Cloud computing has emerged as a game-changer for businesses, enabling companies to scale, secure, and streamline their operations more efficiently than ever. Among the cloud giants, Microsoft Azure has risen to prominence as a go-to platform for organizations worldwide. In this blog, we'll delve into what Azure is, to help users and companies looking for cloud opportunities understand how it can benefit them.

 

What is Microsoft Azure?

Azure is Microsoft's cloud computing platform and infrastructure. It provides a vast array of cloud services, including computing, analytics, databases, networking, storage, and more through global data centers. It also empowers organizations with the flexibility to build, deploy, and manage applications and services through Microsoft-managed data centers globally.

Key Features and Services

Azure Virtual Machines

Azure offers virtual machines that allow businesses to run applications in the cloud, providing scalable and flexible computing power without the need for physical hardware.

Hybrid Cloud Capabilities

Azure's hybrid cloud solutions enable seamless integration between on-premises and cloud environments. This flexibility allows MSPs to cater to clients with varied infrastructure requirements, ensuring a smooth transition to the cloud.

Single-pane Operations

Microsoft Azure's single-pane operations via the Operation Management Suite (OMS) offer seamless monitoring and management of hybrid environments, including virtual machines, storage, network services, logs, and insights. OMS prioritizes security, providing comprehensive solutions for hybrid infrastructure challenges.

Computational services

1. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): Azure offers virtual machines, storage, and networking resources, allowing businesses to migrate their existing on-premises infrastructure to the cloud, reducing hardware costs, and enhancing scalability.
2. Platform as a Service (PaaS): Developers can leverage Azure's PaaS offerings to build, deploy, and manage applications without worrying about the underlying infrastructure. This enables quicker development cycles and enhanced collaboration.
3. Software as a Service (SaaS): Azure hosts a variety of SaaS solutions, including Office 365, Dynamics 365, and more, which simplify application access and management.

Azure Blob Storage

This service enables secure and cost-effective storage of large amounts of unstructured data, ideal for backups, media files, and application data.

Azure SQL Database

A fully managed relational database service, Azure SQL Database offers high-performance, secure, and scalable database solutions for various applications.

Azure AI and Machine Learning

Businesses can leverage Azure’s artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities to gain valuable insights, automate processes, and create intelligent applications.

Azure IoT Hub

For companies delving into the realm of IoT, Azure IoT Hub facilitates seamless communication between IoT applications and devices, enabling real-time monitoring and control.

 

Why Azure Matters for Businesses: Key Benefits

key benefits

Scalability

Azure's elasticity allows businesses to scale resources up or down on-demand. It caters to the dynamic needs of companies without forcing them to invest in expensive hardware. Whether it's handling a sudden surge in web traffic or expanding storage capabilities, Azure provides the necessary scalability to support business growth.

Global Reach and Reliability

Azure boasts a global network of data centers, ensuring high availability and redundancy (i.e. ensures that accounts meet their durability targets). This infrastructure minimizes downtime and data loss, which is crucial for businesses in the digital age where loss of data can cost millions.

Not to mention that with Azure’s world-wide distribution of data centers, businesses can expand into global markets with more ease. This can greatly advance growth opportunities for a number of businesses and therein lead to greater innovation when competing in new markets.

Security and Compliance

Security is paramount in the digital age, and Azure prioritizes it. Azure's robust security features include threat detection, identity and access management, encryption, and compliance certifications like ISO 27001 and SOC 2. With Azure, organizations can rest assured that their data is secure and compliant with industry standards.

Cost Effectiveness

With a variety of licensing and pricing models, organizations have the option to leverage Azure’s revenue-boosting productivity enhancements while paying only for the resources they consume. It also provides flexibility in allowing businesses to scale their resources up or down based on demand.

Furthermore, Azure offers an array of tools and services designed to assist businesses in maximizing their cloud expenditure, such as cost management and resource optimization tools. These resources empower organizations to supervise and manage their Azure expenses.

With flexibility and cost-management features, Azure enables companies to optimize their IT budgets, minimizing wastage while providing the resources necessary to meet their specific needs.

Check out this in-depth forum post that demonstrates how Azure is one of the most cost-effective cloud infrastructures.

Analytics and Business Intelligence

Microsoft Azure offers powerful analytics and business intelligence tools for data-driven insights. Services like Azure Machine Learning and Power BI enable businesses to analyze data, enhancing decision-making processes. Furthermore, Azure seamlessly integrates with Microsoft products like Dynamics 365 and Office, ensuring a smooth user experience and boosting productivity.

Collaboration and Productivity

Microsoft Azure offers diverse tools and services aimed at enhancing business collaboration and productivity. Azure Active Directory enables streamlined management of user accounts and access control for cloud applications, enhancing security measures and simplifying user administration.

Additionally, Azure provides a suite of collaboration tools, such as Microsoft Teams and SharePoint. These platforms facilitate real-time collaboration on documents and projects, fostering increased productivity and teamwork among employees.

Innovation and Integration

Azure continuously evolves, offering cutting-edge technologies such as AI, machine learning, and IoT. For businesses, this means they can stay ahead of the curve by integrating these innovative technologies into their operations, driving efficiency and competitiveness.

 

More than Just a Cloud Platform

Microsoft Azure is more than just a cloud platform; it's a catalyst for innovation and transformation in the modern business landscape. Businesses have a unique opportunity to leverage Azure's capabilities to meet their dynamic IT needs. Namely, because Azure offers scalability, reliability, security, cost-efficiency, and access to cutting-edge technologies.

As businesses continue to navigate the digital frontier, Azure stands as a powerful ally, helping them achieve their goals and thrive in the digital age. Embracing Azure is not just a choice; it's a strategic imperative for all businesses.

