Microsoft Azure, a leading cloud computing platform, continues to evolve and enhance its offerings to meet the ever-changing needs of businesses and developers. In this blog, we’ll explore the fundamentals of Azure and delve into some of the new and enhanced products that empower organizations in their cloud journey.
What is Microsoft Azure?
Microsoft Azure, commonly referred to as Azure, is a comprehensive cloud computing platform provided by Microsoft. It offers a wide range of services, including infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), and software as a service (SaaS). Here are some key aspects of Azure:
Global Reach: Azure operates in data centers across the globe, ensuring low-latency access for users worldwide.
Scalability: Azure allows organizations to scale resources up or down based on demand, making it suitable for startups, enterprises, and everything in between.
Security and Compliance: Azure adheres to rigorous security standards and provides compliance certifications for various industries.
Hybrid Capabilities: Azure seamlessly integrates with on-premises environments, enabling hybrid cloud scenarios.
New and Enhanced Azure Products
1. Azure Cosmos DB
Enhanced Document Expiration: Azure Cosmos DB now supports Time to Live (TTL) on any field, allowing organizations to set expiration policies for specific data points.
2. Azure Data Explorer
Geospatial Capabilities: Azure Data Explorer has added new geospatial capabilities, making it easier to analyze location-based data.
3. Azure Firewall Manager
WAF Policy and DDoS Management: Azure Firewall Manager now includes Azure Web Application Firewall (WAF) policy management and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) protection.
4. Azure Stream Analytics
Retirement of .NET Standard User-Defined Functions: .NET Standard user-defined functions for Azure Stream Analytics will be retired, and organizations are encouraged to transition to JavaScript user-defined functions.
5. Azure Notification Hubs
Deprecation of FCM Legacy API: Support for Azure Notification Hubs’ Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) legacy API will be deprecated by July 2024. Organizations should transition to newer alternatives.
6. Azure Advisor
Aggregated Potential Yearly Savings: Azure Advisor will no longer display aggregated potential yearly savings. Users can continue calculating these savings using other methods.
7. App Service Environment (ASE)
Retirement of ASE Versions 1 and 2: App Service Environment versions 1 and 2 will be retired, and organizations are advised to migrate to ASE v3 by August 31, 2024.
8. Cloud Services (Classic)
Retirement of Classic Deployment Model: Cloud Services (classic) deployment model will be retired, and users should plan to transition to newer models by August 31, 2024.
9. Virtual Network
Retirement of Classic Networking Services: Five Azure classic networking services will be retired, affecting Virtual Network configurations. Users should plan accordingly.
10. Azure Health Data Services
Bulk Delete Operation for FHIR Service: The FHIR service in Azure Health Data Services now supports bulk delete operations, enabling compliance with data retention policies.
11. Azure Site Recovery
Shared Disks for Business Continuity: Azure Site Recovery now supports disaster recovery for shared disks, ensuring business continuity for critical applications.
Conclusion
Microsoft Azure continues to innovate, providing organizations with powerful tools to build, deploy, and manage applications in the cloud. Whether you’re a developer, IT professional, or business leader, Azure offers a rich ecosystem of services to drive your digital transformation. Explore Azure’s enhanced products and unlock the full potential of cloud computing!
- Author: NM Experts
- Last Updated: Apr 27, 2024
