An Introduction to Microsoft Azure: Evolution and Key Milestones
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Microsoft Azure is a public cloud computing platform launched in 2010, offering services like IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, and serverless functions to support various industries. Over the years, Azure has evolved through key milestones, including the introduction of machine learning, Integrated Analytics, Azure quantum, and AI capabilities, with a focus on compatibility and sustainability. In 2023, Azure launched the OpenAI service to enhance AI applications, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to innovation and functionality.
An Introduction to Microsoft Azure: Evolution and Key Milestones
- 1. An Introduction to Microsoft Azure: Evolution and Key Milestones Introduction: Microsoft Azure is a public cloud computing platform that offers a variety of cloud services, including computing, analytics, storage, and networking. It aims to help businesses manage challenges and meet organizational goals, supporting industries like e- commerce and finance. Azure is compatible with open-source technologies and offers four different forms of cloud computing: infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS), software as a service (SaaS), and serverless functions. Customers pay a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) basis for Azure services, which can be used to create cloud-based resources like VMs and databases. Microsoft provides five customer support options: Basic, Developer, Standard, Professional Direct, and Enterprise. Microsoft Azure: A Historical Overview ● Founded in the mid-2000s, Microsoft Azure was initially codenamed "Project Red Dog." ● Microsoft planned to launch Microsoft Azure in 2008 but was not officially launched until February 2010. Microsoft planned to offer five key cloud services: Windows Azure, Microsoft.NET services, Live services, Microsoft SQL services, Microsoft Sharepoint services, and Microsoft Dynamics CRM services. ● In 2009, Microsoft updated Windows Azure CTP, enabled full trust, PHP, Java, CDN CTP, and more. ● Windows Azure became commercially available in February 2010. Improvements included support for multiple programming languages, frameworks, and operating systems, including Linux. ● In 2011, Microsoft introduced Traffic Manager for load balancing, SQL Azure reporting for business intelligence, and HPC Scheduler for high performance. ● In 2012, virtual machines for Windows and Linux were introduced, along with Python SDK, a new portal, and locally redundant storage. ● In 2014, Azure was renamed from Windows Azure to Microsoft Azure, and a machine learning public preview was made available. ● In 2015, Microsoft introduced Azure Cloud Switch as a cross-platform Linux distribution.
- 2. ● In 2017, Microsoft Azure received a new logo and a manifesto. ● In 2018, Microsoft joined the Linux-oriented group Open Invention Network. ● Today, Microsoft offers enhanced services through partnerships with technology vendors and offers unique integration services. ● In 2019, Azure Arc and Azure Synapse analytics services were launched. Azure Arc to manage resources across on-premises, multi-cloud, and edge environments using Azure management tools and Azure Synapse Analytics for Integrated Analytics service combining big data and data warehousing. ● In 2020, five services were launched: Azure Quantum (open cloud ecosystem for quantum computing), Azure Communication Services (communication platform for voice, video, chat, and SMS integration), Azure Orbital (ground station for satellite operators to communicate and process data using Azure's cloud infrastructure), Azure for Operators (cloud services and infrastructure for telecommunications companies), and Azure Purview (unified data governance service for on-premises, multi-cloud, and SaaS environments). ● In 2021-2022, Azure launched an end-to-end platform for edge AI solutions, especially for IoT devices. Expanded Azure AI and Machine Learning services, introducing new tools for AI model building, training, and deployment. Introduced sustainability initiatives like the Emissions Impact Dashboard to measure and reduce cloud usage carbon footprint. ● In 2023, Azure launched the Azure OpenAI Service (2023) service to access OpenAI's language models. Enables advanced AI applications and supports natural language processing and automated content generation. To understand more technically What Azure is? You can follow StudySection Blogs.