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What is Microsoft Azure
What is Microsoft Azure
Microsoft Azure is a cloud computing platform and online services portal that provides a broad range of cloud services, including compute, analytics, storage, and networking. It allows organisations to build, deploy, and manage applications through Microsoft's global network of data centres.
A Brief History
Azure was announced in 2008 and launched commercially in February 2010 as Windows Azure. It was rebranded to Microsoft Azure in 2014, reflecting its support for a wide range of operating systems, languages, and frameworks beyond Windows.
Key milestones:
- 2010 — Windows Azure launched with compute, storage, and SQL services
- 2014 — Rebranded to Microsoft Azure; Linux VM support expanded
- 2018 — Azure revenue surpassed $10 billion annually
- 2023 — Azure operates in 60+ regions worldwide
Today, Azure is one of the three leading cloud platforms alongside AWS and Google Cloud.
Why Choose Azure?
Enterprise Integration
Azure integrates deeply with the Microsoft ecosystem:
- Active Directory — Azure Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) extends on-premises identity to the cloud
- Microsoft 365 — seamless connection with Office apps and Teams
- Windows Server — Azure Hybrid Benefit lets you reuse existing Windows licences
- Visual Studio — first-class development and deployment tooling
Open Source Support
Despite its Microsoft roots, Azure supports a wide range of open-source technologies:
- Linux VMs (Ubuntu, Red Hat, SUSE, Debian)
- Containers (Docker, Kubernetes via AKS)
- Languages (Python, Node.js, Java, Go, Ruby, PHP)
- Databases (PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB)
Global Scale
Azure operates in more regions than any other cloud provider, with 60+ regions across 140+ countries.
Core Service Categories
Azure offers 200+ services grouped into several categories:
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Compute | Virtual Machines, App Service, Azure Functions, AKS |
| Storage | Blob Storage, File Storage, Queue Storage, Table Storage |
| Networking | Virtual Network, Load Balancer, Application Gateway, CDN |
| Databases | Azure SQL, Cosmos DB, Database for PostgreSQL/MySQL |
| Identity | Entra ID, Key Vault, Managed Identities |
| AI & ML | Azure OpenAI, Cognitive Services, Machine Learning |
| DevOps | Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions integration, Container Registry |
| Monitoring | Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Application Insights |
How to Access Azure
There are several ways to interact with Azure services:
Azure Portal
A web-based graphical interface at portal.azure.com. It provides a visual way to create, configure, and monitor resources.
Azure CLI
A cross-platform command-line tool:
# Create a resource group
az group create --name myResourceGroup --location uksouth
# Create a virtual machine
az vm create --resource-group myResourceGroup --name myVM --image Ubuntu2204
Azure PowerShell
PowerShell cmdlets for managing Azure:
New-AzResourceGroup -Name myResourceGroup -Location "UK South"
Azure SDKs
Libraries for popular languages (Python, JavaScript, .NET, Java, Go) that let you manage Azure resources programmatically.
ARM Templates & Bicep
Infrastructure-as-code tools for declaring your Azure resources in JSON (ARM templates) or a more concise DSL (Bicep).
Azure Free Account
Azure offers a generous free tier:
- $200 credit for the first 30 days (to explore any service)
- 12 months free on popular services (e.g., Linux VMs, Blob Storage, SQL Database)
- Always free services (e.g., Azure Functions with 1 million requests/month, Entra ID basic)
Azure vs AWS vs Google Cloud
| Aspect | Azure | AWS | Google Cloud |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regions | 60+ | 30+ | 35+ |
| Enterprise focus | Strong (Microsoft ecosystem) | Broad | Data & AI focus |
| Hybrid cloud | Azure Arc, Azure Stack | Outposts | Anthos |
| Identity | Entra ID (AD integration) | IAM | Cloud Identity |
| Market share | ~23% | ~31% | ~11% |
Summary
Microsoft Azure is a comprehensive cloud platform with strong enterprise integration, broad open-source support, and a global network of data centres. Whether you're building web applications, running containers, training machine learning models, or managing hybrid infrastructure, Azure provides the services you need. In the next lesson, we'll explore Azure's global infrastructure and how it ensures high availability.