Business Solutions Specialist at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees
Robust analytics and seamless integration enable tailored reporting and predictive insights
Pros and Cons
- "Microsoft Azure provides a valuable Data Factory, particularly for analytics."
- "Many features are specific to Azure cloud, creating a vendor lock-in."
What is our primary use case?
We have various dashboards built for different subject areas using Microsoft Power BI. These are built to meet specific user requirements for dashboards, reporting, and analytics, including predictive analytics. The data is populated in the cloud using Microsoft integration services and Data Factory.
What is most valuable?
Microsoft Azure provides a valuable Data Factory, particularly for analytics. The product is powerful for integration and data loading. Power BI, another feature of Azure, is extremely elegant and has robust features that support forecasting using R and Python. Azure's ecosystem promotes integration across various products, making it a comprehensive solution for data and analytics.
What needs improvement?
Many features are specific to Azure cloud, creating a vendor lock-in. Moving solutions back on-premises may not be possible. Some features available on Azure cloud are not present on-premises, which can limit hybrid deployments. Recent outages and security issues are also a concern, causing a decrease in confidence, especially when partnering with third-party companies.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Microsoft Azure for less than three years.
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What was my experience with deployment of the solution?
I find the setup to be very simple and easy to use.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Microsoft Azure is quite stable, but recent outages and security issues have slightly decreased my confidence. I have not personally faced any major issues, but the security part needs more focus.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability with Microsoft Azure is amazing, which is a primary reason for using cloud solutions.
How was the initial setup?
The setup is very simple and user-friendly.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Pricing varies on a case-to-case basis. Microsoft solutions might be cheaper than some services like AWS, but some solutions may be more expensive depending on the services compared.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I evaluated Cloudera as well. While Microsoft Azure offers easier and faster rollout of solutions, Cloudera provides a flexible hybrid environment with no vendor lock-ins, which can be an advantage.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Microsoft Azure a nine out of ten overall. It is a very well-done and elegant platform, but the security issues slightly lower my rating.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Last updated: Mar 3, 2025
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Cloud Strategy B2B leader at Sunrise UPC
Promotes clear, logical structures preventing impractical configurations and offers seamless integration
Pros and Cons
- "The customer service and support are very good. When we raise a ticket, we quickly get feedback or someone assigned to help us identify the problem, which, 90% of the time, was on our end. I'm very happy with the support they provide."
- "The only thing is regarding the management of multi-cloud environments. That's not really possible."
What is our primary use case?
My experience primarily revolves around modernization, IT transformation, and infrastructure as a service in the cloud, along with managed services, cloud service provider strategies, designing cloud services, and monetization strategies.
So, I'm mainly focused on consulting for customers. However, I also use it personally.
How has it helped my organization?
My customers integrate Microsoft Azure into their existing IT infrastructure. They adopt a hybrid approach, and they tend to move as much as possible to the cloud. It's a transition to fully cloud-based solutions, dealing with legacy systems through temporary hybrid solutions until everything can be migrated.
Projects often leverage Azure for data handling, using Microsoft's data platform, Power BI, and Azure Synapse Analytics. Innovations with Azure are increasingly driven by integrations with OpenAI and tools like ChatGPT, enabling rapid project initiation and delivering substantial results in artificial intelligence applications.
It's very exhaustive and very comprehensive. Regarding the security features, the security stack of Microsoft has made a lot of improvements in the last two years. We really appreciate the offerings, particularly what they have done with Microsoft Sentinel, a platform that helps manage what is happening within your organization, which is very good.
An improvement could be a version that is more adapted for small companies. Microsoft Sentinel is great for large companies but less so for smaller ones. I also appreciate what they have done with Microsoft Purview. The cybersecurity stack of Microsoft is very good.
What is most valuable?
Microsoft Azure promotes clear, logical structures preventing impractical configurations. So, compared to the older platform I know, the advantage of Microsoft Azure is it's very coherent. You can't really build something totally stupid.
With other platforms, it's possible to build something technically possible but practically very stupid. So, it's very coherent on the Microsoft platform, and it's also consistent with what Microsoft has done on-premise.
If we have a customer with a strong Microsoft footprint, it's pretty obvious that we should move to Microsoft Azure. On the opposite side, if we have a customer that's super Linux-oriented, they have a lot of Linux services and stuff like that for those types of customers. It's easier, maybe, to move to AWS.
