I am using Microsoft Azure primarily for application development purposes. Additionally, I am utilizing it for machine learning and Internet of Things.
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?
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.
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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
Technical Support Engineer at Netco Security Solutions
Good solution for small or medium-sized businesses and good performance
Pros and Cons
- "The performance of Azure DevOps services is really impressive."
- "The price should be lower."
What is most valuable?
The performance of Azure DevOps services is really impressive. It really demonstrates the value of the service.
We've had a good experience with their technical support. They are always available when needed.
What needs improvement?
I haven't been involved with continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) services, but I hope there will be more training sessions for them. Other companies and platforms provide technical webinars and training on their websites.
I wish I could learn more about CI/CD, but the resources aren't readily available. I haven't been able to find webinars or training sessions. Maybe I'm not searching correctly, or the information isn't presented clearly.
The price should be lower. My company used the demo product because of the cost. Price is an important point for all clients and companies who want to obtain this solution.
I also have a question: what about review platforms for forensic technology? Is there a way to integrate these platforms with Azure? It would be great to have a web-based review platform integrated with Azure. Currently, we use a third-party software to launch this review platform. Is there any way to review documents within a web-based solution in Azure? This is something I wonder about.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used Azure for a year and a half, specifically for DevOps services. Unfortunately, I worked with a demo product, as the company couldn't purchase the actual product. I mainly used Azure DevOps repos and some basic concepts like Azure state plans.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Azure solutions are stable. Many companies find clients who want the solutions because of the stability and high performance.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's a good solution for small or medium-sized businesses.
How was the initial setup?
The setup is very straightforward. The Azure services and platform for storage are easy to understand, with clear steps. It's easy for any user to install services on the platform.
I haven't had any issues with integrating Azure services. We use the integration services with Azure with a very intuitive UI. So, I didn't face any issues while integrating Azure services.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate it an eight out of ten. There are a lot of benefits. The integration options for all services are great.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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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.
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
Director at Hexaware Technologies Limited
Provides good security and compliance tools and is useful for handling large data
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is useful for handling large amounts of data."
- "The third-party data-sharing features must be improved."
What is our primary use case?
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.
How has it helped my organization?
I use Power BI and Azure Synapse Analytics for my analytic needs.
What is most valuable?
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.
What needs improvement?
The third-party data-sharing features must be improved. It will be useful for users who use other cloud providers.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for more than five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
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.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
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.
How are customer service and support?
The customer support is fine. We work with a partner.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
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.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I rate the pricing an eight or nine out of ten. If a customer has Microsoft Stack, they choose Microsoft's products.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Many customers compare Azure Synapse with Snowflake. Snowflake has good capabilities in data-sharing and the marketplace.
What other advice do I have?
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.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Microsoft Solutions Manager at Self-Employed
Provides comprehensive security features and good technical support services
Pros and Cons
- "The product is highly stable."
- "There is room for improvement in the product's AI capabilities and real-time data processing features."
What is our primary use case?
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.
What is most valuable?
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.
What needs improvement?
There is room for improvement in the product's AI capabilities and real-time data processing features.
For how long have I used the solution?
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.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is highly stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
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.
How are customer service and support?
Microsoft provides comprehensive support through various channels, which has been instrumental in resolving issues and optimizing our platform use.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used various solutions, but Microsoft Azure's comprehensive feature set and integration capabilities made it a preferable choice for our requirements.
How was the initial setup?
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.
What about the implementation team?
Our in-house team carried out the implementation, which was supported by vendor resources as required.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
In countries experiencing high inflation, the cost of Azure services can be significantly impacted. This can result in higher expenses compared to other regions.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
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.
What other advice do I have?
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.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Assistance Manager, ICT Communication at ELNG
Reduces and optimizes costs and runs workloads
Pros and Cons
- "The tool has proven to be valuable for our organization by enhancing the availability and reliability of services. Our website and several applications hosted on it now benefit from improved availability features and increased reliability."
