Before going on topic Azure fundamental, we need to understand about cloud computing, to start an application over the network we set up a machine with required hardware and software which is called servers/data centers. To set up a server, we pay a massive amount while we don't need all server resources at all times. Suppose we found an option pay as you go for hardware and software then what option you will choose, a heavy investment or pay as you go service. Definitely, I will choose to pay as you go service instead of maintaining CPUs, Storage, Networking, and Required S/w for an application. In pay as you go service, you rent them for the time that you need them. The cloud provider takes care of maintaining the underlying infrastructure for you.
Finally, Cloud computing is the delivery of computing services over the Internet using a pay-as-you-go pricing model. Put another way, it's a way to rent computing power and storage from someone else's data center.
Microsoft Azure
There are many providers of cloud computing like AWS by Amazon, Azure by Microsoft, IBM, and Google cloud platform by Google, in this tutorial we will learn about the services of Microsoft Azure cloud computing platform.
Azure is Microsoft's cloud computing platform. Azure is here to help you tackle your toughest business challenges. You bring your requirements, creativity, and favorite software development tools. We bring a massive global infrastructure that's always available for you to build your applications on.
What can I do on Azure?
Azure provides over 100 services that enable you to do everything from running your existing applications on virtual machines to exploring new software paradigms such as intelligent bots and mixed reality.
Many teams start exploring the cloud by moving their existing applications to virtual machines that run in Azure. While migrating your existing apps to virtual machines is a good start, the cloud is more than just "a different place to run your virtual machines".
For example, Azure provides AI and machine-learning services that can naturally communicate with your users through vision, hearing, and speech. It also provides storage solutions that dynamically grow to accommodate massive amounts of data. Azure services enable solutions that are simply not feasible without the power of the cloud.
Benefits of Azure Cloud
1. Fewer Costs
Cloud reduces the cost of traditional infrastructure set up, there are no huge costs of the hardware in cloud computing. You will pay as you use the services for a time.
2. 24 X 7 Availability
Cloud service providers are truly reliable in offering their services and maintaining them.
3. Flexibility in Capacity
It offers a flexible facility that could be turned off, up or down, as per the circumstances of the user. For example, you set up the VMs on different zones(India and USA) and want to traffic on particular VM from 9 AM to 9PM as per zone date-time(Mean in a day you wish to traffic on VMs), you can set up these VMs easily on the cloud.
4. All over Functioning
You can work on cloud computing from anywhere across the globe, as long as you have an internet connection. Cloud computing is independent on the device, means you can access mobile, tablet, desktop, etc... There is no limitation
5. Automated Updates on Software
Cloud computing providers regularly update your software and security; that’s why you no need to waste your crucial time over maintaining the system.
6. Security
Cloud computing offers great security on your sensitive data, no fear of data loss, it replicates your data in different zones data-center, if your data loss from one datacenter you can take a backup from another zone datacenter.
7. Scalability
Cloud service offers scalability. Allocation and de-allocation of resources are dynamical as per demand.
The Azure cloud provides the facility as follows.
Public Cloud − A service provider makes the clouds available to the general public, which is termed as a public cloud. These clouds are accessed through the internet by users. These are open to the public, and their infrastructure is owned and operated by service providers, as in the case of Google and Microsoft.
Private Cloud − these clouds are dedicated to a particular organization. That particular organization can use the cloud for storing the company's data, hosting business applications, etc. The data stored on the private cloud can't be shared with other organizations. The cloud is managed either by the organization itself or by the third party.
Hybrid Cloud − When two or more clouds are bound together to offer the advantage of both public and private clouds, they are termed as Hybrid Cloud. Organizations can use private clouds for sensitive applications, while public clouds for non-sensitive applications. The hybrid clouds provide flexible, scalable, and cost-effective solutions to the organizations.
Microsoft Azure categorized its services as following.
1- IaaS: Infrastructure as a service
2- PaaS: Platform as a service
3- SaaS: Software as a service