Another area of improvement is Microsoft Sentinel. It is great for large companies but less so for smaller ones. An improvement could be a version that is more adapted for small companies.
What needs improvement?
The only thing is regarding the management of multi-cloud environments. That's not really possible.
So basically, it's wonderful if you manage Microsoft clearly and if you manage Microsoft Azure, but if you need to consume external services and have a global overview of all your consumption, it's not the case.
Google, for instance, has tools that help you manage multiple environments, which makes sense because Google is really the cloud provider. So that's why they need to be compliant with the others.
But for sure, Microsoft's approach is different, and it's wonderful when you're one hundred percent on Azure. But if you'd like to have something more of a multi-cloud strategy, that's a bit of a gap where they could improve.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for more than ten years now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a very stable solution. I would rate the stability a ten, but I never give it ten, so I would rate it a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I would rate the scalability a nine out of ten because no one is perfect. Azure's scalability features are fundamental. They allow our applications to grow with our customers.
For instance, when a customer enters new markets, it's easy to deploy an environment in a new data center or provide a CDN for closer distribution. We encourage customers to adopt modern applications based on microservices, which are natively scalable and elastic, allowing the IT infrastructure to grow with their market demands and expectations.
In Switzerland, where I'm based, the majority of people use Azure. AWS entered the market a bit later. The problem is they're working more with Microsoft products like Microsoft 365 than with Azure as an infrastructure platform, which is still pretty new here. We're at an early stage in Switzerland for full cloud adoption.
Our customers are medium enterprises mostly because they are the most prominent customers we see in my business. Large customers already use Azure extensively, like the top 50 big companies, including Zalando, Nestle, Kraya, and Philip Morris for PMI. They're using Azure a lot, but not always AWS. If you're very big, you'll have at least two cloud providers.
The medium market is more Microsoft-oriented than AWS. Small companies, however, don't know much about the cloud or are not interested in it; they are interested in solutions that may be hosted in the cloud, but that's not their focus.
How are customer service and support?
The customer service and support are very good. When we have an issue in an Azure environment, it's usually our fault, not Microsoft's. Maybe it is an issue with the design we made.
However, when we raise a ticket, we quickly get feedback or someone assigned to help us identify the problem, which, 90% of the time, was on our end. I'm very happy with the support they provide.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I've worked with many solutions as I'm involved in cloud strategy, focusing on cloud technology.
I have substantial knowledge of the AWS platform and Microsoft Azure, particularly in infrastructure as a service, management, cloud platforms, FinOps, containers, and microservices.
I have a good overview of the offerings from AWS, Microsoft, and Google, and they're very close. They observe each other and are very similar. For me, Microsoft Azure is a very good platform with a lot of utility.
AWS is probably the most exhaustive platform, allowing for a wide range of technologies. However, this means you can create monster systems that don't make sense, though it might be useful for a very niche market.
Google tries to think out of the box, offering alternatives that can comply with other platforms, and having a more data-driven approach. But AWS and Microsoft are very close.
How was the initial setup?
I would rate my experience with the initial setup a five out of ten, with ten being easy to set up.
It's not difficult because you are well-guided, but it requires an understanding of the philosophy and knowledge. It's definitely easier than AWS, which is more complex and designed by engineers for engineers. Managing AWS is definitely a bit more complex than Azure.
What about the implementation team?
The time it takes to deploy Microsoft Azure varies. You can create an environment in five minutes, but setting up a whole organization can take longer. It depends on what you mean by "deploy."
In Azure, the environment size matters; whether you have one server or three thousand, it's not the same thing, and it also includes factors like replication. Now, everything is scripted, so the deployment time also depends on your maturity and experience. It's faster to deploy a cloud environment than a physical one.
First, we identify what needs to be achieved and make the architecture. Then we deploy in a test environment, perform integration and acceptance tests, move to a pre-production environment for real-life assessment with limited users, and based on success, move to production.
There's a sandbox or dev environment, a test environment for testing, a pre-prod for limited user testing, and then production for a dedicated market or group if successful.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I would rate the pricing a seven out of ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive.
It's not about licensing but subscription. For an SME, spending roughly 5,000 euros per month becomes interesting, indicating a significant infrastructure setup in the cloud.
For those just starting their cloud journey or using only Office 365 and similar services, it's much cheaper, about 1,000 to 2,000 euros per month.
