How Companies Use Microsoft Azure

As all businesses use Microsoft Azure differently, how you can use the cloud computing platform effectively will depend to a great extent on your organization’s specific requirements. If you are wondering whether it is the right time to migrate to the Azure platform, what business functions you can shift, or what your options are with respect to Azure services, you will find the information you need to make an informed decision in this post.

Infrastructure as a Service or IaaS

This is by far the most basic level cloud computing service model. When you use an on-premises database management system, you have to manage all the components of the data center – business applications, virtual machines, networking, etc. When you migrate to the Microsoft Azure IaaS service, you are leveraging the power of cloud computing – storing data on a server in the cloud with complete control. You also eliminate the hassles and costs related to maintaining hardware and software systems. Microsoft takes care of everything. You just have to monitor, manage, and patch virtual machines and their functions. As such, the IaaS model gives you the feeling of an on-premises setup.

Platform as s Service or PaaS

In the case of PaaS, you transfer your applications to the cloud. When you choose this service model, you are responsible for managing only the applications and database. Microsoft ensures that all other services required for running them – the middleware, operating system, servers, VMs, storage, and networking – are also available. This means that the responsibility is shared by you and Microsoft. Migrating to PaaS allows you to allocate more time to your core business rather than wasting time maintaining the support systems.

Software as a Service or SaaS

The SaaS model takes care of all infrastructural and IT functions. Your SaaS application runs on the cloud computing platform. Actually, SaaS is an application by itself. Some examples are Microsoft 365, Basecamp, Salesforce, etc. All aspects of the application are automated. You can consider moving to SaaS if your goal is to do away with the hassles of managing systems and applications. The transition to SaaS helps if you have a highly automated application that is accessible over the Internet and doesn’t require a specific operating system or middleware.

Moving Between Cloud Service Models

It takes both time and resources to move from one cloud service model to another. Further, it is not possible to define a specific scenario when you should make the move. This decision should be made based on your specific needs. However, some aspects you can consider are:

• The kind of authority you want over your data
• Compliance to be met with respect to your data
• Focus is needed on your core business
• The level of customization needed
• Your IT staff strength
• Whether you have a start-up business or a small company

The greatest advantage of using Microsoft Azure is that it allows you to mix and match services and transfer workloads over time, based on your requirements.

Zerone HiTech is a leading system integration services provider and has offices in Doha, Qatar; Pune, India; Singapore, and Bahrain. Besides, Zerone is a Microsoft Partner in all these regions. Professionals at Zerone have a thorough knowledge of Microsoft products and are experts when it comes to services such as implementation, integration, migration, ugradation, etc.