What is Microsoft Azure?
Microsoft Azure is one of the most popular cloud platforms in the world. It includes a growing collection of integrated cloud services, providing a complete cloud solution for organisations looking to improve productivity, increase efficiency and enhance flexibility.
With Azure, you can build infrastructure, develop modern applications, manage your identity, set your organisation up with reliable back-up and disaster recovery options, and more.
Designed to provide organisations with a secure and future-proofed infrastructure and hosting platform, Azure can become the long-term answer for many business’ needs in supporting a sustainable environment.
An Azure datacentre brings endless possibilities and complete flexibility to your business, allowing for open-source frameworks and hybrid environments. Azure allows you to deliver an array of cloud computing services at the click of a button.
Microsoft Azure features
Azure Storage – expand your data storage capabilities.
Azure offers a range of versatile and highly scalable storage options for structured and unstructured data. BCN Group will match your application needs to the right storage solution and deliver you a flexible, scalable solution.
Azure Backup and Disaster Recovery – protecting your critical data and applications.
Azure provides an end-to-end backup and DR solution that’s simple, secure, cost-effective and integrates with on-premise data protection solutions. Azure backup and DR is cloud-native, highly available and resilient. Azure Site Recovery can also be used to replicate cloud and hybrid servers into Azure regions.
App and web hosting – flexible capacity for individual sites and apps under a single subscription.
Azure web hosting is a powerful tool that allows a company to group and scale capacity of multiple websites and applications independently within a single subscription. You can build the sites you want without having the expense of upgrading some sites beyond what you need. There are different pricing tiers (including a free tier) allowing you to select the most appropriate performance needs for each site, such as storage quotas and scale out limits.
Azure Active Directory – simplifies life for administrators while enhancing security.
Azure Active Directory (AD) is a universal identity platform for managing and securing identities. Administrators benefit from centralised user and rights management, as well as centralised control over computer and user configurations. This includes single sign-on and multi-factor authentication for safeguarding against cybersecurity threats.
Virtual Machines – move your desktops’ operating systems to the cloud.
Access your desktop from any location, just as you would from the office, with Azure Virtual Machines. This service allows you to set up Linux and Windows virtual machines in a matter of seconds.
Analytics and business intelligence – turn your data into actionable insights.
Azure Analysis Services helps you to transform complex data into actionable insights. It is built on the proven analytics engine in Microsoft Azure SQL Server Analysis Services.
Azure Migration – a unified approach to migration.
Azure IaaS includes a range of cloud migration services and tools to discover, assess and migrate workloads to the cloud.
What services does Azure deliver?
There are over 200 preconfigured services available inn Microsoft Azure. These include:
- Azure Application Services – including Azure AI, Azure Analytics, and Azure IoT
- Azure Data Services – including Azure Storage
- Azure Development Services – including Azure DevOps
- Azure Compute Services – including Azure Virtual Machines (VMs), and Azure Container Service
- Azure Network Services – including Azure Content Delivery Network (CDN)
Azure allows you to deliver an array of cloud computing services at the click of a button. Database systems like Azure SQL database and Cosmos are complimented with many options for storage and containers through storage accounts.
You can even provision Virtual WAN infrastructure and connect multiple datacentres using Microsoft’s high speed private global network. The dynamic enterprise services make Azure an attractive viable solution to an on-premise system.
Azure delivers full IaaS and PaaS capabilities. All the technologies shown below can integrate with on-premise systems.
How can Azure be hosted?
Azure offers all three forms of cloud-based computing resource – Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS). So, depending on which of Azure’s many services you opt for, you can take advantage of IaaS, PaaS and SaaS on Microsoft’s cloud platform.
Azure Infrastructure as a Service (Iaas)
Azure IaaS lets you outsource your network and server requirements to Microsoft Azure cloud, whilst retaining control of your operating sustems and software. Through Azure you can access over 200 IaaS facilities, from compute and networking to security and storage, including Container Storage and Virtual Machines.