Customers pay Microsoft to get the environment up and running, but they may also need to pay external providers or suppliers for managed services. This is where we see an opportunity to provide an integrated offer that includes both the Microsoft suite and management on top.
It's crucial, especially for companies that may not know how to fully leverage the product, to have this guidance and support.
This is where Microsoft partners come in, adding value on top of Microsoft's offerings.
For an SME, depending on their IT infrastructure, having managed services is important, as they may not have a large IT department. The cost of managing the environment might be similar to the expense for Microsoft services, potentially around 5,000 euros a month to manage the environment.
What other advice do I have?
I would advise that migrating to the cloud is an amazing opportunity. However, it's crucial to understand the drivers of the cloud, what changes it brings, and to reconsider the organization and skills within the organization.
If you expect to move to the cloud without changing the structure, processes, personnel, or without providing training, it won't work. You might end up disappointed, wanting a direct copy of what you had in a cloud environment in the past, which could be more expensive.
Moving to Azure requires training your IT teams, but also providing basic cloud training for everyone, including the CFO, CIO, and even the CEO. Everyone needs to understand the concept of the cloud and what can be achieved with it.
Creating a cloud center of excellence is also critical to reshaping the company with cloud capabilities. This can lead to significant changes and transformation, increasing elasticity, reactivity, and potentially huge savings.
Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. consultant
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September 2025

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Lead Cloud Specialist at EZ-Link Pte Ltd
Accommodates all production workloads, including development, and mission-critical applications and provides a strong baseline for compliance with industry standards and government regulations
Pros and Cons
- "It's very scalable. We can scale up to 80-85% without issues."
- "I don't understand why we spend so much time and money on Azure when Microsoft relies on third-party companies for support in the CSP model. I don't know how the support model works within Microsoft, but giving it to poor-performing third-party companies is not ideal."
What is our primary use case?
We host all of our production workloads in Azure, including all environments like UAT, development, and production.
All our mission-critical workloads run in Azure, and that includes Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), Azure API Management (APIM), Application Gateway, Load Balancer, and a full suite of security products, including Azure Sentinel, virtual machines, Azure Monitor, and ExpressRoute for private network connectivity.
Additionally, we've recently begun using Azure Synapse for data warehousing, and our SaaS solutions include Office 365 and Dynamics 365.
What is most valuable?
We use so many services, and it's constantly evolving, so there are many features I like.
For example, Azure DevOps is good for deployment.
Additionally, different Azure products integrate well to create unified security solutions.
I really like the security features in Azure. Defender integrates everything, so I can handle all security posture management tasks within a unified solution. It outperforms SIEM, CIEM, and even Security Access Broker solutions. It's a complete package with unified support within Azure.
For compliance, we follow specific industry standards and government regulations. Azure provides a strong baseline, making compliance maintenance easier.
What needs improvement?
We use most Azure services. However, there are limitations with a few services, like the Standard Load Balancer. It lacks features like utilization visibility compared to traditional load balancers.
Some older services need better log visibility. Additionally, limitations can be restrictive. For example, the Standard Load Balancer currently lacks the ability to proactively monitor its own health.
Additionally, through the Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) model, Microsoft support isn't ideal. We often need to escalate to outsourced technical support, who rely on documentation. I often need to remind them that we follow the documentation and educate them on the issue. I rarely reach the actual Microsoft back-end engineers. Despite this, the service uptime and monitoring are good.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with it for seven years. I have been using it since 2017.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's stable. However, we had a major incident in Singapore last year, even though we don't have any resources in Australia (where another major incident occurred).
Aside from that, we consider it reliable. One issue is that Microsoft sometimes upgrades released instances without notifying us (the last notification was in August). This happened with an automated upgrade I'm still working on resolving with support.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's very scalable. We can scale up to 80-85% without issues. The only limitation is for scaling down below 10-15% due to CSP quotas and limitations, but that only affects a small portion (less than 10%).
We always forecast scalability needs, such as sizes, so it wasn't a bottleneck for deployments or production issues. Instead, it has only enhanced our environment.
How are customer service and support?
Honestly, and without disrespect to Microsoft, I'd rate it a two out of ten.
It bothers me. I don't understand why we spend so much time and money on Azure when Microsoft relies on third-party companies for support in the CSP model. I don't know how the support model works within Microsoft, but giving it to poor-performing third-party companies is not ideal.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Negative
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
My company primarily works on Azure now. However, in my previous organization, I used Oracle and AWS Cloud.
