You may have heard of Microsoft Azure and the benefits it can offer your small to medium-sized business. If you have, it won’t be the first time a technology platform, application or device has been carried on a wave of hype. But beyond all the talk about Azure’s limitless potential and possibility, it can provide added value to your business. And in today’s highly competitive markets – considering businesses still suffering from the impacts of the pandemic – Microsoft Azure matters.
So, in this article we’re going to highlight what Azure is and what it can do for your business. Most importantly, we’ll be highlighting four ways you can get the most out of this platform. Finally, with the help of the right Microsoft Azure support in London you can make an impact in your enterprise.
What is Azure and what it can do for your business
First released in February 2010, and later rebranded as Microsoft Azure in March 2014, Azure is a Cloud-based computing service for businesses of all sizes and sectors. It is used for building, testing, deploying, and managing applications and services through Microsoft-managed data centres.
As a public cloud computing platform, Azure has solutions that include Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS). Therefore, it can be used in a variety of roles such as analytics, virtual computing, storage, and networking. It can also be used to replace or supplement your on-premises servers. As a result, you can save a lot of physical space and reduce costs from such equipment.
What’s more, it supports many different programming languages and frameworks, including both Microsoft-specific and third-party software and systems. This makes Azure a highly versatile and flexible tool.
A snapshot of Azure’s business benefits
There’s no doubt that Microsoft Azure is a fast, flexible, and affordable platform. When you factor in its pricing and capabilities, many tech observers rate it as the best public cloud offering. Put simply, here are some of the key benefits Azure offers you, your colleagues, and your business:
Flexibility
You can evolve and grow your computing resources as your business does too.
Future proof
Azure is what’s known as an open resource, so it supports almost any operating system (OS), language, tool, or framework. This way you shouldn’t have to waste any previous investments in your IT infrastructure.
Reliability
Microsoft promise 99.95% availability with service level agreements (SLAs) and 24/7 technical support. Azure then allows you to enjoy business continuity and peace of mind.
Global
Your data is housed in geo-synchronous data centres across the globe. This means the platform has genuine international reach for consistency of service for wherever you’re working.
Economy
Like with many cloud-based solutions, Microsoft Azure means you only pay for what you use. This will typically function on a monthly pay-as-you-go subscription basis.
How to put Azure to work for your business
Now the above may sound all well and good, but if you’re still wondering what Microsoft Azure can practically do for your business, take a closer look at these four operational benefits:
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Data backup and disaster recovery made simple
All sorts of circumstances can wreak havoc with your data. These could range from a serious IT malfunction, theft, or fire at your offices to a data breach or malware attack.
If you don’t backup regularly your business continuity could be badly impacted by any loss. It is also essential to have rapid access when retrieving and reloading your data. Revising and updating your disaster recovery process is always key for optimum protection.
Therefore, if your backup discipline isn’t good, Azure is a solution your organisation should consider due to its flexibility, advanced site recovery and built-in integration.
What’s more, Azure can back up your data in almost any language, on any OS and from any location. Additionally, you can set your own backup schedule, from daily and weekly to monthly.
Azure’s site recovery solution can be added to any backup service you already employ with offsite replication and minimal onsite maintenance, capital investment or operational costs. Plus, it can safeguard up to 99 years of data, should you need it to.
Crucially, Azure goes further than the 3-2-1 rule of data backup. That’s because it does more than store three copies of your data, in two different places, including one off-site. In fact, Azure stores three copies of your data in three different locations. These include the data centre you use, and an additional three copies in remote Azure data centres. This leaves you and your business with minimum worries and maximum peace of mind.
If you’re already working in a Windows virtual environment, Azure’s built-in integration provides a quick and additional backup solution. Azure site recovery integrates with System Center and HyperV architectures, creating a robust and seamless cohesion between all three.
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Host and develop web and mobile apps
If you want a platform for hosting, developing, or managing a web or mobile app, Azure uses patch management to make those apps autonomous and adaptive. It can also implement autoscale and integration for on-premises apps.
For example, with automatic patch management for your virtual machines, you can reduce your time spent managing your infrastructure. This leads to a more productive focus on improving your apps. Azure also comes with continuous deployment support, which allows you to streamline ongoing code updates.
Autoscale is built into Azure web apps to adjust your resources automatically, based on customer web traffic. As a result, you always have the resources you need when traffic is high and save money when outside of peak times.
One more highly useful feature of Azure is that you can seamlessly link your web apps to on-premises apps. Connecting apps in both locations lets you, your team, and any business partners securely access resources inside your firewall. This facilitates ease of secure external access where needed, which would otherwise be difficult to allow.
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Distribute and supplement active directory
For added safeguarding of your IT, data, IP and private customer information, Azure can integrate with your Active Directory (AD) to enhance your identity and access capabilities. This gives your domain name system (DNS) a global reach and centralized management, but with robust security.
With Azure, you can globally distribute an Active Directory environment that is direct connect enabled. No other cloud-based platform provider can extend the reach of your domain controller and consolidate AD management like Azure.
This is especially useful if your business or team work from a number of locations or use on-premises apps or cloud apps, like Microsoft 365. In such setups, AD integration with Azure will be the central tool for managing and maintaining access to all the resources your people use.
As a bonus, Azure also enables you to utilise multi-factor authentication (MFA). This creates another layer of security to your data and applications without any extra work for your people. You can also easily implement single sign-on for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS cloud apps.
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Innovate with IoT industry solutions
With the roll out of 5G, the Internet of Things (IoT) is rapidly turning from vision to reality. The good news is that the scalability, flexibility, and security that Microsoft Azure delivers makes it the perfect resource if you want to implement IoT solutions. For example, you can connect your devices to the cloud using solutions that integrate with your existing infrastructure and start collecting new data about your enterprise.
Within the Azure IoT Hub, you can monitor and manage numerous devices to extract valuable insights about your business. This data can help you make better business decisions, improve customer experiences, reduce complexity, lower costs, and quicken development.
IoT solutions have always been a security weakness which hackers, scammers, and threat actors have been keen to exploit. However, the enhanced security of Azure proves to be a huge asset if you want to use IoT solutions.
Other features of Azure include remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, and analytics. Azure IoT solution accelerators will also create an easy setup, functioning as pre-configured templates tailored to your needs.
The most effective ways you might use Azure
The four benefits and services we’ve discussed are just a tip of the iceberg that is Azure.
Besides Microsoft’s defined services, Azure is packed with cloud-computing potential. This platform is truly unique for businesses and can be exploited in ways that are only limited by your imagination.
We believe Azure can have a very positive impact on the efficiency, productivity, and profitability of your business. Another great addition is that you can try Azure out in your business virtually risk free. If you don’t want to fully commit at first, you can dip your toes in with a great value, cost effective trial.
Exceptional Microsoft Azure support in London
If you’d like to know more about this innovative platform and the benefits it could deliver for your small to medium-sized business reach out to us at the totality services. Our Microsoft Azure support team in London is geared up to match the qualities of the platform itself. With our setup and continued support you can be sure you’re in highly experienced and professional hands.
After all, we’re a Microsoft Partner and hold multiple globally recognised industry certifications. Amongst them we are accredited with Cyber Essentials and ISO 27001, so your business can have complete peace of mind.
What’s more, our exceptional customer service levels have earned us two consecutive Feefo Gold Trusted Service Awards, Five Star ratings from both Trustpilot and Google and a 98% client retention rate.
So please feel free to give us call for a confidential, no obligation chat about the benefits Microsoft Azure could deliver for your enterprise.