First released in 2010, Microsoft Azure (formerly called Windows Azure) is a public cloud computing platform, and one of the world’s most popular cloud service providers. Providing a range of cloud services including compute, storage and networking, Azure offers cloud computing solutions as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS) or serverless.
With a global network of over 200 data centers, the Azure cloud platform is used by some of the world’s leading enterprises, including Samsung, Boeing and Xerox. Even Apple’s iCloud is believed to be running on the full Microsoft Azure service.
The second most utilized cloud provider behind Amazon Web Services (AWS), Azure commands roughly a 20% share of the cloud infrastructure market. Microsoft keeps a growing directory of Azure services, with additional services being implemented all the time. Through Azure, all elements required to build a virtual network and deliver services or applications to a global audience are available.
Debuting in February 2010, Azure provides services that make use of exclusive Microsoft technology in addition to conventional cloud products like virtual machines, object storage and content delivery networks (CDNs). Using a virtual machine, for instance, RemoteApp enables the deployment of Windows applications, and clients running Windows, MacOS, Android or iOS can access the application through a remote desktop connection. Additionally, Azure provides cloud-hosted variations of popular enterprise Microsoft products like Active Directory and SQL Server.
