Microsoft Azure Reviews

We use Microsoft Teams for collaboration with different teams and parties, creating channels for both internal and external communication. In addition, we leverage Power Apps within Microsoft Office to develop workflows and automation tools.

Azure has enhanced our organization's ability to scale applications on demand by providing flexible scalability options tailored to each application's needs. Depending on the application hosted in Azure, we can scale up resources to handle increased requests or scale down during periods of lower demand.

One feature I like in Microsoft Azure is its ability to host and run applications on virtual machines. It is a basic yet crucial capability for our team. 

One area where Microsoft Azure could improve is in offering a broader range of pre-built plugins and tools compared to AWS. While Azure excels in certain capabilities like text-to-voice and voice-to-text, it may lack robust support for handling diverse languages effectively, such as local dialects or combinations of languages like Chinese and English. Enhancing flexibility and language support could make Azure more competitive in diverse global markets like Singapore and the Philippines. Additionally, a feature I would like to see added to Azure in the future is support for a native graph database technology. While AWS offers Neptune for graph databases, Azure currently lacks a similar offering.

I have been working with Microsoft Azure for almost two years.

We have not faced any stability issues with Microsoft Azure.

Microsoft Azure is highly scalable, which makes it easy to adjust resources based on demand. It is mature in terms of scalability and offers seamless scalability features. We have over 200 users utilizing the solution across various teams and departments.

Microsoft's technical support is a bit costly, but it is worth it for the quality assistance they provide. I would rate the support as an eight out of ten.

Positive

Generally, the time it takes to deploy and configure a solution in Azure can vary depending on the specific requirements and complexity of the deployment. It could range from a few hours to a few days, but it ultimately depends on factors like the size of the application, the number of resources being deployed, and any custom configurations needed.

We utilize Azure for disaster recovery and business continuity, particularly for our graph database application. While our primary system is hosted on AWS, we have implemented a backup and disaster recovery strategy using Azure. In the event of any disruptions or failures, Azure serves as a reliable fallback, ensuring minimal downtime and data loss.

While we don't create workflows directly in Azure, we benefit from its auto-scaling feature, which adjusts resources based on demand. Plus, Azure integrates well with tools like Control M for workflow automation, making our processes more efficient.

Integrating Azure with other Microsoft solutions like Active Directory and Office 365 is seamless and straightforward, enhancing our business processes. However, we also need to integrate Azure with external systems like Jira and GitLab. While Azure excels in Microsoft product integration, we are exploring ways to streamline integration with non-Microsoft products, which is an area where Microsoft can improve.

For those considering Azure, it is crucial to understand that Microsoft offers a comprehensive ecosystem of products and services. Azure is a top choice for cloud computing needs, especially when already using Microsoft products. It seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft solutions, providing a cohesive experience. So, if you are already invested in the Microsoft ecosystem, Azure is worth considering for your cloud computing needs.

Overall, I would rate Microsoft Azure as a seven out of ten.

Our primary use of the platform involves a variety of architecture frameworks, infrastructure, and system needs based on customer requirements. We use it for many AI projects, cognitive services, and infrastructure management.

The solution's most valuable features include scalability, stability, and comprehensive security tools. Its AI capabilities, including generative AI and tools like Azure GitHub Copilot, have been particularly beneficial in optimizing our operations and enhancing critical processes.

There is room for improvement in the product's AI capabilities and real-time data processing features.

I have been using Microsoft Azure since its inception, for nearly 14 years. My experience with Azure began around 2010, shortly after its initial launch.

The product is highly stable. 

The platform's scalability has been vital for effectively managing varying workloads and infrastructure needs. Proper planning is necessary to utilize it and fully avoid potential issues.

Microsoft provides comprehensive support through various channels, which has been instrumental in resolving issues and optimizing our platform use.

I have used various solutions, but Microsoft Azure's comprehensive feature set and integration capabilities made it a preferable choice for our requirements.

The initial setup process can vary in complexity depending on the specific needs and scale of the deployment. We have managed various deployment scenarios, adjusting methods according to customer requirements.

