Microsoft Azure is a much praised product, very well known as a cloud infrastructure platform. But what, exactly, does that mean? How does Microsoft Azure work and what can it do for your business? We’re here to demystify Microsoft Azure and to detail the benefits of this system.
Understanding Cloud Infrastructure Platforms
Microsoft Azure is a cloud infrastructure platform, which means its users can access all kinds of services online. From storage to networking and encompassing other programs and platforms, Microsoft Azure opens the doors. Because everything is held on the cloud, users don’t need to rely on servers and systems on site. Instead, they can access what they need anywhere they have an internet connection.
The cloud consists of physical servers in a datacenter somewhere outside of a user’s site. These servers store data and run virtualized versions of hardware. When you are on the cloud, you use your device and connection to access the servers remotely. You can use cloud computing in many ways, all of which can help your organization perform more effectively.
What Microsoft Azure Offers
Microsoft Azure provides access to cloud services and resources that belong to Microsoft. These services include computing, networking, storage, analytics, migration, artificial intelligence, and various tools, including developer tools and management tools. Hundreds of services are available via Microsoft Azure. On top of Microsoft’s proprietary technologies, Azure provides access to various open technologies, such as Linux distributions.
Azure contains both infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and platform as a service (PaaS) capabilities. This means organizations can outsource infrastructure or create their apps and solutions without needing to buy or manage the underlying infrastructure. It also includes software as a service (SaaS) capabilities, allowing cloud-based apps over the internet.
Primarily, Azure functions in several key ways: virtual machines, cloud services, storage, and app services. So there are several ways to make Microsoft Azure work for your organization.
Virtual machines are computer files that act like they are real computers. They run in a window like a regular computer program, allowing users to access the virtual machine without impacting the host computer. This is ideal for testing apps, accessing data, and running programs that shouldn’t run on the main system.
One popular deployment involving the cloud is Microsoft Azure as a backup and disaster recovery tool. Because Azure is based on the cloud, it can back up your important information from any device. For Windows virtual environment users, it is even more helpful, with built in integration so your information practically handles itself.
Microsoft Azure app services let your organization build, deploy, and scale its web apps. Azure’s fully managed platform provides the infrastructure maintenance, security patching, and scaling, and security and compliance measures keep operations running smoothly. For organizations in government, health care, manufacturing, finance, and other sensitive sectors, Azure is built for risk management and sensitivity.
These are just a few examples of how Azure can work for your organization. Many combinations of services, apps, and infrastructure can transform the way you work.
The Benefits of Microsoft Azure
Microsoft Azure is affordable and accessible for organizations of any size. The services are available with prepaid plans, or under pay as you go rates, and users only pay for the resources they use. Whether a company is small and new to the industry, or large and well established, Azure will scale to your needs and budget while saving money on in house IT costs. Also, Microsoft matches the pricing for Amazon Web Services, another popular cloud infrastructure platform.
For organizations already using Microsoft tools, Microsoft Azure is a wise investment. It integrates with other Microsoft tools perfectly, which simplifies operations. There is no need to struggle to make your cloud platform and your existing infrastructure work together when it is all under the same umbrella.
Microsoft Azure offers a lot of analytic and intelligence capabilities, allowing organizations to dig into data and find insights that improve business decisions. These analytics are built right into the platform, which also includes capabilities like machine learning and bots. With the right Azure deployment, your business can work smarter, not harder.
Azure fits into your existing IT infrastructure, giving your staff the resources they need, at their fingertips. All of the software and systems that integrate naturally with Azure ensure the learning curve for this system is easy to navigate. When you use it, it works with what you have and makes your systems, information, and decision making better. No matter what you need from a cloud platform, you are sure to find it through Microsoft Azure.
We can help you figure out if Microsoft Azure is right for your business. Our Managed Services focuses on applying the right technologies to solve your unique business challenges.