- "Navigating the frequent changes in the interface has been a challenge, requiring effort to keep up with updates. Options or features that were once located in one window may unexpectedly move to another, making it hard to stay current with the changes."
What is our primary use case?
Our use case involves running on-premises workloads on Microsoft Azure.
What is most valuable?
The tool has proven to be valuable for our organization by enhancing the availability and reliability of services. Our website and several applications hosted on it now benefit from improved availability features and increased reliability.
Microsoft Azure has significantly impacted operational efficiency by helping reduce or optimize costs, especially in the transition from on-premises capital expenditures to operational expenditures.
What needs improvement?
Navigating the frequent changes in the interface has been a challenge, requiring effort to keep up with updates. Options or features that were once located in one window may unexpectedly move to another, making it hard to stay current with the changes.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the product for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The tool's stability is good, and I would give it a nine out of ten. The challenges in connectivity, particularly when dealing with cloud services. It's complex and challenging to troubleshoot connectivity issues, especially when the source of the problem isn't clear.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution's scalability is excellent. My company has more than 500 users. We plan to increase the numbers.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We chose to use Microsoft Azure primarily because of the package and solutions that Microsoft offered. The features and offerings provided by it were deemed to be better compared to other alternatives.
How was the initial setup?
The product's deployment was a bit complex. The deployment process involved selecting the suitable Microsoft Azure service for migration and considering options like application services or virtual machines (servers). It required a thorough study to determine the most appropriate solution for the business use case. Our deployment team consists of ten resources.
What about the implementation team?
The deployment was a collaborative effort involving both our partners and the in-house team.
What was our ROI?
The value and benefits of using Microsoft Azure are significant, particularly for users like me. The services provided make it easy to access and available from anywhere.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution's licensing costs are yearly.
What other advice do I have?
We have initiated the migration of our on-premises workloads to the cloud, leveraging the application services offered by Microsoft Azure. We rely on third-party technologies for security. My advice would be to thoroughly plan and understand the cost implications before migrating to Microsoft Azure. Compare the technical capabilities of your on-premises design with your cloud design, and also conduct a financial comparison between on-premises and cloud expenses.
I rate it an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Sr AVP - EXL Digital at EXL Services
Self-service platforms and adaptable
Pros and Cons
- "We find Azure particularly beneficial when working with clients who are heavily invested in Microsoft solutions. It necessitates that we also leverage Azure for our solutions and services."
- "It can be cheaper, which might simplify things a bit."
What is our primary use case?
Azure is a cloud provider. We use Azure services for various purposes, including PowerApps for app development and Azure DevOps for software development and operations.
How has it helped my organization?
We find Azure particularly beneficial when working with clients who are heavily invested in Microsoft solutions. It necessitates that we also leverage Azure for our solutions and services.
What is most valuable?
Azure offers a variety of services rather than features per se.
The platform is quite self-service and adaptable.
It is secure.
What needs improvement?
It can be cheaper, which might simplify things a bit.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've started using Azure for the past year, although we are primarily an AWS shop.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable product. I would rate the stability a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Since it is on the cloud, it is a scalable solution.
We have a lot of end users using this solution. We use it on a daily basis.
Since all our solutions are hosted on Azure, usage will naturally increase as our operations expand and we onboard more users.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We were using AWS and had a requirement that led us to start using Azure. We utilize all of them based on specific needs.
We use all three (Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and AWS). It's about the use case and the requirements that dictate which one we choose.
How was the initial setup?
I didn't handle the setup directly. Our IT team manages the provisioning of Azure services for us.
From what I understand, it was not particularly complex.
What about the implementation team?
The implementation was handled by our IT team. We have a dedicated cloud team that provisions the services we request.
What was our ROI?
The return on investment largely depends on how and where you're using it.
We've seen significant savings in infrastructure costs. That's a primary advantage of using the cloud – it's fully managed, and you pay as you go, which is highly beneficial.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I would rate it an eight out of ten.
I would recommend Azure. When implementing cloud services, it's essential to consider the top three cloud providers today: Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and AWS.
Azure is stable and should be considered alongside these, depending on the use case.
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.
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