Microsoft Azure

What is Microsoft Azure?

In brief, Microsoft Azure is a public cloud computing platform. It provides businesses with a range of cloud services, such as storage, networking, development, analytics, and more. For a full list, see Microsoft’s list of Azure solutions.

Users can select from a list of Azure services and use these on an as-needed basis. It is a scalable solution that is primarily billed on a pay-as-you-go pricing model.

Interested in moving your business developments to Microsoft Azure? Contact us today to learn more about our migration process and pricing.

How does Microsoft Azure work?

Learn more about Microsoft Azure in a quick 2-minute video

Benefits of Microsoft Azure

Pay for What You UseAzure is billed mainly on a pay-as-you-go basis, so you pay for the computing power and storage you use, rather than buying servers up front.
Scale Up or DownAdd capacity for a busy period and reduce it again afterwards, without buying or retiring hardware.
Retire the Office ServerMove servers, applications and databases to virtual machines (VMs) in Azure, so there is no server in the office to maintain or replace.

Data Centres in IrelandMicrosoft runs Azure data centres in Ireland and elsewhere in Europe, so you can choose where your data is stored.
One Sign-In with Microsoft 365Azure uses the same Microsoft account system as Microsoft 365, so your team signs in once and you manage access in one place.
Built-in SecurityMicrosoft secures the physical data centres and the platform, and Azure includes tools to protect, monitor and back up your systems.

Learn more about our Cloud Migration services.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Azure?

Microsoft 365 is a set of ready-made applications: email, Word, Excel, Teams, OneDrive and SharePoint. Azure is a cloud platform for running your own servers, applications and databases in Microsoft’s data centres.

Do we need Azure if we already use Microsoft 365?

Not always. Many small businesses only need Microsoft 365. Azure suits businesses with a server or line-of-business application that needs to keep running somewhere, but that they no longer want to keep in the office.

How is Azure billed?

Azure is mostly billed monthly on a pay-as-you-go basis, according to the resources you use. We can help you estimate the running costs before you move.

Where is our data stored in Azure?

You choose the region. Microsoft has Azure data centres in Ireland and elsewhere in Europe.

Can you support our Azure environment after the migration?

Yes. Ongoing support is available through our Managed IT Services or a Bluescope Direct Support block of hours.