Microsoft Azure is a public cloud provider and a set of services provided by Microsoft which allows users to build, deploy, and manage applications and services on a global network of Microsoft-managed data centres.
This method of serverless computing enables customers to run and manage applications across multiple clouds, utilising numerous services and a variety of tools. It offers a wide range of features such as virtual machines, databases, storage, networking, and real time analytics, among others. Azure provides flexibility and scalability to users, enabling them to create and manage their own customized cloud solutions that suit their specific needs.
Why is cloud computing important?
There are many Azure functions that offer flexibility, minimal maintenance, data recovery, and a high level of security to your business’s IT infrastructure. It’s an incredibly useful tool for all businesses alike, as it comes with a multitude of benefits that can enable your business to run smoothly and more efficiently, for example:
- Cloud storage: Azure services enable you to store data on a Windows server, which can be accessed remotely at any time.
- Cloud backup and disaster recovery: Windows Azure allows for easy cloud backup, this is when data centres store a copy of your business’ data on a remote server, this will guarantee simpler disaster recovery should any issues arise.
- Cost effective: Cloud computing services can significantly reduce costs as they eliminate the need for businesses to invest in expensive hardware and infrastructure, saving money in the long run.
- Minimal downtime: Cloud computing balances its hosting across multiple servers, this prevents downtime in the wake of a data emergency.
- Enhanced security: Azure offers robust security features and compliance certifications, ensuring that your sensitive information and sensitive data will be more protected behind a robust system.
- Easy collaboration: Cloud services like Azure enable simple collaboration between people across your business, no matter where they’re located.
- Scalability: Cloud computing allows businesses to scale their resources up or down as needed, allowing for more flexibility and agility in their operations.
Overall, cloud computing services are one of the best computing services available, like Microsoft Azure, and have become an essential component of modern business operations, providing numerous benefits such as cost savings, increased flexibility, and improved productivity.
Azure Products And Services
Microsoft Azure comes with a great deal of service types, each sorted into one of almost two dozen categories, some of the most popular service categories are:
- Compute: These services offer remote application access and let users deploy and manage virtual machines (VMs), containers, and batch tasks. Depending on whether a compute resource has to be reachable from the outside world, Azure cloud compute resources can be setup with either public IP addresses or private IP addresses.
- Mobile: By offering notification services, assistance with back-end chores, tools for creating application programme interfaces (APIs), and the capacity to pair geographical context with data, these solutions promote the development of cloud apps for mobile devices.
- Web: Web application development and deployment are supported by these services. They also include tools for reporting, alerting, API administration, content delivery, and search.
- Storage: Storage services provide scalable cloud storage for both structured and unstructured data.
- Analytics: These services provide you with analytics, including real time analytics, data warehousing, machine learning, data streams and more.
- Blockchain: The Azure Blockchain Service lets you join a blockchain or create your own.
- Networking: In addition to services for traffic management, diagnostics, load balancing, DNS hosting, and network defence against distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, this group also includes virtual networks, dedicated connections, and gateways.
- Identity: Identity services ensure that only authorised users can access your Azure services.
- Development: These services allow developers test applications and track any issues that may occur. Azure also supports a plethora of programming languages such as JavaScript or Python.
- Security: These tools offer the ability to manage encryption keys and other sensitive assets as well as the ability to recognise and address cloud security issues.
These are just a handful of the different products and services Microsoft Azure can offer your business.
Why pick Woodstock’s Cloud Services?
Our cloud service includes helping you with the migration of your IT over to the Azure platform and providing you with ongoing support. Our migration process is quick and will cause minimal disruption to your business. We can also design, install, manage and maintain your Azure portal to suit your preferred tools.
Additionally, if you run into any issues, we are able to help you get back on track with minimal downtime without needing to be on premises.
Other services
At Woodstock IT, we know how important it is for businesses to adopt a proactive approach towards IT infrastructure. Therefore, we also offer a variety of other services to ensure your business continues to thrive:
- Antivirus – Premium antivirus security from ESET
- Back-up and data recovery – Remotely managed full data backup with flexible retention periods
- Encryption – Full encryption of your data storage for GDPR compliance
- Email Service – Hosted email service via Microsoft Office 365, with myriad add-ons to customise
- Data Cabling Services
- IT Audits
- Broadband and WiFi
If you think your business could benefit from having access to the Microsoft Azure platform, then don’t hesitate to contact us on 01403 290 321 to discuss how we can help you or provide you with more options for your infrastructure.
