Azure is Microsoft's cloud computing platform that provides virtual machines, storage, databases, and application services through a global network of Microsoft-managed data centers. It allows users to avoid upfront infrastructure costs by paying only for resources consumed. Azure offers various computing and application services, as well as tools for networking, storage, databases, web/mobile development, security, and containers. Customers subscribe to Azure and use its services to create and manage cloud-based resources like VMs and databases. Microsoft provides different tiers of paid customer support for Azure ranging from $29 to over $1,000 per month depending on support needs.

1. What is Azure
• Azure is Microsoft’s cloud platform,
just like Google has its Google Cloud
and Amazon has its Amazon Web
Service or AWS.000.
• Generally, it is a platform through
which we can use Microsoft’s resources.
• To set up a huge server, we will require huge investment, effort, physical space,
and so on. In such situations, Microsoft Azure comes to our rescue.
• It will provide us with virtual machines, fast processing of data, analytical and
monitoring tools, and so on to make our work simpler.

2. • The pricing of Azure is also simpler and cost-effective. Popularly termed as “Pay
As You Go”, which means how much you use, pay only for that.

3. Azure History

4. Azure Services
• Compute: Includes Virtual Machines, Virtual Machine Scale Sets, Functions for
serverless computing, Batch for containerized batch workloads, Service Fabric for
microservices
• Networking: With Azure, you can use a variety of networking tools, like the
Virtual Network, which can connect to on-premise data centers; Load Balancer;
Application Gateway; VPN Gateway;
• Storage: Includes Blob, Queue, File, and Disk Storage, as well as a Data Lake
Store, Backup, and Site Recovery, among others.
• Web + Mobile: Creating Web + Mobile applications is very easy as it includes
several services for building and deploying applications.

5. • Databases: Azure also included several SQL-based databases and related tools.
• Security + Identity: Includes Security Center, Azure Active Directory, Key Vault,
and Multi-Factor Authentication Services.
• Containers: Azure has a property that includes Container Service, which supports
Kubernetes, DC/OS or Docker Swarm, and Container Registry, as well as tools for
microservices.

6. How Does Azure work
• Once customers subscribe to Azure, they have access to all the services included
in the Azure portal.
• Subscribers can use these services to create cloud-based resources, such as VMs
and databases.
• Azure resources and services can then be assembled into running environments
used to host workloads and store data.
• In addition to the services that Microsoft offers through the Azure portal, a number
of third-party vendors also make software directly available through Azure.
• The cost billed for third-party applications varies widely but may involve paying a
subscription fee for the application, plus a usage fee for the infrastructure used to
host the application.

7. Microsoft provides the following five different customer
support options for Azure:
1. Basic
2. Developer
3. Standard
4. Professional Direct
5. Enterprise (Premier)

8. These customer support plans vary in terms of scope and price. Basic
support is available to all Azure accounts, but Microsoft charges a fee for
the other support offerings.
Developer support costs $29 per month, while Standard support costs
$100 per month and Professional Direct support is $1,000 per month.
Microsoft does not disclose the pricing for Enterprise support.