Is Azure Infrastructure as a Service The Future of Cloud Computing?
Microsoft Azure is one of the top three cloud computing platforms used by various business organizations. Here, we’ll discuss the basics, use cases, benefits, and examples of Azure infrastructure being the future of cloud computing. Microsoft Azure is a popular cloud platform with an extensive ecosystem of tools, technologies, applications, storages, frameworks, etc., useful for diverse requirements. It is among the top three cloud solutions in the global market. According to statistics, Azure’s market share reached 24% in 2024, and the customer base grew by 14.2% from 2023. Since its launch in 2010, Azure has been a tough competitor. Azure, AWS (Amazon Web Services), and Google Cloud continue to be the top three cloud platforms for SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS solutions. The 2024 Azure Market Report states that Azure has 350,000 customers for cloud computing services. Azure infrastructure as a service (IaaS) can streamline business processes across all verticals and reduce the pressure of maintaining and upgrading the systems on-premises. But what are Azure infrastructure services? Where do data engineering services come into the picture? How can Azure IaaS help a business? Let’s find out in this blog. What is IaaS on Azure? Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) is a cloud computing service where the entire IT infrastructure (storage, networking, backup, applications, virtual machines, etc.) is hosted on a remote cloud server. It allows businesses to save money through the pay-on-demand pricing model. Businesses can reduce the expenses of maintaining the data silos in each department and upgrading the hardware periodically. With IaaS, organizations also gain access to real-time insights and can quickly embrace advanced technologies. Azure infrastructure as a service encourages flexibility, scalability, and reliability of the IT system in an enterprise. From a startup to an established enterprise, any business can invest in Azure IaaS and build a robust cloud-based IT infrastructure. Existing setups can be migrated to the cloud, or a new infrastructure can be built and deployed on the Azure cloud. This depends on various factors like business requirements, timeline, budget, legacy systems, long-term objectives, etc. Testing, implementation, integration, storage, data backup and recovery, web app development, etc., are a part of the services. Since it is a complex process, most organizations prefer collaborating with certified Microsoft Azure partners to handle the task. This ensures complete access to the tools and apps in the Microsoft marketplace and the necessary expertise to keep things running seamlessly. A certified partner has the necessary experience and skills to customize Azure cloud infrastructure to suit the business needs. What is Azure Data Engineering? Data engineering is the process of designing, building, and maintaining data systems to collect, store, and analyze large datasets and derive meaningful real-time insights. It combines many responsibilities and the core part of the data-driven model. Azure data engineering services are provided by certified data engineers who offer end-to-end support in managing data and data systems on the cloud. An Azure data engineer will integrate, transform, and consolidate data from multiple sources to make it possible to derive insights. From building data pipelines to handling structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data in large quantities and helping stakeholders understand the analytical reports, a data engineer has much to do. Data engineering companies also offer Azure IaaS solutions and help businesses build the data warehouse/ data lake on the cloud platform. The experts create the necessary system connections to make the insights accessible to employees through customized dashboards. This helps in making proactive data-driven decisions. Benefits of Azure Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) Enhanced Data Security and Encryption Azure infrastructure encryption offers built-in security features and capabilities to keep the business data and systems safe from unauthorized access. It also helps organizations adhere to data privacy regulations based on geographical location and industry standards. With Azure, businesses can reduce the risk of cyber threats and protect user data. Centralized and Cloud-Based Infrastructure Maintaining individual IT systems with data scattered throughout the enterprise is not only cost-intensive but also stressful. This reduces data quality and can result in outdated or incorrect insights. With Azure infrastructure as a service, organizations can build a unified and centralized IT infrastructure that anyone in the enterprise can access. It is a simplified and efficient way to run the business processes. Fewer Hardware Maintenance Costs Maintaining legacy systems can be a costly exercise for businesses as they become outdated over the years and will no longer be compatible with new technologies. Organizations have to periodically invest in new hardware and pay for maintenance services to make sure they can access the latest tools in the market and gain a competitive edge. By switching over to Azure infrastructure as a service, most business hardware can be eliminated. Employees access the virtual machines from their devices and can work remotely. Streamlined Operations One of the biggest advantages of data engineering services and IaaS is automation. Instead of wasting time and resources on manually performing repetitive actions, businesses can automate even complex tasks. This reduces the workload on employees and minimizes the risk of human error. Additionally, the workflows are streamlined into an order that maximizes efficiency without compromising quality or control. Remote and Restricted Access Remote working has become a norm in recent times. Employees have to have access to business systems, data, tools, and dashboards irrespective of their location. At the same time, people without authorization (hackers, scammers, etc.) should not be allowed to gain control over the business processes. Azure IaaS balances these two aspects with ease. It encourages remote collaboration between teams but also provides restricted access to confidential data. Standardized Applications Azure infrastructure as a service encourages the standardization of business processes and applications by developing a unified platform to manage all tasks and systems. Furthermore, the third-party apps and tools belong to the Microsoft ecosystem and follow the same standards. This results in improving consistency in performing day-to-day activities and achieving the desired results every time. Flexibility and Scalability Another benefit of Azure infra developer is the flexibility it offers to businesses. The
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