Azure is an open and flexible cloud platform
Microsoft Azure is Microsoft’s platform for cloud computing. It provides flexible, scalable cloud services that allow SMEs and larger enterprises to build, run and manage applications without maintaining all the underlying physical infrastructure themselves.
The Azure platform, released in 2008, was designed to provide a quicker way to build, deploy, and manage software applications across a global network of Microsoft managed data centres.
It enables businesses, developers and other organisations to access computing power, databases, data storage, networking and other technical resources on demand, scaling their usage up or down as their requirements change.
Azure cloud applications are commonplace in 2026. Most people interact with cloud computing services every day in the form of platforms like Microsoft OneDrive, which allows users to store and access photos and files from almost anywhere, at any time and on any compatible internet-connected device.
Microsoft Azure Fundamentals:
Microsoft developed Azure as a flexible cloud platform that allows developers to use a wide range of programming languages, frameworks and tools to build customised applications. These applications can then scale more easily as demand changes, with access to additional computing power, storage and other cloud resources when required.
Since it was announced in October 2008, Azure has reached a number of notable milestones, including:
October 2008: The Azure platform is released as ‘Windows Azure’.
February 2010: Azure becomes available on the market.
June 2012: New features including Websites, Virtual Machines and a new monitoring portal for reporting traffic are introduced.
April 2014: The platform was renamed ‘Microsoft Azure’ after observations that the cloud platform was not limited to Windows.
2018-2020: Microsoft explored Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence with Cognitive APIs for language understanding, speech, translations, search and vision.
November 2021: Azure OpenAI Service announced, bringing OpenAI's models directly into Azure
2023: Azure Active Directory renamed to Microsoft Entra ID: 2023
November 2024: Azure AI Studio (the development platform for building AI apps) launched and was later renamed Azure AI Foundry in Nov 2024, then Microsoft Foundry in Nov 2025.
What is Microsoft Azure used for?
Microsoft Azure provides businesses with access to over 200 products and cloud services. Across these, Microsoft Azure offers tools for computing, storage, networking, databases, analytics, AI, security and application development. Businesses can choose the services they need and combine them to build, manage and scale their cloud infrastructure.
At a high-level Microsoft Azure is used for:
Backup and disaster recovery
Developing cloud applications for mobile devices
Development and deployment of web applications including API management
Storage
Analytics with use of features such as real time analytics, machine learning, business intelligence and big data analytics
At I Finity we are experts in Azure and can review your setup and provide recommendations to improve it, book your Azure audit today.
Azure Services
The main categories and commonly used services are listed below, each covering a range of Azure products and cloud services.
1: Compute
Rent computing power on demand and only pay for resources you use. Commonly used services include App Service to create powerful cloud apps for web and mobile, Static Web Apps, Azure Functions.
2: Web
Comprehensive services enabling you to develop and deploy web applications, providing key features such as API management, App Service, Cognitive Search.
3: Storage/Hosting
Scalable, secure cloud storage for your files and data, plus automatic backups if something goes wrong. For SMEs, this means secure, automatic backups without needing independent servers or IT infrastructure to manage. Essential services include Azure Backup, Azure Blob Storage, Azure Files and more.
4: Databases
A fully managed, secure home for your business data with range of services such as Azure SQL Database to build apps that are easily scaled and managed. Services in this category give smaller businesses the same secure, professionally managed database infrastructure as large enterprises, without needing an in-house database administrator.
5: Integration
Seamlessly connect different business systems so they share data automatically, instead of manual double-entry. Azure provides API Management for developers to securely publish APIs and manage them at scale. Along with Logic Apps that enable the automation of access and use of data.
6: Security
Provides products and services to protect your organisation from advanced online threats including the management of encryption keys and ways to secure sensitive assets and data. For an SME, this means protection that would typically require a dedicated security team, built into the platform from day one.
7: AI & Machine Learning
Pre-built AI tools that help developers build the next generation of applications without building AI from scratch. With the use of Azure Machine Learning, Azure Cognitive Search, Face API, Text to Speech and more.
Azure's AI tools have also become far more accessible to smaller businesses. With Azure AI Foundry and Microsoft Copilot integrations, SMEs can add features like chatbots, document processing, or predictive insights to their products — without hiring a dedicated data science team. This is increasingly one of the biggest reasons smaller businesses are moving to Azure.
8: Analytics
Provides the capability to gather, store, process, analysis and visualise data of any size, type, volume or velocity. Azure services include Azure Data Explorer, Azure Stream Analytics, Azure Analysis Services and more.
9: Containers
Integrated tools to develop your app so it runs reliably wherever it is hosted, making updates and scaling easier.
One service within this category, Azure Container Apps, enables the build and deployment of modern apps and microservice using serverless containers. Azure Functions also provides the capability to execute event-driven serverless code functions for an end-to-end development experience.
10: Identity
Manages team logins and ensure only those authorised can access devices, data, apps and infrastructure. Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) enables single-sign-on and directories synchronisation.
The services and products available with Azure are vast, our Azure specialists work across and have implemented a range of Azure Cloud Services. Explore further how Azure Cloud Hosting can support your website or software application.
Azure Subscription and Pay-as-you Model:
Azure uses a pay-as-you go pricing model charging users based on usage., Each Azure product comes with its own cost or pricing tier. Azure also provides comprehensive cost management tools to help organisations optimise Azure resources keep costs under control.
Should you use Microsoft Azure?
Microsoft Azure offers a comprehensive set of products and services that provide the perfect balance of security, scale, flexibility and affordability for businesses of all sizes and across a broad range of sectors and industries.
Businesses choose Microsoft Azure because:
The cloud platform provides enterprise-grade security monitoring backed by a team of over 3,500 security experts
Azure meets the compliance standards regulated clients expect, with 90+ compliance offerings built in; meaning no dedicated compliance is team required
Users own their data and can be confident about where it is stored and how it is protected
Azure allows them to build applications, systems and databases on a secure foundation with multi-layered protection across datacentres, infrastructure and operations.
They can build and scale on demand, without constraint.
Users experience high availability and reliability with 99.95% availability SLA
Azure charges only for what they use meaning they can easily scale up or down to match fluctuating business needs.
Our all-encompassing Microsoft Azure Services
I Finity has over 10 years of in-depth Azure expertise with developing, managing and deploying software applications on Azure. Our Azure specialists are highly skilled across the range of Azure services and products on offer. As Azure specialists we expertly guide, consult and plan our customers Azure journey to deliver business agility. With our tailored technology strategies this enables our customers to achieve their specific objectives.
Over the years we have helped customers and businesses navigate the complexities of Microsoft Azure:
Planned and managed moving data and applications to the cloud
Removed the reliance on physical servers
Consulted on existing Azure implementations to deliver continuous value
Built many custom applications that are scalable supporting thousands of users
Provided full management of Azure services from managing web apps, services, storage, databases, data backup and recovery
We help customers and businesses of all sizes and scope requirements to deliver benefit from using cloud technology. Azure presents many possibilities – our priority is to ensure we remove any complexities and help businesses navigate how they can benefit from Azure.
Here is how we helped an organisation of a comparable size and scope to many of our SME clients:
Scalable Azure Hosting Managing Peak Traffic for Annual Events Programme
Transitioning Scottish Civic Trust’s website Doors Open Days to Azure delivered much needed performance and scalability. In our implementation we defined peak months to increase website capacity, a peak month receives 70% of total yearly website traffic. Read more about how our scalable Azure Cloud Hosting service helped a business benefit from the use of cloud technology.
Want to learn more about Microsoft Azure? Visit our Azure page or contact our Microsoft Azure specialists to discuss your specific needs.
