The 5 Biggest Benefits of Microsoft Azure for Every Business
Moving your business to the cloud will transform the way you work, and there’s no more reliable, flexible or affordable way to do that than with Microsoft Azure. Businesses all around the world use Azure every day to build and manage unique applications, protect their data, and harness computing resources on demand – without the need for any physical servers or infrastructure.
No matter what size or stage of business you’re at, Azure makes it possible to take full advantage of cloud services with minimal investment.
What is Microsoft Azure and what is it used for?
Microsoft Azure is the top public cloud computing platforms available today. It’s comprised of a set of over 250 individual cloud-based tools and services that can be used for everything from networking, virtual computing, security, analytics, and storage to identity management, device monitoring, video indexing and encoding, machine learning, blockchain management and more.
Azure gives businesses the freedom to create a full or partial cloud solution that’s personalized to your needs, with the flexibility to scale and adapt your architecture as you grow. It’s available as a platform as a service (PaaS), infrastructure as a service (IaaS), or software as a service (SaaS) model.
There are many benefits to using Microsoft Azure’s cloud services, no matter what type of business you run. Here are the top five:
#1 Hundreds of essential cloud services in one place
Azure makes it extremely easy to host your entire site on the cloud, including your web server, email server, databases, user directories, virtual networks, file storage and more. It integrates seamlessly with any existing Microsoft infrastructure and allows you to access all the necessary tools and services from one central, customizable dashboard – the Microsoft Azure portal.
From here, you can view and manage all your cloud resources as well as monitor their usage and performance, assign user roles, set up alerts and notifications, and add new services to (or remove them from) your account. On top of Microsoft’s 250+ services and tools, there are also hundreds of third-party resources available through Azure, with more being added all the time.
#2 Data is automatically secured and backed up
Storing your files in the cloud with Microsoft Azure means there’s no chance of losing any important data in the event of a cyber attack, blackout or other unexpected disaster. Azure has data centers all around the world and can securely back up your data in any location and language, as frequently as you choose (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.).
Plus, Azure’s advanced site recovery options allow you to retain your data offsite for up to 99 years, and its high-speed, decentralized infrastructure keeps downtime to a minimum. That means you can keep your business and website running even when disaster strikes and restore data within hours, not days.
#3 No hardware or maintenance required
Migrating your business to the cloud with Azure results in huge cost savings across the board. There’s no need for any physical hardware or infrastructure onsite, which can easily cost thousands of dollars just to build and maintain – not to mention the indirect costs that come with it such as upgrades, electricity, cooling and floor space.
Azure replaces your physical servers and hardware with virtual resources, which means no expensive equipment to run and no ongoing maintenance costs. Instead, you can take advantage of Microsoft’s own vast infrastructure and 24/7 technical support at a fraction of the price, significantly reducing your annual IT budget.
#4 More services & storage space on demand
Azure is a flexible, scalable cloud solution that adapts to your changing business needs. There’s no cap on data storage, with capabilities for both structured and unstructured data. And you can easily add new cloud services and tools to your account from the Azure portal with the click of a button.
For businesses that are used to relying on servers in a traditional static data center or an expensive on-premise setup, this is a huge step forward. Azure’s virtual resources allow you to harness all the power, space and capabilities you need on demand, for a versatile and adaptable cloud service that grows with your business.
#5 100% cost control
Last but not least, one of the biggest benefits of Microsoft Azure is that you’ll never get any nasty surprises when it comes to paying the bill. With no upfront costs and a flexible pricing structure that’s based on your resource consumption (not reserved capacity), you only ever have to pay for what you use.
You can track your estimated monthly costs through the Azure portal, as well as view the costs of adding new tools and services to your account. You’ll know what to expect with every bill and can easily adjust your usage to suit your budget.
Ready to make a seamless transition to the cloud with Microsoft Azure? Put your IT in our expert hands! Contact us today for a free network audit.
