Microsoft Azure is a growing collection of integrated cloud services that developers and IT professionals use to build, deploy, and manage applications through a global network of datacenters. With Azure, you get the freedom to build and deploy wherever you want, using the tools, applications, and frameworks of your choice.
It’s a cloud computing service which enables the building, deploying, and managing of services through a network of data centres managed by Microsoft.
It provides a platform for service, as well as the infrastructure for it, in addition to providing the software. Azure supports various tools, programming languages and systems, whether these are Microsoft-based or third-party systems or software.
Why should your business use it?
With a host of services offered, Microsoft Azure has certainly embraced the cloud environment and has thus ensured the relevancy of Microsoft in the digital age. Azure makes it possible to launch virtual Windows or Linux machines, develop sites using, for instance, Node.js or PHP because of the hosting service offered.
These sites can be uploaded through special user-friendly portals, or can be deployed using, for instance, Git or FTP. It is also possible to deploy WebJobs to a Web App, enabling background processing functionality.
Microsoft Azure has made it possible to use a specialised app for the development and distribution of mobile apps, while user behaviour analytics can be collected in real time with the Mobile Engagement technology. Equally impressive is the range of storage services and applications.
Table Service makes it possible to store structured text in specific portioned collections, Queue Service enables asynchronous communication by message through a queue system, and Storage Services enable storage and accessing and retrieving of data in the virtual world.
With Azure Search, it is possible to do text searches and StorSimple enables management of storage tasks between cloud storage and on-site devices. The SQL DataWarehouse service can handle data-intensive queries.
Analytics, content protection, streaming, and encoding are possible with the PaaS service. With Azure Automation, it is possible to automate the manual repetitive tasks normally performed in enterprise and cloud environments.
This is an especially useful feature, as it saves time and increases accuracy of repetitive administrative work. Microsoft Azure is the answer for businesses that have to do their computing in the cloud environment.
In real life?
Here’s a case study from a London-based company that uses Azure to deliver real-time data science:
Will it break my budget?
With Microsoft Azure’s pay-as-you-go pricing model, it is possible for the company to effectively manage its cloud and IT costs. The company only pays for what it needs. In addition, the ability to save on infrastructure costs related to hardware and IT management and support makes Azure an even more attractive solution for modern businesses. Contact us for pricing.
Where do I start?
Give us a call for help in selecting a cloud solution that will meet your company’s requirements.
