Understanding Microsoft Azure Services: A Beginner’s Guide for Australian Businesses

As digital transformation accelerates, more and more Australian companies are starting to seek cloud computing solutions to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance flexibility and scalability. Research and Markets reports that from USD 11.07 Billion in 2023 to USD 23.38 Billion by 2029, Australia Cloud Computing Market’s Value will increase with a CAGR of 13.10% in the forecast period.

What is Microsoft Azure？

Microsoft Azure, as a global leading cloud computing service platform, has provided companies with a complete ecosystem of services in Computation, Storage, Networking, Databases and Analytics, AI-powered tools, IOT, Security and Identity, etc.

Azure supports Public and private Cloud while accommodating the three main cloud service models which are IAAS(infrastructure as a service), PAAS(platform as a service), SAAS(software as a service). Through Azure, Companies can build, deploy and manage applications without worrying about costly hardware infrastructure. It has been proved to have benefits of High-Performance Global Network, Robust Security and Compliance, Flexible Scalability, Hybrid Cloud Capabilities, Extensive Services and the capabilities to drive AI-powered Transformation.

Services of Microsoft Azure

Computation

Multiple compute services are supported to handle complex and high-volume tasks. Virtual Machine allows companies to run different Operating Systems (Windows or Linux) in the cloud without relying on premises servers. App Services in Azure help developers quickly build and deploy web/mobile applications and manage APIs with integrated AI features to streamline the process. Container services such as Azure Kubernetes can package applications and allow them to run across various environments.

Storage and Database

Azure delivers versatile Storage solutions, which includes Azure Blob for large-scale and unstructured data, Azure File which manage File shares, Azure managed Disks which provide Block-level storage, etc. Azure Storage is managed, secure, scalable, accessible, durable and highly available—making it a robust choice for your storage needs.

As for Databases, SQL Database, Cosmos DB, PostgreSQL, and more are all supported with Azure.

Networking Services

Comprehensive Networking Services are provided by Azure to help businesses secure reliable and high-performance connections. Through services and tools such as Virtual Networks, Load Balancers, Content Delivery Networks (CDN), VPN Gateway, ExpressRoute, Azure Firewall ,etc., Companies can create private and isolated networks, balance traffic, deliver low-latency content worldwide and improve security.

Advanced Services: Artificial Intelligence, IOT, Security and More

With Azure AI services, Companies can leverage the capabilities of Artificial Intelligence and build market-ready applications with customized API and AI models while using Azure advanced guardrails to ensure safety. Explore the cutting-edge capabilities of Azure AI tools like Azure AI Foundry, Azure AI Metrics Advisor, Azure AI Video Indexer and Azure AI Bot, etc. to empower your Companies AI- powered Digital Transformation.

Companies can also use Azure IOT hub to extend the power of cloud to the edge devices with Automate device provisioning and built in authentication in every device. For Security and Identification, try out the Azure Identity and access management(IAM) Services. Use  Azure Active Directory B2C and Microsoft Entra Domain Services to defend against malicious attempts and protect credentials without harming productivity.

Ready to explore the amazing features of Microsoft Azure?

Here are some essential steps to help you get started.

Sign up for a free or pay-as-you-go account

Create your Azure account at Azure official website. Azure offers various subscription plans that cover a wide range of services to suit different needs.

Choose services based on your business needs

Not sure where to start? You might begin with compute and storage services to lay a solid foundation.

Learn and train

Make use of Azure’s official documentation and learning resources. Attend online training sessions to improve your cloud computing skills.

Seek professional help from experts

Consult with Azure experts to get the best guidance and tailored solutions for your specific use cases.

Ready to leverage Azure for your business and boost digital transformation?

Cloud Downunder offers a wide range of customized services in Azure Consulting, Azure DevOps and Continuous Integration, Data and Analytics, Legacy Apps Modernization, Azure Managed Services, Azure Application Development and Azure Cloud Support.

As your trusted partner in the cloud journey, Cloud Downunder is committed to maximize the full potential of Azure for your business.