In our previous blogs around Cloud computing, we’ve discussed the benefits & definitions surrounding Cloud computing as well as the different types of cloud service & deployment. In our final article in the series, we provide a comprehensive definition of what Microsoft Azure is, followed by the different options that are available to successfully deploy Azure in your business.
So just what is Microsoft Azure?
Microsoft Azure is a growing collection of integrated cloud services that developers and IT professionals use to build, deploy and manage applications through Microsoft’s global network of data centres.
With Azure, you get the freedom to build and deploy wherever you want, using the tools, applications and frameworks that best suit your business. Azure offers businesses a number of benefits:
- you can deploy it anywhere with the tools of your choice.
- protect your business with rigorous security, privacy, compliance and transparency developed by Microsoft.
- rapidly develop, deploy and manage your apps.
- easily uncover business insights with advanced analytics and data services.
Deployment
You can choose how you deploy Azure, connecting cloud and on-premises with consistent hybrid cloud capabilities and using open-source technologies, gives you maximum portability and value from your existing investments.
Build your apps
Users can use the tools and open-source technologies that you already know and trust because Azure supports a broad selection of operating systems, programming languages, frameworks, databases and other devices.
Connect on-premise data and apps
Azure offers hybrid consistency anywhere, in application development, management, security, identity management and across the data platform.
Extend the cloud on-premise
You can extend Azure to your data centre with Azure Stack and build innovative hybrid apps across the cloud and on-premise. Users can apply the same APIs, DevOps tools and portal and Marketplace content.
Security in the cloud
90% of Fortune 500 companies trust Microsoft Cloud with their data.
Achieve global scale
Companies can extend their global reach with the cloud service that offers more countries and regions than any other provider. Azure runs on a worldwide network of Microsoft-managed data centres across 40 announced regions.
Mitigate threats
You can get a central view of all your Azure resources with Azure Security Centre which helps you to prevent, detect and respond to threats with increased visibility and control over the security of all your Azure resources.
Trusted Cloud
Microsoft Azure offers the most comprehensive compliance coverage of cloud offerings with approximately 50 compliance offerings.
Accelerate App Innovation
Companies can build simple to complex projects within a consistent portal experience using integrated cloud services and users can develop, deploy and manage your apps.
Build apps quickly
Whether your company wants to build internet-scale applications or simple mobile apps, develop and iterate faster and easier using the integrated tools, API’s and other features like analytics in Azure.
Manage Apps
Using the Azure portal, Application Insights and the Operations Management Suite to gain insights that help you to monitor, iterate and manage all your apps and systems centrally.
Deliver Mobile Apps Easily
It's possible to build mobile apps faster for any popular form factor and operating system using continuous development and DevOps tools such as Xamarin.
Power Strategic Decisions and Apps with Insights
Discover business insights with advanced analytics and data services for both traditional and new data sources. Companies can detect anomalies, predict behaviours and recommend actions for the business according to their needs.
Add Intelligence to your Apps
Engage your customers in fresh ways with AI capabilities, Cognitive Services and Bot Framework, create the kind of app interactions that are pleasing to users.
Predict and respond proactively
You can make more intelligent decisions and discover new possibilities with the Internet of Things data using predictive analytics services such as Machine Learning.
Support your strategy with any data
Draw insights from multiple data sources including ERP & CRM systems, web and big data, integrating your apps with tools that you use across your business.
If you have read the above article and are keen to get Microsoft Azure deployed in your business, looking to discuss all the Cloud options available or are looking to protect your business from cyber threats, then please contact our IT experts who will be able to discuss everything in more depth.
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