Azure Core Products

Azure provides a large number of services and solutions. At the core of these products are workload products for computing, networking, storage, and data management.


Computing Options


Virtual Machines

What VMs can be created?

Windows Server, Windows Client, or Linux Virtual Machines can be created on-demand.


Why do companies use VMs?

Virtual Machines increase stability and reduce hardware costs.


Virtual Machine Scale Sets allow you to create a duplicated group of VMs, making it easy to configure and manage several VMs in a short time.


What can they be used for?

  • Times when you need full control over a machine.

  • Running custom software.

  • Testing and development.

  • Increasing the size of a data center.

  • Applications with fluctuating demands.



Azure Container Instances

What are Azure Container Instances?

Web apps, configurations, and files are packaged together so they can be consistently shared and deployed over the cloud.


Azure Virtual Desktop can be used when:

  • You do not want to risk personal data stored on a laptop or other physical device.

  • Your end-users are using different operating systems.

  • Your users are scattered across different locations and need anywhere-access.

  • You need to accommodate users using various operating systems.



Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)

What is AKS?

an orchestration service that can be used to manage numerous container instances (nodes).


When can AKS be used?

Azure Kubernetes Service can be used when you need to manage a large number of container instances




Virtual Networking

The core Azure Virtual Networking Options are:


Virtual Network

What do Azure virtual networks do?

provide a method for Azure VMs, databases, and apps to communicate.

  • These virtual networks work as an extension of your local network. This means that your users and client computers can communicate with your Azure VMs, databases, and web apps as if they were stored locally.


The following methods can be used to extend your virtual network:

  • Azure ExpressRoute

  • Point-to-site private networks

  • Site-to-site private networks


Azure virtual networks can be used for:

  • Segmentation (subnets)

  • Isolation

  • Network traffic filtering

  • Communication between local and Azure resources


Azure VPN Gateway

What does azure vpn gateway do?

Azure VPN Gateway provides a secure connection between an Azure virtual network and another network.


VPN Gateways can be used to establish the following connections:

  • Network-to-network connection

  • Site-to-site connection

  • Point-to-site connection



Azure ExpressRoute

What is azure expressRoute?

private connection between your on-premises network and Microsoft cloud services such as Azure.


Unlike a VPN that is limited to around 1.25 Gbps network speed, Azure ExpressRoute can provide up to 10 Gbps.


When is Azure ExpressRoute used?

when you need faster speeds, lower latency, and increased reliability over regular internet connectivity.


How is the connection established?

when you need faster speeds, lower latency, and increased reliability over regular internet connectivity.



Virtual Network Peering

What does Virtual network peering do?

provides a low-latency option for connecting one virtual network to another.

  • Traffic between the two networks is done on Microsoft’s private infrastructure instead of over the Internet.


When is it used?

For database failover and data replication.



Core Storage Services


Blob Storage

What does Blob storage do?

houses large amounts of unstructured data such as images, audio, video, and text.

  • Items stored in Blob storage are called blobs and are organized into containers

  • The data is connected to user accounts and can be accessed from anywhere.


Blob storage is often used for:

  • Files that need distributed access

  • Streaming video

  • Backup and disaster recovery data

  • Browser images or documents



Disk Storage

Azure-managed disks are used with Azure Virtual Machines. Azure provides hard disks, solid-state drives, and ultra disks.


Azure-managed disks are valuable when you need:

  • A high level of availability

  • A large number (potentially thousands) of virtual machines

  • Protection against regional disasters

  • Protection from datacenter failures



File Storage

  • Azure files provide cloud-based file shares.

  • These file shares can be accessed by Windows, macOS, or Linux deployments can access these file shares on the premises or in the cloud. Azure Files can be shared using a URL.

  • Shares can be long-term or managed for a shorter term using Shared Access Signature (SAS) tokens.


File storage are useful for:

  • Sharing files between on-premise or cloud-based applications

  • Sharing files between multiple virtual machines



Archive Storage

Archive storage is designed to store important data, but does not need to be accessed regularly.


Archive storage is useful for:

  • Storing old data for compliance purposes

  • Long-term backup

  • Surveillance footage




Database

Azure Database for MySQL is useful when you need a reliable relational database based on MySQL without the hassle of database design, build, and management.


Azure Database products:

Cosmos DB

What is Cosmos DB?

An Azure hosted NoSQL database system.


You can choose to use any of the following API/database types:

  • Core (SQL)

  • Cassandra

  • Gremlin

  • MongoDB

  • Azure Table


Cosmos DB is useful when you want to migrate your database to Azure, but you do not want to change your API.



Azure SQL Database

What is Azure SQL Database?

a platform as a service (PaaS) hosted by Microsoft where the backend infrastructure, upgrades, backups, and monitoring are fully managed, so you just need to focus on your data.


Azure SQL Database is useful when you need a highly reliable, high-performing relational database without the hassle of database management.



Azure Database for MySQL

What is Azure Database for MySQL?

A relational database service hosted by Microsoft where the backend infrastructure, upgrades, and monitoring are fully managed so you can focus on your data.


Azure Database for MySQL is useful when you need a reliable relational database based on MySQL without the hassle of database design, building, and management.



Azure Database for PostgreSQL

What is Azure Database for PostgreSQL?

A relational database service where Microsoft handles configuration, replication, backups, security, and monitoring.


Azure Database for PostgreSQL is useful when you need a reliable relational database based on the PostgreSQL database engine.



Azure SQL Managed Instance

What is Azure SQL Managed Instance?

It is a more advanced version of the Azure SQL Database PaaS service.


Azure SQL Managed Instance is useful when you need the benefits of a hosted SQL database, but you need more functionality than is provided by Azure SQL Database.