Got a great product idea that can be highly profitable and offer a great user experience? And want to launch it in the market? That’s a significant first step. But to succeed, you will have to release it online as well. And that would require components such as servers, storage, a dedicated team of developers, a network, and application security. That’s a lot of investment upfront. Not many businesses can afford to take such an investment risk initially. And this is challenging for two reasons.
First, setting up on-premises systems is difficult due to high initial costs, ongoing maintenance, and limited scalability. Second, if you’ve found a great product-market fit and user numbers do increase, you will need to buy more servers to keep up with demand. One server can cost between $2,000 and $4,000, according to various sources.
And the global startup failure rate is 90%. One reason is financial mismanagement. Not every business idea can count on investors to bail them out in the early stages. This is what cloud computing platforms such as Microsoft Azure aim to solve. That’s why about 95% of Fortune 500 companies trust Azure to run their operations and meet enterprise-scale demands. But what is cloud computing, and does it increase overdependence? Let’s find out.
What is Cloud Computing and Azure?
Before diving straight into the technical definition, we will go through some everyday use cases. Did you know that every time you upload pictures or files to Google Drive or stream TV shows or movies on OTT platforms like Netflix or Apple TV, you’re using cloud computing? These platforms use cloud computing servers to store your data or run the apps. Now that we’ve gone through some of the applications of cloud computing, it’s time to dive into what it is. It’s basically a platform that offers access to computing resources such as virtual machines, storage, and more over the internet with zero upfront costs. That means, individuals and organizations can access all these services without owning or managing physical hardware.
Microsoft Azure is one of the largest cloud computing providers. To get started, all you need is a system with an internet connection. It’s free to start. It’s a pay-per-use model. And supports multiple programming languages such as C#, Node.js, Java, and more; has data centers in 42 regions globally; and offers 200+ services. This means you can bring great business apps or ideas to life using serverless functions in any programming language you prefer. Isn’t it great?
Benefits of Migrating to Microsoft Azure
Organizations, both large and small, are shifting their workloads to cloud platforms to stay agile, cut costs, and boost innovation. Some of the advantages of Microsoft Azure services includes:
| Feature | Benefit | The Business Impact |
| Scalability and Flexibility | Dynamically scale up or down your cloud resources based on business requirements. | Cost-efficient option for modern-day agile businesses. |
| Pay-as-You-Go Pricing | Need only servers and storage? No worries! Only pay for what you use. | Reduces overhead costs significantly. Businesses can take initiative. Launch new products faster. Improve cash flow. And engage customers without exhausting their budgets. For example, if a product launch doesn’t meet expectations, an enterprise can always step back and reduce the storage/ services needed. |
| Security and Compliance | Built-in security solutions to safeguard data from code to cloud. | Microsoft is a trusted brand that helps protect sensitive data, safeguards from cyberattacks, and meets regulatory standards. |
| Hybrid Cloud Support | Seamlessly connects with on-premises, multicloud, and edge environments. Hybrid solutions are ideal for modernizing legacy systems and supporting work-from-home models. | Enables gradual migration and hybrid flexibility. |
| Improved Decision-Making | Data often sits in silos or disconnected systems. There’s no way to extract insights then. Azure unified disparate data. | It empowers businesses to generate actionable insights, make intelligent decisions, and scale faster. |
| AI and Analytics Tools | Supports AI-powered innovation. Businesses can build highly secure, adaptive solutions and launch them to the market with the help of AI without requiring AI or data science expertise. Also, it’s guided by the Microsoft Responsible AI Standard, which means the systems are ethical and always put people first. | Brings initiatives to life (from code to production) using AI. |
Is it Then Overdependence?
While the benefits appear to early-stage startups and small enterprises, large businesses also find value in Microsoft Azure Services. That’s why many large corporations, including Fortune 500, have also shifted to the platform despite maintaining on-premises IT infrastructure to become more flexible, agile, and adaptable to the ever-changing market.
On the flip side, one could argue about overdependence on such platforms. But don’t we all rely on digital tools and apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, and Google to conduct our day-to-day operations and stay connected? Similarly, enterprises can’t operate in silo in a hyper-connected digital world anymore. They have to be available where the customers are. And brands are. Like on social media and marketplaces such as Amazon (B2C brands especially). But the challenge is that this data is often sitting in disconnected systems. That’s why moving to cloud computing systems such as Azure works. The key, however, lies in building a multi-cloud or hybrid strategy that balances Azure’s advantages with added flexibility.
Things to Consider Before Migration
“Treat cloud migration as a business transformation, not just an IT project.”
– Julia White, Corporate VP, Microsoft Azure.
If you already have an on-premises setup and are looking to migrate to Microsoft Azure, several factors need to be considered. Because 70% of enterprise cloud migrations fail, and only about 25% of organizations meet their migration deadlines. Start with comprehensive planning. Assess dependencies, analyze configuration, and plan costs. Second, prioritize security because adopting a “security-first” approach is crucial. Assess data, choose the right platform, do pilot tests, monitor performance, and evaluate the performance of post-migration. All of this can take a while, but not if you take a step-by-step approach. Read this blog to learn more.
Conclusion
Consumer needs are ever evolving. What may have worked in the past may no longer work. Angry Birds, Pokémon Go, Yahoo Messenger, iTunes, and Skype are some examples. People were addicted to these apps a few years ago. But they’re now things of the past. Augmented reality, calorie tracking, voice translation, and parking apps are among the ideas in demand. And building them shouldn’t cost you a fortune. You can bring new-age, great ideas to life without high overhead IT costs, thanks to cloud computing platforms like Microsoft Azure. Migrating to Azure is an undeniable step toward modernization and efficiency. It’s pay-as-you-grow, flexible, scalable, and a cost-effective solution to bring digital products to the market faster. So, is migrating to Microsoft Azure a cost-effective move or over dependence? It all depends on your long-term aims and goals.
