Exploring Cloud Platforms? Dive into the World of Microsoft Azure!
As explained in a previous article, the cloud is becoming increasingly vital for businesses. Indeed, the cloud allows companies to access IT resources without the need to establish themselves in data centers.
After 9 years of existence, Microsoft Azure is now one of the top 6 cloud players, along with Alibaba, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, IBM, and Oracle.
Microsoft Azure is currently the most widely adopted solution worldwide, with 54 user regions and availability in 140 countries.
As a result, Microsoft Azure is Microsoft’s fastest-growing business and is likely to surpass Windows’ revenues in a few years.
So, what is Microsoft Azure?
Introducing Microsoft Azure
Microsoft announced the creation of Azure in 2008 and made it available to the public two years later under the name Windows Azure, before being renamed Microsoft Azure in 2014. Microsoft Azure offers businesses the opportunity to make significant cost savings because this cloud solution eliminates the need to create an on-premises data center, update it, maintain it, and more.
Microsoft Azure is a vast set of cloud computing services that are available to organizations looking to store their business data on the internet without the need for server hardware or software.
Like its competitors, Microsoft Azure is primarily a cloud solution that provides access to IT resources via the internet. Microsoft Azure offers a multitude of services aimed at simplifying application development, ensuring data security, and managing costs.
In essence, it allows businesses to focus on their core activities and increase productivity.
Currently available in 50 different regions, Microsoft Azure encompasses various cloud services, including storage, virtual machines, content delivery networks, and services that use Microsoft’s proprietary technologies like Active Directory and SQL Server.
One of the most popular services in this cloud is Azure IoT Suite, which allows for connecting IoT devices, telemetry, and analytics. Azure Cosmos DB is a NoSQL database dedicated to specific use cases. Azure Media Services offers video indexing, transcoding, and content protection services. In summary, Microsoft Azure’s cloud services cover a wide range of categories, from storage and development to integration, networking, and data analytics.
One of Azure’s main advantages is the ease of transitioning on-site Microsoft products to the cloud. Cloud products are integrated with their on-premises versions, making the move to the cloud much smoother.
Another advantage of Azure is its compliance with data protection regulations. It has FedRAMP certification in the USA and Healthcare Data Host certification in France, which allows it to store healthcare data on its servers.
Microsoft Azure is also interested in technologies such as artificial intelligence. Many services in this cloud are dedicated to using the cloud itself and ensuring its security. Moreover, Microsoft partners with hardware vendors like Lenovo or Dell to offer Azure Stack, a solution for setting up a hybrid cloud.
Many businesses that use Microsoft technologies, such as Windows Server, choose Azure because Windows Server has been phased out, and migrating to the cloud can be more cost-effective than investing in a new license.
Azure is particularly attractive to small businesses that cannot afford the costs of on-premises deployment or data center leasing. Azure’s billing system offers them greater flexibility.
Proposed solutions
Infrastructure: This cloud offers continuously adaptable infrastructure to meet the needs of the entity.
Web Applications: Microsoft Azure provides secure and flexible development and deployment alternatives for web applications of all sizes.
Mobile Applications: This cloud offers efficient mobile app development, data storage, user authentication, and high-volume notification capabilities.
Development and Testing: Microsoft Azure allows for faster and cost-effective application development and testing, with the flexibility for on-premises or cloud deployment.
Big Data: Microsoft Azure’s HDInsight, powered by Apache Hadoop, provides new insights and improves decision-making through Big Data solutions.
Storage: Microsoft Azure offers storage, backup, and recovery solutions that adapt to current operational modes, ensuring business continuity while only paying for the necessary storage capacity.
Microsoft Azure: pricing
The prices vary based on:
1. Types of services.
2. The amount of storage used.
3. The location of Azure instances.
These pricing criteria allow businesses to pay only for what they consume, resulting in significant cost savings.
Furthermore, the Microsoft for Startups program provides certain startups with $10,000 in credits if they collaborate with one of the program’s partner startup accelerators.
Similarly, the Azure for Students program allows students to enjoy $100 in credits to be used within 12 months, providing access to 25 products, including cloud storage.
You now have all the information you need about Microsoft Azure! If you want to learn more about data-related careers and suitable training options, feel free to contact us!
