Cloud-based data management has changed the way businesses work. Software companies have provided capabilities that take scalability, deployment, and management to new levels with products that support this new way of doing business through cloud computing.
Microsoft Azure is a cloud service that supports cloud-based frameworks, operating systems, devices, and programming languages. It offers industry-leading security: it is the first to incorporate ISO 27018, an international Cloud privacy standard, which provides companies peace of mind that their data is secure. In addition, Azure offers unique hybrid capabilities, scalability, easy integration with other Microsoft tools, and advanced analytics.
The Azure platform offers a complete range of services for modern business, including Azure Virtual Machines, Azure App Service for Web Apps, and Azure Functions for serverless computing.
Six Tips to Make the Most Out of Azure
There are certainly more than six tips for using Azure effectively. For more resources on Azure, check out our Azure Content Hub or reach out to our team.
Azure Tip #1: Use Your Azure Portal Productively
Use the settings blade to manage Azure portal settings and customize your default settings, the UI theme, and the portal's appearance. The search bar allows you to configure just about anything, such as finding documentation and searching for service types and service names.
Keyboard shortcuts on the Azure portal save you time, particularly with frequently used navigation, actions, and go-tos. Your favorites list makes finding your most-used applications and Azure resources easy.
Azure Tip #2: Use Resource Manager
Are you using Azure Resource Manager? If not, you should be. Resource Manager is a helpful management layer within Azure that allows you to create, delete, and update resources. This will allow for a consistent management layer to help you automate deployments.
With the resource manager, you’ll notice that instead of handling your Azure resources individually, you can deploy, manage, and monitor them as a group. Instead of scripts to manage infrastructure, you can manage them through declarative templates.
Organize resources logically by applying tags, defining dependencies between resources, and redeploying solutions throughout development lifecycles using Azure DevOps.
Azure Tip #3: Azure Advisor
Within Azure’s well-architected framework, you’ll find the Azure Advisor as a supporting element. This personalized cloud consultant helps you better analyze and optimize Azure deployments.
It recommends solutions by scanning your usage telemetry and resource configuration. It then recommends personalized opportunities to enhance performance, cost, security, reliability, and operational excellence. The advisor can also help you optimize your Azure subscription and improve your overall Azure experience.
Azure Tip #4: Azure Cosmos DB
Have unstructured and/or JSON data? Azure Cosmos DB, along with Azure Functions, can make storing this data easier, as it requires much less code than is required for data storage within a relational database, such as Azure SQL.
This fully managed NoSQL database service guarantees single-digit millisecond response times and has 99.999% availability that’s backed by open-source APIs and SLAs. It allows for fully managed and cost-effective serverless databases with automatic scaling that responds to your needs. Get started by creating an Azure Cosmos DB account that uses SQL API for real-time data processing.
Azure Tip #5: Azure Purview
Azure Purview is a unified governance solution that allows you to better manage data, including multi-cloud, SaaS, and on-premises data, by creating a map of your data landscape. Purview provides insight into the movement and location of sensitive data.
It also provides a unified map of your assets and incorporates automated data classification, data discovery, and lineage identification. It benefits organizations dealing with large amounts of data across various Azure data centers.
Azure Tip #6: Azure PowerShell
Although the portal provides a structured interface, it has limited automation options. Connect and manage resources within your Azure subscription with the Azure PowerShell add-on, available within the Azure Cloud Shell. It is also available with a local install on Linux, Mac, or Windows.
One of the benefits of PowerShell is that it provides you with a command (New-AZVM) to create virtual machines within your Azure subscription. This option is ideal for those with command-line interface experiences, such as with PowerShell or Bash, who need to create VMs. For those who prefer a different approach, the Azure CLI offers similar functionality and works across platforms.
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Whether you're just starting or pursuing Azure certifications, these tips can help you make the most of the Azure platform. From using the Azure portal efficiently to leveraging powerful tools like Azure Monitor for tracking metrics and Azure Machine Learning for advanced analytics, there's always more to learn.
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