By providing businesses with access to on-demand computer system resources and scalable, high-availability data storage, cloud computing by Microsoft Azure offers increased business continuity with reduced operating costs.
Though Microsoft’s work with cloud computing began officially in 2006, Azure was released in 2010. With initial intentions of extending Microsoft Windows OS on the internet, Azure has grown into a full-featured, enterprise-ready portfolio of cloud services and solutions:
In 2021, the cloud market was valued at $445.3 billion, with expectations for growth that will reach $947.3 billion by 2026.
Three vendors control the majority of the cloud market share, with a combined total of 64% of the current total spend. While the most popular vendor is Amazon Web Services (AWS) with 33% of the market, Microsoft Azure is in second place with 22%, and Google Cloud trails in third place with 9%.
The benefits of Azure are best summarized by looking at what various industries can gain from an Azure cloud implementation.
Microsoft Azure is being used by some of the best-known organizations worldwide, not the least of which being Daimler AG. Known to be one of the largest automotive manufacturers, Daimler AG is responsible for prestigious brands like Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner.
Understanding the important role that software plays in modern vehicles, Daimler turned to Microsoft Azure DevTest Labs to provide standardized templates for the creation of development and test environments with access to a suite of software creation tools.
Whether a developer is creating a quick proof of concept or deploying a new application, Microsoft Azure delivers faster time to market with the flexibility to use and integrate with existing technologies, including open-source applications.
“Since using Azure DevTest Labs, we’ve seen our developer onboarding process drop from weeks to hours,” says Peter Rothlaender, manager of cloud solutions, Daimler AG.
One of the most notable advantages of choosing a solution from a mature company like Microsoft is the maturity and strength of the community using their technology. Further, the annual Microsoft Build event delivers a wealth of curated topics, including:
Reviews and ratings for Microsoft Azure are consistently high, with many comments regarding it as an end-to-end solution with considerable access to resources.
For those interested in getting started with Azure, Microsoft is currently offering free accounts with 12 months of free services and a $200 credit.
Beyond the free trial period, pricing for Microsoft Azure is sophisticated and difficult to estimate, especially because organizations with Enterprise Agreements and Online Services Agreements may be eligible for discounts.
Microsoft does offer a pricing calculator tool that allows for estimates based on a selection of chosen products or example scenarios.
As a significant value-add, several products are always available to all Azure customers free of charge:
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