Our in-house team carried out the implementation, which was supported by vendor resources as required.

In countries experiencing high inflation, the cost of Azure services can be significantly impacted. This can result in higher expenses compared to other regions.

We evaluated other cloud platforms, including Oracle, Cisco, and various vendors. However, Azure's robust AI and security features made it the best fit for our requirements.

Microsoft Azure has been a crucial component of our operations, and its continuous improvements in AI and security are promising. Staying updated with Azure’s developments through official announcements and industry news is vital for leveraging its full potential.

I rate it a ten. 

Microsoft Azure is a very dynamic cloud service that allows you to migrate your workload, applications, and data. We can use cloud services to run those environments or transform those applications into better services with high availability and resilience. It has multiple zones and multiple data centers.

When running any service on the cloud, the best advantage is that you can scale up and scale down. You can scale up your environment if there's a high-selling season for your application and services. Once that season is over, you can downscale and run operations.

The customer support can become pricey at times if you don't have proper plans.

I have been using Microsoft Azure for more than five years.

Microsoft Azure is a very stable solution.

I rate the solution’s stability ten out of ten.

I rate the solution ten out of ten for scalability.

The solution's technical support is great. The only thing is that the support can become pricey at times if you don't have proper plans. The cloud services are available for any problems you get into. The support is good, and now it's very stable.

Complexity-wise, the solution's initial setup is very medium. A lot of documentation, videos, training, and tutorials are available. Anybody who knows about cloud computing can learn, train themselves, and set up the solution. You need to keep enhancing your setup, configurations, and security.

You get a better return investment with Microsoft Azure for three to five years. Customers would incur hardware and infrastructure costs on their data center because they have to keep upgrading their hardware every three to five years. You need someone to maintain your redundancy, which costs too much.

That's why people go with the cloud, where you don't have to worry about anything. Microsoft data centers are developed in such a way that there is high availability and redundancy.

You just need to worry about your application and the access and security around it. You don't have to worry about all the underlying hardware, which is very cost-effective. If you choose the right SKUs for the costing part, you'll get your return on investment in three years.

All cloud services are available on a monthly licensing basis. Microsoft Azure has the concept of reserve instances. If you know that you would like to run your application for one year or three years, then you should go with the reserve instances. The monthly costs become very reasonable because of the discounts you get on longer reserved instances.

Microsoft is actively enhancing the solution. When it was first launched, the tool was a little more on the classic version, but then Microsoft improved and enhanced those services. Microsoft is currently working with a plethora of applications and services. A lot of things have already been done. Microsoft Azure is a very stable and in-demand cloud.

Most organizations are using Microsoft Azure because Microsoft is running their identity piece. If the identity is merged or synced with the cloud identity, everything develops and works around that. Several users and companies have grown quickly after using Microsoft Azure. In any organization, around 80% to 90% of users are using the cloud service.

Everyone should start using Microsoft Azure and try to get Microsoft certifications. Microsoft certifications have a lot of practical labs and scenario-based questions that prepare you for the actual deployment. So, Microsoft certifications are a must.

Overall, I rate the solution ten out of ten.

Microsoft Azure provides many critical features, such as business continuity and disaster recovery, which come embedded out of the box. From my point of view, managing the whole infrastructure, these features have been very beneficial. The support is also amazing, with someone allocated to assist within a few minutes.

At the moment, we've found Azure Container Apps to be most beneficial for scalability. Previously, our resources were hosted on dedicated servers, which were tricky to scale automatically. With Azure Container Apps, which work like Kubernetes with additional features, scalability is built-in. This allows us to scale to almost zero when not in use, saving costs. Additionally, consumption-based features ensure we only pay when there's demand, and it auto-scales accordingly.

However, we've had issues with Databricks auto-scaling, where it sometimes spun up more clusters than needed, incurring extra costs. Azure has resolved these issues based on our feedback. As we often adopt new technologies early, we encounter some immaturity in features, but overall, for our application needs, we're quite satisfied. I haven't used AWS or other cloud providers, so I can't compare costs.

