Azure
Microsoft Azure is Microsoft's cloud computing platform, offering services for compute, storage, networking, databases, analytics, and artificial intelligence, deployed across Microsoft's global data centers.
Definition
Microsoft Azure is Microsoft's cloud computing platform, offering services for compute, storage, networking, databases, analytics, and artificial intelligence, deployed across Microsoft's global data centers.
Overview
Launched in 2010, Azure grew into the second-largest public cloud provider after AWS, with particular strength among enterprises already invested in Microsoft's ecosystem, including Windows Server and Active Directory. Its services include virtual machines, Azure App Service for web hosting, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) for container orchestration, and Azure OpenAI for enterprise access to OpenAI's models. Azure DevOps provides an integrated CI/CD, boards, and repos toolchain for teams building on the platform. Azure is commonly used to host applications built with ASP.NET Core, containerized workloads via Docker and Kubernetes, and hybrid-cloud scenarios connecting on-premises datacenters to the cloud.
Key Features
- Broad service catalog spanning compute, storage, databases, and AI/ML
- Deep integration with Windows Server, Active Directory, and .NET tooling
- Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) for managed container orchestration
- Azure OpenAI Service for enterprise access to OpenAI models
- Hybrid cloud support connecting on-premises infrastructure to Azure
- Global data center footprint with region-based compliance options