Jon Baleva Jan 25, 2024

Azure Cloud Services and Its Importance

Cloud computing has become an essential part of our lives. It has been around for a while now and is continuing to grow. In today's world, we need to be able to access data from anywhere at any time. Cloud services allow us to store and share files on the internet without worrying about the hardware storage limitations of personal computers or devices.

Cloud computing has numerous advantages, including increased security because the information is not stored locally but instead on servers connected directly with other networks. Azure, Microsoft’s cloud service, has been gaining in popularity recently and offers a wide range of services that can be used for businesses and organizations.

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Microsoft Azure also gives you access to enterprise-scale IT infrastructure capacity in the cloud so your apps will always run smoothly and reliably without worrying about server maintenance. We shall focus on the value of Microsoft Azure as a leading cloud service provider, the benefits it possesses and its various services.

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What is Microsoft Azure Cloud Service?

Microsoft Azure Cloud Services is Microsoft’s public PaaS (Platform as a Service) and IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) cloud-computing platform. Microsoft Azure provides a range of cloud computing services and other web server computation resources that developers can use to develop their applications or provide storage space for data.

Read More: What is Microsoft Azure? Basic facts

The Azure platform is a powerhouse for businesses of all sizes and industries, with tools that support e-commerce, finance, and various Fortune 500 companies. Azure also offers four different forms of cloud computing: Infrastructure as a service (IaaS), Platform as the Service (PaaS), Software As A Service (SAAS) or Serverless Computing.

The Azure platform aims to help businesses meet their organizational goals by providing flexible features like cross-platform compatibility. Users have freedom over what they want to use while still getting top-notch security from Microsoft’s reputation alone.

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Benefits of Azure Cloud Services

Microsoft Azure cloud services are an essential part of Microsoft’s strategy in providing cloud computing solutions. Microsoft Azure is a suite of on-demand services and infrastructure that gives developers access to the managed databases, compute, storage, networking and integration from Microsoft's global network of data centers.

The various benefits that Microsoft Azure holds include the following:

  • Efficiency and Increased Productivity:  Microsoft Azure allows developers to focus on their core competencies and provide the services needed to quickly create new applications with Microsoft Azure.
  • Scalability: Azure offers scalable solutions, so providers can start small but scale up as demand increases. Microsoft provides a pay-as-you-go pricing model that lets customers share resources in a way that suits their business needs at any given time.
  • Security: Microsoft Azure has secure data centers located worldwide, which Microsoft's security experts monitor. There are many layers of protection, including hardware firewalls, software firewalls, virtual private networks (VPNs) over SSL/TLS connections and access control lists, among others.
  • Cost-efficient: The cloud infrastructure is designed in a way that makes application development cost-effective.
  • Enhanced Backup and Disaster Recovery: Microsoft Azure not only permits you to backup your data virtually in any programming language, operating system, or location where you can set a schedule for backups daily, weekly, or monthly. It also provides built-in integration and site recovery features designed to improve the quality of these off-site replications by storing three copies in three different locations within one data center and another three copies at an external storage facility.


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Microsoft Azure Cloud Services List

Microsoft Azure offers over 600 cloud services – from storage to compute, databases, and the list is consistently growing. Here is an overview of some Microsoft Azure Cloud Service:

