Continuity and relevancy are essential for a business’s survival, and cloud solutions are an excellent way for organizations to ensure they prioritize both traits at all times.
Frontrunners in the cloud technology solutions space, Microsoft developed their Azure services to help organizations achieve their goals by leveraging the most advanced and scalable cloud technologies.
Below are 7 Azure features and services your business should invest in for greater profits and success.
1. Azure DevOps
Azure DevOps is a cloud-based service for streamlining internal collaboration efforts. It helps users track project milestones and access shared content in relation to the development of business applications.
DevOps allows you to capitalize on the following products:
- Azure Test Plans: A test management service that allows you to assess the functionality of your software applications.
- Azure Artifacts: Provides the necessary tools for sharing packages across your business.
- Azure Repos: A control service that allows you to track, manage, and store your code repositories in the cloud.
- Azure Pipelines: Leverages continuous integration (CI) and continuous delivery (CD) to automate code building, testing, and deployment.
- Azure Boards: A project management tool that lets you oversee the status of your assignments.
While DevOps may sound like it would never appear within your circles, it is essential to remember that 48% of small businesses have mobile applications. Investing in DevOps can help you develop new apps for your business and upgrade them when required to ensure you remain competitive.
2. Azure Active Directory
Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) is an identity and access management solution. It offers centralized authentication, authorization, and account management capabilities that allow business owners and other authorized personnel to control who has access to the company’s data and tools, including Microsoft 365.
Adopting Azure AD allows you to leverage services, including:
- Single sign-on
- Multi-factor authentication
- Automated identity governance
- The Microsoft Entra admin center
Azure AD can help businesses enhance their cybersecurity strategies by preventing unauthorized users from viewing and editing sensitive information. It can also make it easier for organizations to respond to security breaches and maintain compliance with regulations.
3. Azure Cosmos DB
Azure Cosmos DB is a NoSQL database service that provides companies with a distributed, secure, and flexible database. In other words, Cosmos DB connects businesses to data centers—where their information is already stored—and allows them to manage their data.
Data is essential for organizations to understand their performance and its impact on customers and stakeholders. Investing in secure data storage and management capabilities, like those in Cosmos DB, helps to achieve this.
4. Virtual machines
Azure’s virtual machines (VMs) provide companies with the computation resources they need to host, run, and test software applications within operating systems. VMs take advantage of the adaptability of Azure’s cloud technology solutions to supply businesses with virtual environments to conduct their operations.
While it may appear to be one of the more complex Azure features, it is vital for companies not to underestimate the value of VMs. They allow for greater flexibility and control over the applications in your IT ecosystems.
VMs can also convert your organization’s hardware into a software format, significantly reducing upfront costs related to hardware upgrades and the chances of losing data during a disaster.
5. Azure Content Delivery Network
Azure Content Delivery Network (CDN) connects users to data centers specializing in caching and delivering data from web applications. CDN makes content (videos, images, and web pages) load faster and reduces the risk of users experiencing issues due to poor network connection.
Azure CDN is fundamentally an ultra-fast, secure delivery solution that allows you and your customers to get the most out of your business’s mobile and web app services, effectively increasing productivity and your company’s ability to respond to customers.
6. Azure Backup
A powerful solution to your company’s business continuity (BC) and disaster recovery (DR) plans, Azure’s Backup service enables you to quickly backup, restore, and synchronize your sensitive data in the cloud. Azure’s cloud platform supports several data types, including virtual machines, SQL databases, and standard files and documents.
Your organization’s BC and DR plans can help your business survive during and after a disaster. 40% of small businesses and medium-sized companies crumble under a natural disaster. However, with Azure Backup supporting your BC and DR efforts, your business can resume operations with as little damage to your reputation, data platforms, and systems as possible.
7. Logic Apps
Azure’s Logic Apps solution is renowned for its integration capabilities, automating internal workflows, and strengthening the connections between IT infrastructures, data, and applications. Logic Apps can automate everything from business processes to sending email notifications once specific conditions (called triggers) are met.
Leveraging Azure Virtual Network, Logic Apps also makes your organization’s applications more versatile, allowing them to run entirely in the cloud, in hybrid systems, or onsite. Today’s technology is constantly advancing, and businesses must respond to this trend with innovative solutions. Logic Apps can assist you in unifying your network, enabling your data to transition seamlessly between solutions and devices for greater operational efficiency.
Prepare your business for greatness with Azure consulting
Microsoft Azure is a robust cloud technology solution for businesses wanting to take advantage of the cloud at cost-effective rates. With Azure as a staple in your toolbox, you can achieve higher levels of autonomy over your organization’s information and processes.
The Azure consulting services at Skynet MTS utilize incomparable expertise in Microsoft’s Azure features and solutions. Reach out to the team today to enhance your business’s performance with Microsoft’s cloud computing services and become more agile in the market.