Azure Platform as a Service (PaaS)
Azure PaaS delivers a cloud-powered development platform. Azure’s PaaS offers you cloud applications on a pay-as-you-go basis, from the smallest web apps to enterprise-level software, with no need to worry about server configuration or scaling, which are automatic.
Azure Software as a Service (SaaS)
Azure can be used to host apps you’ve created yourself, and to access Microsoft SaaS services such as Outlook, SharePoint and Office 365, which are all built on Azure. You can also take advantage of powerful technology and intelligence tools like Microsoft’s analytics and machine learning.
Transform your business with Azure cloud
Plan and implement your transition to Azure.
As an experienced Microsoft Azure cloud services partner, BCN Group will work with you to help you explore, plan, migrate and manage your migration to Azure.
Azure Design & Planning
Understanding your needs and delivering your business requirements with intelligently designed and considered architecture and infrastructure. Our Azure experts will identify your infrastructure requirements, explore how much capacity is needed, generate a blueprint for your Azure infrastructure and back up plan.
Azure Migration
Migrating to Azure can be complex and is business-critical. It is essential that you it goes smoothly otherwise it can cause operational, financial and reputational damage. BCN Group provide a professional fully managed Azure migration service to reduce your risk and ensure your goals are met.
Azure Deployment & Management
Our infrastructure experts will help you deploy the Azure environment you need, in the configuration that meets your needs and objectives. Our Microsoft certified team will plan the deployment with your team, including active directory creation, storage configuration, backup and recovery solutions and training.
BCN Group provide a fully managed Azure service, supporting your business with cloud maintenance, software upgrades and security patching and database migration.
Explore our Azure Services
Azure – Platform as A Service (PaaS)
Azure Platform as a Service (PaaS) is a complete development and deployment environment in the cloud, with resources that enable you to deliver everything from simple cloud-based applications to sophisticated, cloud-enabled enterprise applications.
Azure – Infrastructure As A Service (IaaS)
Azure Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) is an instant computing infrastructure, provisioned and managed over the Internet. An Azure infrastructure offers full flexibility and scalability for businesses of any size and sector.
Benefits of Azure
Scalability
Only pay for what you use with the convenience of quickly and easily scaling capacity up and down as and when you need it.
Cost
No more capital expenditure on infrastructure. Pay monthly and only for what you use. No need to worry about storing, cooling or maintaining on-premise servers.
Security
Built-in controls and services in Azure protect across identity, data, networking and apps. Enjoy continuous protection with deeper insights from Azure Security Centre and extend protection to hybrid environments.
Compliance
Azure has the most comprehensive set of compliance offerings of any cloud provider. If you work in sectors such as legal or finance, you can be confident your data storage is compliant with regulations.
4000-user Microsoft 365 migration for RSK
Digital transformation following acquisition trial for national drainage franchise
Migration of 4,500 users to Microsoft Azure Private Cloud Exchange Environment for Staffordshire Police
BCN Group advised an Azure cloud-based platform to make it easier for remote access for Fairway International Travel
Why choose BCN for Azure
Azure – Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP)
As a Microsoft Certified Professional, we have expertise in cloud platforms and data centres. With a mature and highly experienced Azure development team, we are committed to delivering industry-leading infrastructure solutions.
Cloud-first vision
We share Microsoft’s cloud-first vision. For over a decade we have designed, built, integrated and managed hundreds of cloud migrations across both public and private sectors.
550
clients trust us daily to manage their business-critical solutions
30,000+
end-users are supported by our team every day
180
industry-accredited experts
98%
client retention
A cloud-first partner
BCN Group believe that the cloud should be accessible to all businesses, regardless of size or sector. As a Microsoft certified Gold and Direct CSP partner, we have the expertise, knowledge, and Microsoft direct access to make your Microsoft Azure cloud development a complete success.
Talk to us today to see how BCN Group can support your business’ IT requirements.