Support is very responsive, especially for production issues. Within a few minutes, I get a phone call, and within half an hour, they gather the experts based on the resource type to address the issue.

Positive

Our budget for the Microsoft Azure infrastructure is over a million a year.

I am very satisfied with Microsoft Azure. Their resources, such as Databricks, can be expensive, but Microsoft is working on addressing that with discounts. I am happy because I use many of Azure's features, from development tools (Azure DevOps) to infrastructure.

I would recommend Microsoft Azure to others. Our developers are familiar with the Microsoft stack, which makes Azure a natural fit for us. Additionally, Microsoft offers substantial discounts for partners like us. Azure supports many open-source tools and integrates well with Azure DevOps extensions.

Recently, we've implemented Advanced Security through Microsoft Defender, which scans for vulnerabilities and integrates with our existing stack. This addition has been crucial in addressing previous gaps in security, particularly in identifying and resolving vulnerabilities early in the development process. 

I rate the overall product a nine out of ten. 

I use Microsoft Azure for a variety of applications, including medical software, IV systems, and repair projects. It is great for BI tasks, helping me analyze data and generate insights. I have also used Azure for hosting various events and managing different projects efficiently.

The most valuable features of Azure for me are its ease of management, recoverable virtual machines with backup support, excellent customer support, and user-friendly interface. It allows me to do a lot on my own and provides a comprehensive cloud solution.

From an operations perspective, I find Azure portal, user management with Active Directory, and Azure DevOps to be the most valuable services. They make it easy to manage projects, user access, and administrative tasks efficiently.

While Azure continually improves its services, one area for enhancement could be in the realm of big data and unstructured data storage. Although I haven't explored this aspect extensively, focusing on improving offerings in this area could benefit users who rely on such data storage solutions.

I have been working with Microsoft Azure for almost six years.

I have not had any stability issues with Azure.

Azure's scalability, including features like Azure Elastic for searches, has had a significant impact on my project. It has improved performance, even with large volumes of data. In our organization, which has over 200 technical resources, more than 20 people work with Azure across various projects and clients.

Azure's support is responsive and helpful, making it easier to navigate any challenges. I would rate them at a nine out of ten.

Positive

Setting up Azure initially can sometimes require assistance, especially for migrations between tenants, but overall it is user-friendly. Complexity depends on the task. Azure's support and documentation are crucial for our deployment process.

Deployment in Azure is made easy and manageable through helpful configuration and management tools. Initial deployment may take one to two hours, but subsequent deployments typically take around 30 minutes, depending on factors like database and application size. Upgrades can be even quicker, sometimes taking only 13 minutes.

Working with Azure has shown a positive return on investment, particularly in projects involving migration from data centers. Benefits include improved performance, availability, and reduced downtime, leading to enhanced customer experiences and business outcomes.

Azure's pricing is generally considered reasonable and cost-effective compared to AWS, although AWS prices can be higher in some cases.

In a project, we needed to gather data from various APIs, including Google Analytics, and integrate them seamlessly. Azure played a critical role in this by facilitating the integration of different technical services and allowing us to efficiently ingest data from CSV files. We also utilized Azure to process and output data in different formats, ensuring smooth operations throughout the project.

We rely on Azure for all our cloud computing needs because it filters almost all our requirements. It fulfills everything we need for cloud computing, and we are very satisfied with its services.

My experience with Azure Security tools has been positive. Azure offers robust security features like multi-factor authentication and role-based access control, ensuring a high level of security for our projects. I haven't encountered any issues or breaches, though user management practices also play a role in maintaining security.

Azure's main pros include strong support for Microsoft-native services like Azure SQL and cost-effectiveness for certain workloads compared to AWS. However, licensing for non-Microsoft services may be a bit more complex on Azure.

My advice for organizations considering implementing Azure is to assess their specific business needs and customize their infrastructure accordingly. Utilize Azure's diverse services and storage capacities intelligently, optimizing cost by leveraging features like auto start and stop for non-essential resources.

Overall, I would rate Microsoft Azure as an eight out of ten.