Microsoft Azure Cloud Services Description
AI and Machine Learning
  • Multiple services support artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cognitive computing capabilities into applications and data sets.
Analytics
  • Analytics solutions offer real-time workspace and services to analyze large volumes of data to make critical business decisions. It also allows running complicated queries, features big data analytics and business intelligence.
Compute
  • Azure provides hosting services like Virtual Machines (VM) and Azure ServiceFabric to host, run, and access cloud compute capacity and scale on demand. Compute services can be configured with public or private IP addresses depending on the accessibility of the resource.
Blockchain
  • Microsoft Azure Blockchain platform is for developing blockchain applications and includes tools to build, deploy and manage distributed ledgers.
Storage
  • Data storage services provide secure and scalable cloud storage facilities for both structures and unstructured data. It also supports big data projects, persistent storage and archival storage.
Container
  • Azure provides container services that help enterprises create, develop, register, orchestrate, and manage an enormous volume of containerised applications faster. You can use Azure Kubernetes Services to scale and orchestrate Linux Containers.
Databases
  • Azure Database services support rapid growth and innovate faster with secure services. Azure SQL is the most popular database for those needing a quick and easy solution. In addition, Azure has on-demand databases, including Database as a Service (DBaaS) offerings for SQL and NoSQL.
Development Tools
  •  Azure's development tools and services enhance the overall software development and deployment process. It helps application creators share codes, test applications, and track potential issues.
DevOps
  • Azure DevOps services deliver innovation faster with collaboration tools. It facilitates the DevOps software development process, application diagnostics, tool integration, and hassle-free delivery.
Internet of Things (IoT)
  • Azure IoT services help users capture, monitor and analyze IoT data. It offers more flexibility to develop a custom solution to manage IoT for your organization.
Networking
  • Azure Network Services are a collection of services that provide Azure and on-premise infrastructure networking capabilities. These include Azure Virtual Networks, ExpressRoute, DNS provided by the platform, Traffic Manager and CDN.
Management and Governance
  • These Azure services provide a range of backup, recovery, compliance and automation tools that help a cloud administrator to manage an Azure deployment. It simplifies and optimizes your cloud resources.
Web
  • Building, deploying, and scaling powerful web applications quickly and efficiently uses web service support. They also offer features to search, content delivery, API management, notification, and reporting.

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Why is it essential to be certified as an Azure Cloud Service Engineer?

The Microsoft Azure platform is a suite of integrated, on-demand web and mobile apps with powerful analytics capabilities for businesses to build their app or connect them securely without developing them from scratch. In addition, the Microsoft certifications are designed for you if you want to validate your knowledge of Microsoft products and avail the benefits of a budding career.

The growing demand in the cloud computing industry is a significant reason to acquire Azure certification. In addition, it acts as a stepping stone to better career opportunities in different sectors according to your interest.  

The Microsoft Azure certifications program provides the skills needed by IT professionals for them to design solutions on Microsoft Azure. In addition, it benefits individuals as they can offer a wide range of technical services, which would be hard without having these skill sets. With these certifications, many opportunities arise.

Read More: Microsoft Azure Skills

Microsoft Azure certification will give you firsthand experience working with cloud technology, teach you about the intricacies of deploying and developing businesses using all the benefits of the cloud and educate you on making the most out of this technology.

According to your expertise level and interest, you can choose your level of certification and the specialization it offers. The levels of certification available in Microsoft Azure are:

  • Fundamental Certifications: The beginner level of certification offers an ideal starting point for anyone new to cloud or Azure.
  • Associate Certifications: You can pursue the associate level if you are well aware of what Azure offers. Whether you are a developer or not, the certification training can help you excel in your skillset.
  • Expert Certifications: To pursue this certification, an associate-level accreditation is required, but the Azure Solutions Architect Expert has no prerequisites.
  • Speciality Certification: There are currently three speciality certifications: Developer Speciality, SAP Workloads Speciality, and Virtual Desktop Speciality credentials.

Read Also: AWS Certification and Career Opportunities

In Conclusion

Azure is one of the primary cloud computing services and can be used for a variety of purposes. Its cloud service provides many benefits, including increased security through encryption and access to information anywhere globally with an internet connection. In addition, Microsoft Azure cloud service offers different services that can help you in your marketing endeavors. So whether you are looking for an eCommerce solution or need assistance developing data analytics tools, Azure has just what you need. 

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SENIOR TRAINER: NETWORKING AND PROGRAMMING

Jon Baleva is an IT professional with 20 years of experience in programming and networking. He is an expert in Python & IT Security domains as well as in Operating Systems (OS). He has trained professionals and students in IT Programming courses, Microsoft Azure, Linux   & MAC OS. He is also a writer who writes on tech-related topics for various tech magazines in Philippine. He is now an IT Trainer with Edoxi Training Institute, Dubai.

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