Microsoft Azure is Microsoft's public cloud computing platform, launched in 2010. It provides over 200 products and cloud services covering compute, storage, networking, databases, AI, DevOps, and more. Azure is the second-largest cloud provider globally, and is especially dominant in enterprise environments thanks to its deep integration with Windows Server, Active Directory, Microsoft 365, and the broader Microsoft ecosystem.
Why Azure?
Azure stands out in several areas:
- Enterprise integration. If your organisation uses Windows Server, SQL Server, Office 365, or Active Directory, Azure extends those on-premises investments to the cloud with minimal friction.
- Hybrid cloud. Azure Arc lets you manage on-premises, multi-cloud, and edge resources from Azure. Azure Stack extends Azure services to your own data centres.
- Compliance. Azure has the broadest set of compliance certifications of any cloud provider — critical for highly regulated industries (healthcare, finance, government).
- AI and developer tools. Azure AI, Azure OpenAI Service, GitHub (owned by Microsoft), and Visual Studio Code / Dev Containers make Azure a natural choice for AI-first development.
Azure vs AWS vs GCP
| Factor | Azure | AWS | GCP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market share | ~25% | ~31% | ~11% |
| Strongest area | Enterprise / Microsoft workloads | Breadth of services | Data / ML / K8s |
| Entry cert | AZ-900 | Cloud Practitioner | Cloud Digital Leader |
| Kubernetes service | AKS | EKS | GKE (original) |
| Serverless compute | Azure Functions | Lambda | Cloud Run / Cloud Functions |
| Identity | Entra ID (Azure AD) | IAM + Cognito | Cloud IAM |
Cloud Service Models on Azure
IaaS — Infrastructure as a Service
You manage the OS and applications; Microsoft manages hardware and virtualisation. Examples: Azure Virtual Machines, Azure Virtual Network.
PaaS — Platform as a Service
Microsoft manages the OS and runtime; you deploy your application. Examples: Azure App Service, Azure SQL Database, Azure Kubernetes Service.
SaaS — Software as a Service
Microsoft manages everything; you consume the software. Examples: Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, GitHub.
Azure Certification Paths
Azure certifications are organised by role and level:
- Fundamentals: AZ-900 (cloud concepts), AI-900 (AI fundamentals), DP-900 (data fundamentals), SC-900 (security fundamentals)
- Associate: AZ-104 (Administrator), AZ-204 (Developer), AZ-305 (Solutions Architect), AZ-500 (Security)
- Expert: AZ-305 + AZ-104/AZ-204 prerequisites
Start with AZ-900 Azure Fundamentals — it validates foundational cloud and Azure knowledge, and is recognised by employers as evidence of cloud literacy.