image courtesy of Microsoft.com
A few months ago I wrote an article on getting started with Amazon Web Services (AWS): now I wanted to follow-up by writing the same about getting started with Microsoft Azure. Microsoft Azure is the public cloud offering deployed through Microsoft’s global network of datacenters. Azure has continued to gain market share from its chief rival, AWS. Being in second place is not something Microsoft is used to with their offerings. However, in the cloud, like with internet web browsers, Microsoft got off to a slow start. Capturing market share will not prove as simple with AWS as it was with Netscape and the web browser market in the 90’s but in the last two years, progress has been made. Much of the progress can be attributed to Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s current CEO. Nadella proclaimed from his start a commitment to the cloud. Most recently Microsoft has expressed their commitment to support Linux and other operating systems (OS) within Azure. Embracing another OS and open source projects is new for Microsoft and seems to be paying off.
Like the other large public cloud providers, Microsoft has an easy to use self-service portal for Azure that can make it simple to get started. In addition to the portal, Microsoft entices small and new users with a free month of service. The second version of the portal released last year has improved the user experience greatly. Their library of pre-configured cloud instances is one of the best in the market. A portal user can select a preconfigured group of servers that would create a complex solution like SharePoint. The SharePoint instance includes all the components required: The Windows Server, SQL Server and SharePoint Server. What would take hours previously now can be “spun-up” in the cloud with a few clicks of your mouse. There are dozens of pre-configured solutions such as this SharePoint example. The greatest advantage Microsoft has over its cloud rivals is it has a deep and long-established channel of partners and providers. These partners, and the channel Microsoft developed for their legacy products, allow them to provide the best support of all the public cloud offerings.
Considerations for Getting Started with Microsoft Azure
Decide the type of workload–
It is very important to decide not only what workloads can go to the cloud but also what applications you want to start with. Start with non-production applications that are non-critical to the business.
Define your goals and budget–
Think about what you want to achieve with your migration to the cloud. Cost savings? Transferring IT from the capital expense to an operational expense? Be sure you calculate your budget for your cloud instance; Azure has a great tool for cost estimation. In addition, make sure you check costs as you go. The cloud has developed a reputation for starting out with low-costs and increasing them quickly.
Determine your user identity strategy–
Most IT professionals are familiar with Microsoft Active Directory (AD). This is Microsoft’s application that authenticates users to the network behind the corporate firewall. AD has become somewhat outdated, not only by cloud’s off-site applications but also by today’s limitless mobile devices. Today, Microsoft offers Azure Active Directory (AAD). AAD is designed for the cloud and works across platforms. At first, you may implement a hybrid approach between AD, AAD and Office 365 users. You can start this hybrid approach through a synchronization of these two authentication technologies. At some point, you may need to add on federation that will add additional connectivity to other applications such as commonly used SaaS applications.
Security–
An authentications strategy is a start for security but additional work will need to be done. A future article will detail cloud security best practices in more detail. While it is always best to have a security expert to recommend a security solution, there are some general best practices we can mention here. Try to use virtual machine appliances whenever possible. The virtual firewall, intrusion detection, and antivirus devices add another level of security without adding additional hardware. Devices such as these can be found in the Azure marketplace. Use dedicated links for connectivity if possible. These will incur a greater expense but will eliminate threats from the open Internet. Disable remote desktop and secure shell access to virtual machines. These protocols exist to offer easier access to manage virtual machines over the internet. After you disable these try to use point to point or site to site Virtual Private Networks (VPN‘s). Finally, encrypt all data at rest in virtual machines to help secure data.
Practically every business can find applications to migrate to a public cloud infrastructure such as Azure. Very few businesses put their entire IT infrastructure in a public cloud environment. A sound cloud strategy, and determining which applications to migrate enables the enterprise to get the most from a public cloud vendor.
Two Ears One Mouth IT Consulting 
Hi Jim! Great article as always! Thanks for the info. There may be a typo in section 3 toward the end (or maybe my English has it’s own issue…)
“At some point, you may need to add on federation that will additional connectivity such as to hundreds of SaaS applications.”
See you soon, -Chase
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On Thu, Apr 5, 2018, 10:19 AM Two Ears One Mouth IT Consulting wrote:
> Jim Conwell posted: ” image courtesy of Microsoft.com A few months ago I > wrote an article on getting started with Amazon Web Services (AWS): now I > wanted to follow-up by writing the same about Microsoft Azure. Microsoft > Azure is the public cloud offering deployed through Micr” >
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