company to use functionality that meets any requirements. Azure supports most of the most popular technologies, letting developers and IT professionals move apps to the Azure cloud without wasting time.

What is Azure portal?

When starting to use the platform,a company gets access to all services and the Azure portal, a graphical UI that enables users to manage their subscription conveniently. This web console makes it easy to create and manage any solution: subscribers can monitor both regular web apps and complex cloud deployments. Users have access to services for creating virtual machines and databases.

 

Azure pricing

Azure uses PAYG pricing, i.e., customers pay only for the number of services they use. For that reason, your payment may change each month. The solution lets you calculate the cost with a personal set of services and products using a calculator.

 

Azure also offers special terms to users who subscribe to certain services for a long period. For instance, customers can save up to 80 percent in costs using Azure reserved virtual machines.

Is this platform a perfect fit for my project?

Azure is a solution perfect for different companies. By using it, experienced DevOps professionals enjoy all the tools they need to get the job done. If you are a startup or can’t yet hire your own DevOps team, you can use the Azure functionality by contacting a company that provides DevOps consulting services. They’ll deliver a personalized strategy for you, without the expense of a permanent professional team and having to buy or rent equipment and software.

 

SHALB has been providing various types of DevOps services since 2009—from CI/CD Service to Web & Mobile development. During this time, our specialists have launched more than 300 successful projects.

 

Cloud infrastructure design enables companies to save resources, scale easily, and access all the necessary services. As one of the most popular cloud platforms, Microsoft Azure is a one-stop solution that provides numerous tools for development, data storage and management, analytics, and containerization. Its users don’t need to pay for their local servers, buy equipment, or install and update software: Azure customers can create a personalized set of tools for their project, saving on capital expenditure.