We use the solution for business analytics, data warehouse, data sharing, and data governance. I am a data engineer. I work on cloud data warehouses and data lakes.

I use Power BI and Azure Synapse Analytics for my analytic needs.

The solution is useful for handling large amounts of data. It is useful for big data. Our analytical needs are taken care of by Azure Synapse Analytics. The scalability is valuable. The data is increasing daily in structured, semi-structured, and unstructured areas. Accommodating multiple data types with a cloud data warehouse and cloud data lake is easy. Azure's security and compliance tools are nice. We get a lot of customers who want to handle data in large volumes.

The third-party data-sharing features must be improved. It will be useful for users who use other cloud providers.

I have been using the solution for more than five years.

The tool is stable most of the time. Sometimes, when there is an issue, it takes a long time to resolve. I rate the stability a seven out of ten. The stability must be improved.

When the demand increases during occasions like Black Friday, we have to scale up to meet the customer requirements. Later, we can scale down. I rate the tool’s scalability an eight to nine out of ten. Our clients are mostly enterprise businesses. We normally deal with manufacturing and banking customers.

The customer support is fine. We work with a partner.

Positive

I rate the ease of setup a nine or ten out of ten. We don't require many skill sets to provision it. The time taken for deployment depends upon the environment and the data. Generally, it can be done within hours.

I rate the pricing an eight or nine out of ten. If a customer has Microsoft Stack, they choose Microsoft's products.

Many customers compare Azure Synapse with Snowflake. Snowflake has good capabilities in data-sharing and the marketplace.

We are partners. We pitch Microsoft products to our clients whenever there is a need. I will recommend the product to others. Overall, I rate the product a nine out of ten.

The monitoring features are very good.

Some of the dashboard features can be improved.

Some of the backup solutions for SAP are not compatible. For example, we have a Sybase database running, and Azure does not have an agent tool for connecting with it. This means that we have to use a third-party tool to properly backup our SAP Sybase system.

We have been using Microsoft Azure for between two and three years.

Azure is a stable product.

This is a scalable solution and we have been 200 and 300 people who use it.

The technical support is really good.

We have not used another public cloud.

We have an in-house team, and between 10 and 20 people maintain it.

The pricing model can be improved because we find that Azure pricing is a bit high.

We are planning to migrate our SAP system to the cloud, so we have been looking at and comparing different cloud solutions. We are analyzing and comparing Google Cloud Platform, Amazon, and the IBM Cloud. After we compare them all we will make a decision.

The suitability of this product depends on the customer's requirements and needs. AWS is stable and nice, the Google Cloud Platform is really improving a lot, and IBM Cloud is also available. The decision for which to use will be based on what kind of solutions you are deploying and how you want to integrate them. Ultimately, it is best to choose the provider that is most suitable for your existing workload. 

Overall, this is a good solution but there are certainly features that need to be improved, as well as the pricing.

I would rate this solution a seven out of ten.

I integrate our technologies into Azure. I just deploy, do some tests and POC for Azure. A recent project leveraged Azure's analytics services, it was related to Security Hub and Azure B1.

I support customers with their Azure implementations to better understand Azure architecture and how to integrate our technologies.

I like the ease of implementation and development and how quickly everything is ready.

Azure's security and compliance tools are not enough, and that's why other technologies like Fortinet would be much more recommended than the native ones.

Security, for sure, is an area of improvement. 

I have been working with it for three years now. 

I would rate the scalability a ten out of ten. Our customers are medium and enterprise businesses. 

I would rate my experience with the initial setup a ten out of ten, where one is difficult, and ten is easy.

It's cloud-based, both public and private.

The deployment can take a few days. I deploy it in the customer's premises, in their private or public cloud account.

I would rate the pricing a six out of ten,  where one is cheap, and ten is expensive. It's in line with other public cloud providers.

I would recommend it because it's easy to implement. But it always depends on the customer's needs. If their specific needs match with going towards the public cloud, then Azure would be one of my main recommendations.

Overall, I would rate it a nine out of ten.