Navigation and some features are better in AWS. But the documentation can be complex compared to Azure.
For example, the AWS documentation for creating a virtual machine end-to-end is very clear, even for someone unfamiliar with the cloud.
Azure documentation, while good, can be overwhelming, requiring more experience to understand.
How was the initial setup?
The initial deployment is easy now, after five years of using it. It might have been a nightmare a few years ago, but it's very good now.
We primarily deploy using PaaS (Platform as a Service) solutions. We avoid managing virtual machines whenever possible. Approximately 90% of our mission-critical application workloads are microservices run in Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS). We use virtual machines for the remaining 10%. We also use Azure SQL Database. We deploy resources using Azure DevOps pipelines.
Azure's documentation assists with our deployments. I like the recommendation feature, although we sometimes need to create exceptions, as is typical with any baseline. But overall, it's helpful.
Not just the recommendations, but the entire added value is a great feature and provides valuable insights. The architectural framework pillars are also very useful to use as a whole, not just the individual recommendations.
What about the implementation team?
I wasn't on the deployment team, but I support most architecture decisions. We use Azure DevOps pipelines to deploy to AKS clusters in production.
We use YAML pipelines for infrastructure as code (IaC) deployments and Azure DevOps for application deployments.
However, we face some integration challenges, but that's okay. It's not unique to Azure; every other tool has its own challenges.
For PaaS (Platform as a service) offerings, we have no issues with maintenance. However, with IaaS (Infrastructure as a service) services like Azure SQL, choosing maintenance slots is limited.
For example, with business-critical Azure SQL instances, there are only three available maintenance slots to choose from. This makes it difficult even though the downtime is less than a minute. We cannot create custom maintenance windows for Azure SQL instances.
We'd like Microsoft to offer more maintenance slots because the current options, like 10 PM to 6 AM Monday to Thursday, are not suitable for mission-critical workloads. It's not always feasible to ask stakeholders for downtime outside those windows. So, I would definitely recommend requesting more maintenance time slots as feedback.
What was our ROI?
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It's a mixed bag. Some services are okay, while others are expensive. Different features within the same service, like Defender, have separate charges. This, combined with the skill shortage in FinOps strategy and management, makes it difficult to control costs.
Cloud-native development makes it hard to predict future load capacity, so some services need the flexibility to scale up later, while others require full configuration during initial deployment.
Overall, I would rate the pricing on a seven out of ten, with ten being the most expensive.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend Azure based on specific business needs. However, I would recommend using this solution.
Overall, I would rate the solution an eight out of ten because of the customer support issues.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
AVP, Data Science Specialist at Swiss Re
Offers integrated version control in building models which obviates the need to manage different versions of my models manually
Pros and Cons
- "Azure offers broad compatibility with both structured and unstructured data. For example, we use PostgreSQL for storing Azure's official data and manage various types of data, including tabular and image data, accommodating the storage of all data types we handle. So, in many ways, Azure simplified the data storage and management needs."
- "The main issue is the lack of notifications for updates. Processes for certain operations, like connecting to Git repositories, have changed without sufficient communication. A system to announce or update users about these changes would be very helpful."
What is our primary use case?
People use it for various reasons in my organization. Data engineers use it to target databases for data ingestion.
As a data scientist, I primarily use it for modeling and analytics purposes.
Databricks is extensively used for these purposes and also for deploying models into production. It's used across the entire pipeline in my division.
How has it helped my organization?
Azure offers broad compatibility with both structured and unstructured data. For example, we use PostgreSQL for storing Azure's official data and manage various types of data, including tabular and image data, accommodating the storage of all data types we handle. So, in many ways, Azure simplified the data storage and management needs.
However, we don't use Azure for all our web hosting requirements. For example, for production and web hosting, we use a combination of Azure and other native languages and hosting services. So, it's not entirely dependent on Azure.
What is most valuable?
Being involved in building models, I appreciate the integrated version control, which obviates the need to manage different versions of my models manually.
I don't have to do a lot of experimenting; the version control is built-in.
Azure also offers additional features in the AI space, which are beneficial, making it convenient to have all tools in one place without the overhead of using different tools for different purposes.
Integration with Microsoft products is seamless, facilitating connections to tools like Tableau and enabling easy API creation.
