Microsoft Azure Overview

Table of contents

  1. Table of contents
  2. What is Microsoft Azure?
  3. Core Azure Services
    1. Compute Services
    2. Storage Services
    3. Networking Services
    4. Database Services
  4. Azure Global Infrastructure
    1. Regions and Availability Zones
    2. Key Regions for Sovereignty
  5. Azure Management Tools
    1. Azure Portal
    2. Azure CLI and PowerShell
  6. Security and Compliance
    1. Built-in Security Features
    2. Compliance Certifications
  7. Pricing Models
    1. Pay-as-You-Go
    2. Reserved Instances
    3. Hybrid Benefit
  8. Next Steps

What is Microsoft Azure?

Microsoft Azure is a comprehensive cloud computing platform that provides infrastructure, platform, and software services. It enables organizations to build, deploy, and manage applications through Microsoft’s global network of data centers.

Core Azure Services

Compute Services

  • Virtual Machines: IaaS compute resources
  • App Service: PaaS for web apps and APIs
  • Azure Functions: Serverless compute
  • Container Instances: Container hosting

Storage Services

  • Blob Storage: Object storage for unstructured data
  • File Storage: Managed file shares
  • Disk Storage: Persistent disks for VMs
  • Archive Storage: Long-term data archival

Networking Services

  • Virtual Network: Software-defined networking
  • Load Balancer: Traffic distribution
  • VPN Gateway: Secure connectivity
  • CDN: Content delivery network

Database Services

  • SQL Database: Managed relational database
  • CosmosDB: NoSQL database service
  • MySQL/PostgreSQL: Managed open-source databases

Azure Global Infrastructure

Regions and Availability Zones

  • 60+ Azure regions worldwide
  • Availability Zones for high availability
  • Data residency compliance options
  • Edge locations for content delivery

Key Regions for Sovereignty

  • European regions for EU data residency
  • Government clouds for public sector
  • National clouds for specific countries

Azure Management Tools

Azure Portal

  • Web-based management interface
  • Graphical resource management
  • Monitoring and troubleshooting tools
  • Customizable dashboards

Azure CLI and PowerShell

  • Command-line interface for automation
  • Cross-platform availability
  • Scripting and infrastructure as code
  • Integration with DevOps pipelines

Security and Compliance

Built-in Security Features

  • Azure Active Directory: Identity and access management
  • Security Center: Unified security monitoring
  • Key Vault: Secrets and key management
  • Network Security Groups: Traffic filtering

Compliance Certifications

  • SOC 1, 2, and 3
  • ISO 27001, 27018, 27017
  • GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS
  • FedRAMP, DoD compliance

Pricing Models

Pay-as-You-Go

  • No upfront costs
  • Pay for resources consumed
  • Flexible scaling options

Reserved Instances

  • Discounted pricing for committed usage
  • 1-year or 3-year terms
  • Up to 72% savings

Hybrid Benefit

  • Use existing licenses in Azure
  • Windows Server and SQL Server
  • Cost optimization for existing investments

Next Steps

  1. ✅ Explore Azure Portal interface
  2. ✅ Continue to Azure Service Categories
  3. ✅ Review Azure Global Infrastructure
  4. ✅ Study Azure Management Tools
  5. ✅ Complete Azure Fundamentals Knowledge Check

Last Updated: November 2025