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MICROSOFT AZURE CLOUD

Microsoft Azure is a comprehensive cloud computing platform for integrated services, including virtual machines, application servers, database server, cloud storage, backup, disaster recovery, and more.

AZURE CLOUD SERVER

Azure Virtual Machines (VM) is one of several types of on-demand, scalable computing resources that Azure offers. Typically, you choose a VM when you need more control over the computing environment than the other choices offer. This article gives you information about what you should consider before you create a VM, how you create it, and how you manage it.

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An Azure VM gives you the flexibility of virtualization without having to buy and maintain the physical hardware that runs it. However, you still need to maintain the VM by performing tasks, such as configuring, patching, and installing the software that runs on it.

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Azure virtual machines can be used in various ways. Some examples are:

  • Development and test – Azure VMs offer a quick and easy way to create a computer with specific configurations required to code and test an application.

  • Applications in the cloud – Because demand for your application can fluctuate, it might make economic sense to run it on a VM in Azure. You pay for extra VMs when you need them and shut them down when you don’t.

  • Extended datacenter – Virtual machines in an Azure virtual network can easily be connected to your organization’s network.

AZURE SQL DATABASE

Azure SQL Database is a fully managed Platform as a Service (PaaS) Database Engine that handles most of the database management functions such as upgrading, patching, backups, and monitoring without user involvement. Azure SQL Database is always running on the latest stable version of SQL Server Database Engine and patched OS with 99.99% availability. PaaS capabilities that are built into Azure SQL database enables you to focus on the domain-specific database administration and optimization activities that are critical for your business.

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Azure SQL Database provides the following deployment options for an Azure SQL database:

  • Single database represents a fully managed, isolated database. You might use this option if you have modern cloud applications and microservices that need a single reliable data source. 

  • Managed instance is a fully managed instance of the Microsoft SQL Server Database Engine. It contains a set of databases that can be used together. 

  • Elastic pool is a collection of single databases with a shared set of resources, such as CPU or memory. Single databases can be moved into and out of an elastic pool.

AZURE CLOUD NETWORKING

The networking services in Azure provide a variety of networking capabilities that can be used together or separately. Click any of the following key capabilities to learn more about them:

  • Connectivity services: Connect Azure resources and on-premises resources using any or a combination of these networking services in Azure - Virtual Network (VNet), Virtual WAN, ExpressRoute, VPN Gateway, Virtual network NAT Gateway, Azure DNS, Peering service, and Azure Bastion.

  • Application protection services Protect your applications using any or a combination of these networking services in Azure - Private Link, DDoS protection, Firewall, Network Security Groups, Web Application Firewall, and Virtual Network Endpoints.

  • Application delivery services Deliver applications in the Azure network using any or a combination of these networking services in Azure - Content Delivery Network (CDN), Azure Front Door Service, Traffic Manager, Application Gateway, Internet Analyzer, and Load Balancer.

  • Network monitoring – Monitor your network resources using any or a combination of these networking services in Azure - Network Watcher, ExpressRoute Monitor, Azure Monitor, or VNet Terminal Access Point (TAP).

AZURE CLOUD BACKUP & DISASTER RECOVERY

As an organization you need to adopt a business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR) strategy that keeps your data safe, and your apps and workloads online, when planned and unplanned outages occur.

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Azure Recovery Services contributes to your BCDR strategy:

  • Site Recovery service: Site Recovery helps ensure business continuity by keeping business apps and workloads running during outages. Site Recovery replicates workloads running on physical and virtual machines (VMs) from a primary site to a secondary location. When an outage occurs at your primary site, you fail over to secondary location, and access apps from there. After the primary location is running again, you can fail back to it.

  • Backup service: The Azure Backup service keeps your data safe and recoverable.


Site Recovery can manage replication for:

  • Azure VMs replicating between Azure regions.

  • On-premises VMs, Azure Stack VMs, and physical servers.

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