What needs improvement?
One thing I find is that there are updates happening all the time, but they don't always roll out information about the changes. For example, the way to connect to Git repositories six months ago was different from how it is now.
It would be good if the platform incorporated some kind of announcement system, like "This process has changed, here's the revised method." That would be really helpful. So, update announcements should be there.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using it for two and a half years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate the stability an eight out of ten. It's quite stable, although there have been occasional downtimes affecting entire regions, but these issues are resolved quickly without causing significant business interruptions.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Azure's scalability, particularly in terms of cores and threads, significantly enhances our work.
The ability to easily adjust capacity is crucial, especially when working with large geospatial datasets and running transformations or models requiring substantial computational resources.
In my department, there are around 40 end users using this solution.
I would rate the scalability an eight out of ten.
The platform's scalability meets our needs well.
How are customer service and support?
We haven't actually needed to contact Azure support very often. However, the Databricks team, specifically our Service Account Manager, has been very helpful. They've reached out a couple of times to understand the types of projects we're working on and suggest additional functionalities that might be beneficial.
There was also some communication with the GenAI team about potential use cases that could be integrated into our platform or future products.
I've never had to directly contact an Azure support representative.
The online documentation is very comprehensive, and there's a large, active community that we can leverage for troubleshooting.
Basically, all the documentation we need is readily available to resolve any queries.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We also use Cloud Foundry, alongside Azure, for various tasks within our operations.
How was the initial setup?
Deployment is generally stable. But there are specific scenarios, especially in Asia Pacific, where there are limitations.
Microsoft hasn't fully rolled out services in all regions yet. This can cause problems when we try to deploy certain models in those specific regions where services are unavailable.
In contrast, if you have a self-deployed API, something you created in a native language and deployed on your own server, it would be more readily available across regions.
So, the lack of Microsoft services in certain regions can become a blocker.
What about the implementation team?
Troubleshooting and maintenance for Microsoft Azure products are handled by our internal IT team.
We have around 40 to 50 people, encompassing a mix of roles including administrators, engineers, and developers.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend using this solution. Internally, we've always preferred it over Cloud Foundry. Here's why: Microsoft Azure has been a much more seamless experience. For example, Cloud Foundry isn't very scalable. It can't handle parallel computation well, and it frequently hangs. Plus, it's not very user-friendly as a platform.
So, for all those reasons, I would recommend Azure. It's highly scalable, supports parallel computation, and offers all the steps needed for a product lifecycle within one platform. That eliminates the need for separate storage, deployment, and production environments – everything's available from the start. Those are the key reasons for my recommendation.
Overall, I would rate the solution as eight out of ten because there are still areas for improvement, like integration with cross-platform.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Consultant/ Developer at eHealthSystem
Easy to use with broad range of services and improved application development
Pros and Cons
- "It has made my applications easier to use and has improved the development process."
- "There is room for improvement in the pricing structure, user interface design (UI/UX), clear navigation, and documentation support of Microsoft Azure."
What is our primary use case?
I am using Microsoft Azure primarily for application development purposes. Additionally, I am utilizing it for machine learning and Internet of Things.
How has it helped my organization?
Microsoft Azure has made it easier for me to use and format my applications effectively.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is the broad range of services offered by Microsoft Azure, such as computing, networking, and Azure Arc, along with security and compliance.
Additionally, it has made my applications easier to use and has improved the development process.
What needs improvement?
There is room for improvement in the pricing structure, user interface design (UI/UX), clear navigation, and documentation support of Microsoft Azure.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Microsoft Azure for about three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate the stability of Microsoft Azure at eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I would rate the scalability of Microsoft Azure at eight out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
I am very satisfied with the technical support and would rate it ten out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I did not use a different solution before Microsoft Azure.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was a bit complex yet became easier as I learned more about it.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I would rate the pricing of Microsoft Azure at eight out of ten, which makes it on the pricier side for me.
What other advice do I have?
I have already recommended Microsoft Azure to my colleagues, and they are finding it useful.
Overall, I would rate Microsoft Azure an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Program Management Lead Advisor at Unionbank Philippines
Seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft products and provides a comprehensive set of cloud computing services
Pros and Cons
- "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."
What is our primary use case?
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.
How has it helped my organization?
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.
What is most valuable?
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.
What needs improvement?
