What is windows Azure?
The Windows Azure Platform (Azure) is an internet-scale cloud services platform hosted in Microsoft datacenters, which provides an operating system and a set of developer services (see diagram below) that can be used individually or together. Azure’s flexible and interoperable platform can be used to build new applications to run from the cloud or enhance existing applications with cloud-based capabilities.
Azure aligns with the Microsoft vision of Software-plus-Services by offering customers, developers, and businesses a transformation in connecting devices, business, productivity, and software. Azure provides developers with a quick on-ramp to authoring and running applications in the Cloud and has been marked as the next biggest thing in Cloud computing. Azure enables you to:
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Pay as you grow – Match usage needs with the option of pay-as-you-go pricing - paying for the services you use and reducing the capital costs associated with purchasing hardware and infrastructure.
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Reduce operational costs – Azure reduces the need for up-front technology purchases and by running applications in the cloud you decrease the need for maintaining on-premise infrastructure.
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Increase business efficiency and agility – by dynamically adding and subtracting capacity in real time. Azure simplifies maintaining and operating applications by providing on-demand compute and storage to host, scale, and manage web and connected applications.
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Build and deploy software quickly and easily by capitalising on the same personnel, development tools and investments, and knowledge that already powers your IT organisation.
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Easy developer on-ramp to the cloud – Millions of developers worldwide already use the .NET Framework and the Visual Studio development environment. Utilise those same skills to create cloud-enabled applications that can be written, tested, and deployed all from Visual Studio. Azure will support more programming languages and development environments in the future, such as Eclipse, Ruby, PHP, and Python.
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Enables Agile & Rapid Results – Applications can be deployed to the Platform with the click of a button. Changes can be made quickly and without downtime, making it an ideal platform for affordably experimenting and trying new ideas.
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Imagine and Create New User Experiences – The Platform enables you to create web, mobile, or hybrid-applications that use the cloud with on-premises applications. Combined with Live Services ability to reach over 400 million Live users, new opportunities exist to interact and reach users in new ways.
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Offers choice –The open architecture gives developers the choice to build web applications, applications running on connected devices, PCs, servers, or hybrid solutions offering the best of online and on-premises.
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Standards-Based Compatibility – The services platform supports industry-standard protocols, including HTTP, REST, SOAP, RSS, and AtomPub, for consuming, exposing, and integrating with third-party services. You can easily integrate applications built on a variety of different technologies and operating systems.
The Windows Azure Services:
Whether you are building new applications, augmenting established systems, or connecting with trading partners, you can take advantage of the Windows Azure Platform to do it quickly, inexpensively, and across the Web and a range of connected devises.
To find out more about Azure visit the Learning Track section or jump straight into the Azure Trial by signing up here.
The Windows Azure Platform offers a range of businesses flexibility, control, and an affordable solution for running Web-scale applications. The services reduce tedious and expensive infrastructure management and planning and are built with security and reliability in mind, along with the option of a pay-as-you-go model.
- Whether you’re a software vendor, corporate IT group, or a start-up, by using the services platform you can focus on your business and the needs of your customers.
- Simplify Capacity Planning – Additional computing and services capacity can be available for your needs, eliminating the need for planning, purchasing, and provisioning expensive hardware to meet unpredictable spikes in usage.
- Simple Infrastructure Management – The services platform manages critical operating system updates and management tasks, giving you control of the environment while letting you focus on the needs of your users.
- Give New Life To Existing Investments - The services platform can be used to provide new capabilities to existing on-premises and Web applications. The Windows Azure Platform can be integrated into existing applications or used to expose on-premises application services to consumers, business partners, or other organisations.
Azure benefits relevant to you
To find out more about how the Dip into Windows Azure trial is suitable for you, click the relevant link below:
Dont forget the visit the Learning Track pages to see Azure resources defined by role.
Sign up for free trial
To find out more about Azure sign up to the free trial where you can experience the Azure platform for yourself.