There are now many options for creating modern websites and developing cloud-powered applications. For example, there are multiple platforms where you can develop a site, such as Vulkan Vegas, and the features of the platform you prefer determine how advanced the website will be. In this respect, Microsoft Azure is one of the most remarkable solutions, especially for small and medium-sized companies. With Azure, you can meet almost all the needs of your company without the need for a large budget. So, what are the features of this platform, and how can it help your company? Find the answers below.
What Is Microsoft Azure?
To explain why Microsoft Azure is one of the best and most efficient solutions for businesses, we first need to briefly touch on what it is. Azure is Microsoft’s Cloud application development and infrastructure platform. This platform allows the development of applications that can run on the internet and can keep their data on the Microsoft Data Center. You can either keep the data of these applications in your own company and run them on the cloud, or you can host an application you developed in your company on the cloud. It is possible to do this thanks to the virtual machines you can create on the platform.
In other words, Microsoft Azure is a platform where you can develop an application that can run on the cloud, host that application wherever you want, including the global servers of Microsoft, and achieve data security and privacy while doing all this. You need to think about the “application” term here broadly. It includes not only classical applications but also anything that can run on the internet (e.g., websites). The interface used to manage Azure is called Azure Management Console, and it is possible to connect to this portal with any web browser over the internet. You can create virtual machines, publish websites, and manage data from the console. The following table will give you a general idea of Microsoft Azure components and services:
Computing ModelsYou can run the applications you develop on three different platforms: | Virtual MachinesWebsitesCloud Services |
Data ManagementApps need data, and different types of apps require different types of data. Azure has multiple methods for storing and managing data: | SQL DatabaseStorage BlobsStorage TablesImport/Export ToolsFile Services |
NetworkingThe network components offered by Microsoft Azure are: | Virtual NetworkTraffic ManagerExpress Route |
Developer & IT ServicesFor programmers and system administrators, the following tools are available for application development, maintenance, and management: | Visual Studio OnlineAPI ManagementAzure SDKAutomation |
CommerceAzure also offers a commercial platform where you can market the applications you develop on the cloud: | Store & Market Place |
An Operating System of Its Own
Microsoft Azure also has components such as mobile, backup, messaging, integration, performance, and big data. In this respect, it is even possible to say that it is an operating system on its own because there is a tool for everything you might want to do. You can create enterprise-grade web applications for your company using the Azure website service. You can choose and apply languages such as ASP.NET, Java, Node.js, and C# in web applications that you will create using the Azure operating system. You can run web applications such as Joomla, WordPress, Drupal, as well as CSM solutions. By using the scaling in the operating system, you can scale your server automatically or manually according to your load or plan. In addition to all these features, it will be possible to back up your website and use your SSL certificate thanks to the Azure system. You can use your existing virtual machine by importing your image file using Microsoft Azure, or you can create new virtual machines. In the Azure virtual machine service, the Virtual Hard Disk, or VHD system, can be used, and IT workers can also access a VHD gallery with various options.
With Microsoft Azure, it is possible to create the applications or website of your dreams for your company, but this is not a job you can do alone. This platform enables small and medium businesses to get up and running on the cloud quickly, but you need an IT team to do so. The feature of Microsoft Azure is that it can give this team everything they need from a single center. This allows the team to work faster and more practical. After your project is complete, it will be much easier to maintain and manage. In other words, you can complete a job that might take months in weeks and, for the same reason, reduce the cost. For all these reasons, Microsoft Azure is the best solution for your business compared to other platforms.