Keyline Data Systems
Application Design

What is Azure?

Azure, often referred to as Microsoft Azure, is a cloud computing platform and a set of cloud services provided by Microsoft. It offers a wide range of cloud-based solutions, including infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and software as a service (SaaS). Azure provides a global network of data centers, making it possible for businesses and organizations to build, deploy, and manage applications and services on a global scale with Microsoft's infrastructure and services.

Key features and services provided by Azure include:

  • Virtual Machines: Azure offers virtualized computing resources, allowing users to create and manage virtual machines running Windows or Linux.
  • App Services: This platform-as-a-service (PaaS) offering lets developers build, host, and scale web applications and APIs.
  • Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS): A managed container orchestration service for deploying, managing, and scaling containerized applications using Kubernetes.
  • Azure Functions: A serverless compute service that enables developers to run event-driven code without managing infrastructure.
  • Azure SQL Database: A fully managed relational database service that supports SQL Server.
  • Azure Cosmos DB: A globally distributed, multi-model database service designed to provide high availability, low latency, and scalability for applications.
  • Azure Active Directory: An identity and access management service to secure and manage users and devices.
  • Azure DevOps: A set of development tools and services for software development, including version control, build automation, release management, and more.
  • Azure IoT: A set of services for the Internet of Things (IoT) that enables organizations to connect, monitor, and manage IoT devices.
  • Azure Machine Learning: A cloud-based machine learning service that enables data scientists and developers to build, train, and deploy machine learning models.
  • Azure Storage: Scalable cloud storage for data, files, and unstructured data.
  • Azure Virtual Network: A network service that allows you to create private, isolated, and securely connected networks in the Azure cloud.
  • Azure Functions: Serverless compute service for building and deploying event-driven applications.
  • Azure Cognitive Services: A set of AI services and APIs for vision, speech, language, and decision-making.
  • Azure Security Center: A unified security management system that strengthens the security posture of an organization's cloud resources.
  • Azure Logic Apps: A service for automating workflows and integrating services, apps, and data.

Azure is used by businesses of all sizes for a variety of purposes, including web hosting, data storage and analysis, application development, machine learning, and more. It provides the flexibility and scalability necessary for modern cloud computing and is a significant player in the cloud services industry.