 

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Learn More + Free upcoming webinar

If you're ready to talk more about Microsoft Azure with a qualified expert, send us a contact request here and we'll set up a time to chat with you. For a deeper dive into the platform, join us on October 25th for part two of our free Azure Webinar series.

WEBINAR:  Pay-As-You-Go Market Disruption – How to Build a Strategic Licensing Plan

You might have missed our live webinar lunch-n-learn series on December 9th, but you don't have to miss out on licensing strategy. We have a recording of the webinar below so you don't have to miss out! Watch the video to hear Founder of Managed Solution, Sean Ferrel, discuss how Pay-as-You-Go Licensing can help you save money and keep your business growing.

A Strategic Licensing Plan can save you and your business from pouring time and money into cloud solutions. Learn how to compare, purchase, provision and manage licensing through these game-changing cloud licensing portals.

 

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Virtual Lunch-N-Learn Series

 

Join us for this exclusive series of events geared at opening the eyes of the area’s most leading-edge executives to help understand how technology consumption is changing business.

LUNCH IS ON US! Attend any one of our virtual lunch-n-learns to the end live and we'll send you a gift card for lunch! Use it and join us for the next lunch-n-learn webinar. *

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December 9th @12PM PST Pay as You Go market disruption: How to build an SLP - Strategic Licensing Plan

How to compare, purchase, provision and manage licensing through these game-changing cloud licensing portals.

Other Webinars

• 11/18 Commitment Phobia - How Today's Pay-as-You-Go Licensing Really Works
• 11/29 Software Metering: Where Finance & Consumption Converge
• 12/9 Pay as You Go market disruption: How to build an SLP - Strategic Licensing Plan
• 12/20 Powerhouse: How cloud licensing portals are giving control back to the purchaser

** Limit two lunches per attendee. Attendee must attend this webinar series live from start to finish to qualify[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

WEBINAR: Commitment Phobia – How Today’s Pay-as-You-Go Licensing Really Works

Pay per user, per month has revolutionized the way companies are forecasting expenses, consuming technology and boosting productivity. But how does it really work? Do you really save? What about software assurance? Tune in for all of those answers and more.

 

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Preparing to move to public or hybrid cloud? Tune in learn more about the differences of Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services. The webinar discusses security, network infrastructure, and resources needed on premise when preparing to connect to cloud.

TOPICS:
-Why Public Cloud / Security
-Understanding the Difference between Azure and AWS
-Comparing the Basics: Features
-Cost Comparisons with the Competition
-Using both Platforms Together
-Which Cloud is Right for You?

Webinar presented by Sean Ferrel, Chairman & Founder at Managed Solution.

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Considering AWS or Azure? Compare Real-Time Pricing

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Achieve IT infrastructure cost savings of at least 50%

Call Southern California’s most trusted name in cloud at 800-208-3617 for real time pricing and a cost benefit analysis for Microsoft's Azure and Amazon's AWS.

 

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Find your best path to a truly consistent hybrid cloud

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Overcome complexity and optimize your existing assets

Identify workloads you can move to the cloud and decide which assets to keep on-premises, while using common skill sets across both.

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Help your developers work more productively together

Maximize existing skills by migrating to a hybrid cloud solution, and get a flexible, unified approach to building apps that can run in the cloud or on-premises.

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Centralize management and security across your hybrid cloud

Gain visibility and control over all assets from your datacenter to the cloud.

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Boost employee productivity while protecting corporate information

Provide single sign-on to on-premises and cloud apps from virtually anywhere.

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Demystifying Licensing: Pay As You Go Guide to Enterprise Agreement Changes

Sean Ferrel explains changes and benefits of using a Cloud Service Provider for Enterprise Agreement Changes in this hour long webinar:

• Enterprise Agreement Changes

• Options for Customers with 500 Seats or Less

• Information for Customers with 500 Seats or More

• Microsoft Jump Start Incentives that may help you transition

• Price Comparisons for working with a Cloud Solution Provider

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_cta_button2 h2="Using a Cloud Service Provider (CSP) saves your IT department deployment time, offers 24/7 support for IT staff" title="Purchase Pay As You Go Licensing Through Your CSP Partner Today! " link="url:http%3A%2F%2Finfo.managedsolution.com%2Fpay-as-you-go||"]Managed Solution is in the top 1% of Microsoft Cloud Service Providers worldwide, is an award-winning Microsoft National Solutions Provider and premier partner aligned with Microsoft’s mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.[/vc_cta_button2][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Upcoming Events

Skype for Business Showcase - 9/1/2015 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM

Skype for Business Showcase - 9/2/2015 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM

Skype for Business Showcase - 9/3/2015 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM

Skype for Business Showcase - 9/8/2015 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM

Skype for Business Showcase - 9/9/2015 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM

Skype for Business Showcase - 9/10/2015 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM

Skype for Business Showcase - 9/15/2015 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM

Skype for Business Showcase - 9/16/2015 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM

Skype for Business Showcase - 9/17/2015 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM

Webinar - How California Businesses Can Apply for Tax Credits: GO-Biz California Competes Workshop

Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz)
Monday, August 10, 2015 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM (PDT)

The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) is hosting an online webinar on the California Competes Tax Credit.

Small, medium, and large businesses are encouraged to attend the webinar and receive instructions on how to apply for this tax credit program.

The California Competes Program has approximately $200 million in tax credits available during the 2015-16 fiscal year for businesses that want to expand in or relocate to California.

Come and learn how your business can apply for millions in available tax credits.

The webinar and the program are free and available to businesses of all sizes throughout the state.