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What Is Microsoft Azure Used For?

Microsoft Azure is a Cloud computing tool developed to take your business to the next level.

Learn more about how your business can benefit from connectivity, increasing productivity, enhancing security, and more with Microsoft Azure.

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Take your Business to the Next Level with Microsoft Azure

Today’s technology is evolving at a lightening-faced pace. In this ever-changing environment, Microsoft Azure is used for meeting business challenges and goals with specific resources that allow companies to choose the tools they need and the level of flexibility they prefer.

Microsoft Azure is used for productivity, security, and integration to help companies build and maintain the resources they need to meet business challenges and goals. It’s a great way to connect different systems while maintaining uptime and protecting data and resources in a secure environment.

How Does Microsoft Azure Work with Your Business?

As networking, security, analytics, and other Cloud services continually upgrade, many companies do not have the expertise or desire to manage infrastructure and software in-house with on-premise servers. Instead, they choose to buy what they need as a Cloud service offering, leaving the work of maintaining and updating areas like backup and disaster recovery, maintenance, version, and security to the experts. This allows them to leverage the technological power of industry leaders like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, benefiting from their size and resources with guaranteed performance and availability.

This is where Microsoft Azure enters the picture as a Cloud computing platform that provides a variety of different Cloud services, including computing, mobile, web, storage, analytics, Internet of Things (IoT), networking, development, security, and more.

Microsoft Azure provides flexibility through three different solution offerings:

  • Software as a Service (SaaS) – Manages the entire tech stack and allows users to connect to Cloud-based applications online, similar to Microsoft Outlook.
  • Platform as a Service (PaaS) – Allows users to manage the software and applications, while everything else is managed by a third-party that includes the operating system, infrastructure, networking, and storage.
  • Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) – Offers essential infrastructure such as computing, networking, and analytics, allowing users to manage everything from the operating system to the hardware.

Azure also integrates with many other Microsoft products, making it a good fit for companies that already have an established Microsoft footprint such as Microsoft Office or Dynamics 365 F&O.

What Is Microsoft Azure Used For?

Because Azure is so flexible, it can used for a wide variety of use cases, from integrating specific services to functioning as a replacement for on-premise servers.

Let’s take a look at five common use cases that put Azure to work.

 

Azure Use Case #1: Host and Develop Applications

When a mobile or web application goes down, it can mean loss of productivity, revenue, and customer trust. Azure Web Apps and Mobile Apps make it easy to host, scale, patch and sync their sites and apps so they can keep critical services up and running. Users can build an app inside Azure using .Net, Ruby, PHP, Python and a variety of other languages. Azure also supports both Windows and Linux, and can integrate commonly-used development environments like GitHub or Visual Studio.

Benefits of Azure Web Apps and Mobile Apps:

  • Secure app development
  • Multiple languages and frameworks
  • Integration of development environments
  • Auto-scaling

Azure Use Case #2: Manage Identity and Security

As remote work has become more widely integrated into the workplace experience, employers need a reliable system that can be accessed by a geographically dispersed workforce while keeping sensitive data secure. Azure Active Directory protects the online environment with multifactor, single sign-on authentication so employees can access everything they need, while providing rock-solid protection against cyber-attacks. The user experience is seamless and convenient, making it possible to manage all applications through conditional access that gives employees visibility and control over resources as needed.

Benefits of Azure Active Directory:

  • Enhanced cybersecurity
  • Single sign-on
  • Multifactor authentication
  • Improved user experience

 

Azure Use Case # 3: Build Internet of Things Industry Solutions

With thousands of partners in the Microsoft Cloud ecosystem, the Azure IoT Hub makes it possible to build and manage IoT applications that help you serve customers and connect IoT assets. Azure IoT gives full control over solution architecture as well as underlying services, enabling customization, management, and scaling as needed.

Benefits of Azure IoT:

  • Improved insights
  • Better customer experience
  • Reduced complexity
  • Faster development

 

Azure Use Case #4: Automate Workflows with Logic Apps

Quickly build, scale, and automate business processes and workflows that integrate all your data, apps, and services. Azure Logic Apps makes it simple to connect legacy and Cloud solutions without programming any code. Workflows and processes are configured in a web portal with easy administration, built-in triggers and actions, and enterprise integration. With hundreds of connectors available, users can pay for only the triggers and actions they need, plus storage.

Benefits of Azure Logic Apps:

  • Easy automation
  • Integration of apps, data, and systems
  • Connection across legacy and cloud systems
  • Built-in triggers and actions

 

Azure Use Case #5: Cloud-Based ERP Hosting and Dynamics 365 F&O

Critical ERP systems require reliable uptime, security, and scalability. With Azure, companies can host ERPs using the Azure Platform as a Service (PaaS) offering, like the web and mobile app service. Microsoft Azure also hosts Dynamics 365 F&O, Microsoft’s own SaaS ERP solution. Either of these options enable companies to manage their ERP environments securely while providing the flexibility to scale as needed.

Benefits of Azure Cloud-Based ERP Hosting:

  • Uptime
  • Scalability
  • Security
  • Flexibility

If you’re ready to implement Microsoft Azure or plan your technology strategy, AXIA can help! We serve as your partner to harness the power of technology for better business insights and decisions from start to finish. Contact us to schedule a consultation!

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