What is Microsoft Azure?
Microsoft Azure is a comprehensive cloud computing platform and infrastructure created by Microsoft for building, testing, deploying, and managing applications and services through Microsoft-managed data centers. Azure provides Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) capabilities.
Launched in 2010, Azure has grown to become one of the leading cloud platforms, particularly strong in enterprise environments due to its integration with Microsoft's ecosystem including Windows Server, Active Directory, Office 365, and development tools like Visual Studio. Azure serves businesses of all sizes across 60+ regions worldwide.
Azure Cost Calculator
B2s (2 vCPU, 4GB RAM)
Total Monthly Cost: $232
Estimates based on US East pricing • Performance Score: 84/100
Azure Core Services
Azure Virtual Machines
On-demand scalable computing resources with Windows and Linux support.
• Spot instances
• Scale sets
• Hybrid connectivity
• Azure Backup integration
Azure Active Directory
Cloud-based identity and access management service with enterprise features.
• Multi-factor authentication
• Conditional access
• Identity protection
• B2B/B2C scenarios
Azure SQL Database
Fully managed relational database with built-in intelligence and security.
• Built-in security
• Elastic pools
• Geo-replication
• Always Encrypted
Azure App Service
Platform for building and hosting web apps, APIs, and mobile backends.
• Auto-scaling
• CI/CD integration
• Custom domains
• Deployment slots
Azure Global Infrastructure
Regions
Geographic areas with one or more datacenters.
- • 60+ regions worldwide
- • Data residency compliance
- • Regional disaster recovery
- • Latency optimization
Availability Zones
Physically separate datacenters within regions.
- • High availability design
- • Independent power & cooling
- • Low-latency networking
- • 99.99% SLA availability
Paired Regions
Disaster recovery and business continuity.
- • 300+ miles separation
- • Planned update isolation
- • Platform recovery priority
- • Data residency boundaries
Azure Service Categories
Compute
VMs, App Service, Functions, Container Instances, AKS
Storage
Blob Storage, Files, Disks, Data Lake, Archive
Databases
SQL Database, Cosmos DB, PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis
Networking
Virtual Network, VPN Gateway, Load Balancer, CDN
Identity
Active Directory, B2C, B2B, Identity Protection
Analytics
Synapse, Data Factory, Stream Analytics, Power BI
AI + Machine Learning
Cognitive Services, Machine Learning, Bot Service
DevOps
Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions, Container Registry
Azure Enterprise Integration
Hybrid Cloud
Seamless integration between on-premises and cloud environments.
Azure Stack → Run Azure services on-premises
ExpressRoute → Private connectivity to Azure
Microsoft 365 Integration
Deep integration with Office 365, Teams, and productivity tools.
PowerApps → Custom business apps
Power BI → Business intelligence
Power Automate → Workflow automation
Governance & Compliance
Enterprise-grade governance, compliance, and security features.
Management Groups → Organize subscriptions
Cost Management → Monitor and optimize costs
Real-World Azure Implementations
H&R Block
Modernized tax preparation platform using Azure cloud services.
- • Azure App Service for web apps
- • Azure SQL Database for data
- • Azure Active Directory for identity
- • Azure DevOps for CI/CD
BMW Group
Uses Azure for connected car services and manufacturing optimization.
- • IoT Hub for vehicle data
- • Machine Learning for analytics
- • Cosmos DB for global data
- • Power BI for insights
ASOS
Fashion retailer leveraging Azure for e-commerce platform scalability.
- • Azure Kubernetes Service
- • Azure Redis Cache
- • Application Gateway
- • Azure Monitor for observability
Progressive Insurance
Digital transformation using Azure for customer experience enhancement.
- • Hybrid cloud architecture
- • Azure Data Factory
- • Power Platform integration
- • Advanced analytics
Azure Well-Architected Framework
Cost Optimization
Manage costs and maximize the value delivered by your cloud investments.
Operational Excellence
Operational practices and procedures to support development workloads.
Performance Efficiency
Ability to scale efficiently to meet demands placed on your workload.
Reliability
Ability to recover from failures and continue to function correctly.
Security
Protect applications and data from threats and ensure compliance.