Cloud Computing and Azure

Name: Cloud Computing and Azure
Author: Mark Dreyer

Learn about Microsoft Azure and its relation to cloud computing

Preview the first lesson free — get full access to all 5 lessons.

Course: On-Demand

In this lesson, we'll introduce you to Microsoft Azure and the cloud services it provides. Microsoft Azure is a cloud computing platform built and hosted by a global network of Microsoft managed data centers. Microsoft Azure operates more than 200 physical data centers worldwide, offering a wide range of cloud services, including computing, security, analytics, storage and networking. Like other cloud platforms, Azure offers pay as you go pricing, which allows companies to pay for only the resources they need when they need them. You can use Azure for a variety of purposes such as building and deploying web and mobile applications storing and analyzing data creating and using virtual machines implementing and managing networking and security features developing and deploying machine learning models integrating with on premises and other cloud based systems and securing Azure other clouds and on premises resources. Organizations often use Azure to build and deploy applications and services quickly and efficiently without the need to maintain physical infrastructure. It is much easier to begin working with Azure or to increase your use of cloud computing than to obtain the hardware needed to run business solutions in a company owned location or data center. Azure allows developers and It professionals to focus on writing and deploying code rather than worrying about the underlying infrastructure. Microsoft also offers a range of support channels to help when there is an issue with one of their services or to provide guidance for implementing solutions. In Azure, these different support channels come with different costs and different response times. For example, having less immediate support for a developmental non production Azure subscription will be less expensive than having the high level of support that is required for business critical solutions. You may have experience with cloud computing even if you haven't worked with Azure. Amazon Web Services or AWS and Google Cloud Platform or GCP offer similar services and are Azure's biggest competitors. It's not unusual for larger organizations to spread their It solutions across multiple cloud platforms. There are various reasons for this, such as the comfort level of employees. For example, employees may have used Amazon Web Services at a previous employer and gained expertise and comfort in that platform. As a result, those employees may campaign to use Amazon Web Services at their current employer. The current employer may prefer Microsoft Azure but choose to use both platforms to keep the employees who are familiar with Amazon Web Services productive while they learn to use Azure. Because Microsoft knows that organizations use other cloud computing platforms alongside Azure, the company offers security solutions such as Microsoft Defender for Cloud that are specifically designed to protect workloads in competitors'clouds. Defender for Cloud can protect resources in Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, and on premises with a fast integration process. Having one single pane of glass to manage the security of multiple cloud platforms is a major advantage of this solution. Azure also hosts many of Microsoft's own cloud offerings. A common application that uses Azure in the backend is Microsoft's 365. If you've used Exchange Online, SharePoint Online OneDrive or Microsoft Teams, you've used Azure. You also will have experienced Azure. If you do any gaming on Xbox Live, you search with Bing. You're a developer who uses GitHub or Visual Studio or you have a LinkedIn account. Microsoft Azure is a major cloud services provider that can run large organizations, provide cloud services in tandem with competitors and even act as the infrastructure for many consumer services.

Beginner Provider : Mark Dreyer 5 Lessons · 19m in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese

Course Description

This module will introduce cloud computing, and discuss the industry trends that have led to a rise in cloud usage. You’ll learn about how IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS offerings can benefit different audiences and why they’re attractive to cloud customers. We will discuss the shared responsibility model and demonstrate that certain liabilities are owned by the customer and others by the cloud provider. We’ll also look at the three different cloud models, public, private, and hybrid, discussing the benefits of each and why an organization might choose one versus another.

In these lessons you’ll learn about the essential concepts of cloud computing and some of the main cloud providers. You will be introduced to Microsoft’s Azure cloud offering and learn about some of the benefits and capabilities of the Azure cloud. The three main cloud models will be discussed, along with the concept of consumption-based billing. You’ll also learn about the concept of a shared responsibility model and how it relates to cloud computing.

What You'll Learn

Describe the shared responsibility model and how customer and cloud provider liabilities are divided
Distinguish between public, private, and hybrid cloud models and why an organization might choose each
Explain the consumption-based billing model in cloud computing
Differentiate between IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS offerings and their benefits to different audiences
Identify the essential concepts of cloud computing and some of the main cloud providers
Recognize the benefits and capabilities of Microsoft's Azure cloud offering

Key Takeaways

Industry trends have driven a rise in cloud usage, with IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS offerings appealing to different audiences and cloud customers.
The shared responsibility model means certain liabilities are owned by the customer and others by the cloud provider.
There are three main cloud models, public, private, and hybrid, each with distinct benefits that influence which one an organization chooses.
Cloud computing commonly uses a consumption-based billing model.
Microsoft Azure is a major cloud offering with its own benefits and capabilities introduced in this module.

Frequently Asked Questions

What topics does this course cover?

It introduces cloud computing and the industry trends behind its rise, covers IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS offerings, the shared responsibility model, the public, private, and hybrid cloud models, consumption-based billing, and an introduction to Microsoft's Azure cloud offering.

What will I learn about Microsoft Azure?

You will be introduced to Microsoft's Azure cloud offering and learn about some of the benefits and capabilities of the Azure cloud.

What lessons are included in this module?

The lessons are Microsoft Azure Fundamentals, Introduction to cloud computing, Describe the shared responsibility model, Define cloud models, and Describe the consumption-based model.

What is the shared responsibility model in this course?

It is the model showing that certain liabilities are owned by the customer and others by the cloud provider, and the course explains how it relates to cloud computing.

What skills does this course help build?

It covers skills including Azure Cloud Services, Cloud Computing, Cloud Services, Microsoft Azure, and aligns with Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals.