Although it has been in operation for many years, it is likely that you have not yet decided to try it. Microsoft Azure. And you may be missing out on a lot of cool perks. Likewise, there are many users who would like to improve their experience, that is why we dedicate this post to collecting Some ideas and tips to get more out of Microsoft Azure.
For those who still do not know Azure, we will briefly explain how it works in the following paragraphs. It must be said that, although it is a project that saw the light of day in 2008, it did not take the form or the name with which we currently know it until 2014.
What is Microsoft Azure?
Microsoft Azure is a cloud services platform from Microsoft that can work with most operating systems (not just Windows). Through it, users can build, deploy and manage applications within a global network of Microsoft data centers quickly and easily.
Azure servers allow us have all the IT infrastructure we need. From physical servers and networks to development platforms or storage systems. In total, more than 200 applications and services. All of this can be “built” in a short time with a few simple clicks.
Azure services are fully guaranteed and available. Furthermore, for our peace of mind, they have all the necessary certifications regarding security and data protection.
This is a small summary of the advantages of using Microsoft Azure:
- Secure Storage, with the interesting possibility of having external backup copies.
- Integration with other platformssuch as Microsoft 365, teams or Sharepoint, which also have their own "cloud".
- Scalability and accessibility, thanks to the flexibility of having the contracted services available to a greater or lesser extent, depending on the need.
- Pay per use. One of the most notable and most interesting features of Microsoft Azure, especially thinking about business costs. You only pay for what you use.
- hybrid work, which allows us to enjoy the advantages of local work and work in the cloud, thus achieving more efficient performance.
In short, a series of features that make this a very convenient tool for small businesses and independent professionals, although many large companies around the world also benefit from it. Not in vain is it an effective formula to optimize resources.
Tricks to better use Microsoft Azure
To learn how to manage all Azure resources and thus take advantage of all the possibilities that this platform offers, you need to spend a little time studying how it works. Here are some suggestions. Little tips to get interesting improvements:
Use SMB 3.0
One of the two standard protocols that Azure Files offers for mounting shares for your files is the Server message block, better known by its acronym SMB.
With SMB 3.0 and later, Azure allows you to share resources and home directories between multiple authorized users. It also provides auxiliary storage for Windows-based applications (for example, SQL Server databases) as well as new application development.
Backup
All data stored in Azure Files is saved using a special encryption whose operation is quite similar to that of BitLocker in Windows. On the other hand, it includes a serverless backup integrated with Azure Backup.
Open port 445
When working with Azure, it is important make sure port 445 is open. This is basic, since SMB communicates through TCP port 445. In addition to this, you must check that there is no firewall that is blocking this access.
In some cases, you will need to configure a VPN from on-premises in your Azure Storage account. By doing this, the traffic will go through a secure tunnel instead of over the Internet.
Secure and hassle-free migrations
Migrations carried out through Azure are completely secure. Thanks to the application Azure Migrate (completely free) a detection and evaluation of local resources is carried out, a necessary prior step to execute the complete migration: technical and business information, databases and applications.
These migrations are carried out through phases that the user can follow and manage at any time through the central panel. A way to ensure that everything runs correctly and without problems.
Conclusion
All of the above is just a small look at what Microsoft Azure can offer us, which is actually much more. The best thing is that any user, individual or company, can try several of its functions for free. A test that allows us to discover its capabilities and services. Among them are storing information and data efficiently, as well as the application development and artificial intelligence in a simple way.