Introduction
Microsoft Azure is a Cloud Computing service created by Microsoft.
| Initial release | Feb01’2010 |
| Developer(s) | Microsoft |
| Operating System | Linux, Microsoft, and Windows |
| License | Closed source for the platform, open source for client SDKs |
| Website | Azure.microsoft.com |
Microsoft Azure is used for building, testing, deploying, and managing applications and services.The Azure cloud computing provides three main services such as Software as a Service (SaaS), platform as a Service (PaaS)and Infrastructure as a Service(IaaS).
The services support many different programming languages, tools, and frameworks. Recently “Windows Azure “ as wrenamed “Microsoft Azure” on March 25’’2014.
Why use Microsoft Azure?
- Low setup costs for all the users.
- Server upgrades Free of Cost (FOC).
- Pay monthly for your service and usage.
- No need to buy the new hardware.
- It is your own private Cloud.
- Quick development.
- Easier maintenance and Backup.
Services
Microsoft provides 600 Azure services. Here are some of them:
Storage Services
- Microsoft Azure mainly focuses on storage services.
- Storage services provide REST and SDKs storing data and accessing data in the cloud.
It provides a few services:
- Queue services using programs communicate asynchronously through the message.
- Table services let programs store structured text accessed by primary and partition key.
- Blob services allow programs to store unstructured text and binary data accessed by an HTTPs path.
- File services store and access data in the cloud using the REST.
Platform as a service
Platform as a service(PaaS) developers can use Azure to build and deploy applications.
They create the code with tools provided by Azure. The virtual machine executes the application using the Windows server.
Virtual Machine
- The virtual machine simply specifies the size and the virtual hard disk(VHD).
- The VHD is the virtual version of a hard drive on the conventional computer. Its files and applications are saved in the storage unit.
- Developing applications are executed in the virtual machine. Microsoft Azure provides access to both Windows and Linux VHDs.
- This service is provided to you on pay as you go basis; i.e., you pay for how much time the virtual machine is actually running.
Websites
- The website supports several different development tools and content management systems.
- The website uses platforms for creating and hosting websites and web applications, at a low cost
Mobile services:
- Azure’s mobile service has the tools for creating and deploying applications.
- The mobile service is targeted for creating mobile apps on the mobile device.
- Mobile app information running on your device is stored in a backend database; that’s why mobile apps are referred to as Mobile Backend as a Service (mBaaS).
- Azure mobiles app are developed by different OS (Android, iOS, and windows phone).
Conclusions
Here, I shared MICROSOFT AZURE definitions, uses, and services. I hope this blog will help Azure Beginners. Thanks for reading my blog.