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.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Microsoft Azure for almost two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We have not faced any stability issues with Microsoft Azure.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
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.
How are customer service and support?
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.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
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.
What other advice do I have?
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.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
IT Officer in Data Science at United Nations
Supports multi-cloud environment and has good technical support services
Pros and Cons
- "We can easily access and integrate data sources from other platforms."
- "The product's initial setup process and stability need improvement."
What is our primary use case?
We use the product to move data from sources to warehouses in on-premise environments. It also helps us move the data to the cloud or data lake.
What needs improvement?
The product's initial setup process and stability need improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Microsoft Azure for the last two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
In terms of the product stability, we have encountered occasional issues. Sometimes, we encounter delays or wait times, especially when utilizing newly introduced services still in the preview phase. These services may initially experience glitches or bugs as they undergo testing and refinement. However, many of these issues are addressed over time, and the stability improves as the products mature. Azure continues to evolve rapidly, with new features being introduced frequently, which may contribute to occasional instability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The platform's salability feature has supported our growth demands, allowing us to manage our resources and control costs efficiently. While it offers ease of escalation for additional resources when needed, we must exercise caution to ensure it aligns with our budgetary considerations. With a workforce of around 400 individuals spread across the globe, serving UN entities and other international organizations, our IT services are critical for their operations.
How are customer service and support?
We have had an excellent experience with customer service and support from Microsoft. A dedicated team works, and we have regular monthly meetings with them.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Azure is more user-friendly and easier to use than Amazon Web Services (AWS). AWS, on the other hand, is geared more towards IT professionals and smart coding. At the same time, Azure provides a simpler and more understandable interface for building and learning. AWS may seem more complex but offers a wider range of services and possibilities. Both platforms are similar in some respects, and users may find equivalent services with different names.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is complicated, particularly when implementing CI/CD and automatic deployment processes. It requires a strong background in coding and administration, especially when working with containers. Maintenance is simple and falls within the realm of administration.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Microsoft provides more affordable pricing than Amazon. We have a good discount for our entities. It is not an expensive product and is adaptable to various requirements. It offers a free tier for small-scale usage and the ability to scale up as needed when requirements grow.
What other advice do I have?
The features enabling workflow efficiency include working with small databases locally and adapting the license pricing depending on the need. If we require more space, we can easily scale it up, and the price adjusts accordingly, making management simple. Azure allows access from anywhere worldwide to develop and manage data warehouses, facilitating remote work, especially during events like COVID-19. Previously, accessing systems remotely was more cumbersome when most data was on-premises. It provides discounted access and enables the creation of secure systems with appropriate networking for enhanced security control.
The platform's security and compliance offerings align well with our organization's needs. It is fully compliant, although it also depends on our customers' specific requirements, which may require more stringent regulations. Internally, we prioritize compliance, ensuring that we meet the necessary standards. Additionally, we appreciate its focus on performance improvements, as faster execution of services enhances our workflow efficiency. We have observed improvements in features like service flow definition within Azure Data Factory, further enhancing our capabilities. However, we encounter compatibility challenges, particularly when transitioning between different versions of Azure services, such as storage accounts from generation one to generation two, which may require manual review and adjustments.
It is seamlessly integrated with our existing IT ecosystem, allowing us to operate in a multi-cloud environment. We can easily access and integrate data sources from other platforms, such as AWS, and incorporate them into our Azure environment. For instance, we utilize Power BI within Azure to analyze unstructured data from AWS. While connectors facilitate integration, we also leverage APIs for more customized connections when specific connectors are not available. I rate Azure's integration capabilities as eight out of ten, acknowledging areas for further improvement and development.
Overall, I rate it an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Principle BI Architect at Allshore Staffing
Allows me to do a lot on my own and provides a comprehensive cloud solution
Pros and Cons
- "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."
- "One area for enhancement could be in the realm of big data and unstructured data storage."
What is our primary use case?
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.
What is most valuable?
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.
What needs improvement?
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.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Microsoft Azure for almost six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have not had any stability issues with Azure.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
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.
How are customer service and support?
Azure's support is responsive and helpful, making it easier to navigate any challenges. I would rate them at a nine out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
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.
What was our ROI?
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.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Azure's pricing is generally considered reasonable and cost-effective compared to AWS, although AWS prices can be higher in some cases.
What other advice do I have?
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.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

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Updated: September 2025
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