Microsoft Azure Reviews, Competitors and Pricing

reviewer1386936

DevOps Lead at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Mar 18, 2021

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Stable and flexible with an easy initial setup

Pros and Cons

"We've found the solution to be extremely flexible."

"It would be helpful if it offered more integration with other platforms."

What is our primary use case?

We are primarily using the solution for DevOps purposes.

What is most valuable?

The installation of the product is very straightforward. It's quite easy in general.

The product is very stable. The performance has always been reliable.

We've found the solution to be extremely flexible.

What needs improvement?

I cannot recall anything really specific that needs to be addressed within the solution. There aren't any features that are missing as far as I can tell.

It would be helpful if it offered more integration with other platforms.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for a couple of years at this point. It's been a while.

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is very stable. It doesn't crash or freeze. There are no bugs or glitches. It is reliable and the performance is good.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability overall has been fine. We have about 500 users in the solution currently.

If a company needs to expand it, or scale it, it can do so. It shouldn't be that hard to accomplish.

We do plan to continue to use the solution into the future.

How are customer service and support?

I rarely have any issues with the solution itself and therefore don't have too much experience with technical support. We don't have any complaints, to be honest.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We did not previously use a different solution before implementing Azure. This is our first tool in this area.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is not complex at all. It's very easy and very straightforward. The process shouldn't give a company any trouble.

I can't recall the exact length of time it took to deploy the product.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing is likely reasonable. If you compare it to other cloud providers, there isn't too much of a difference. It likely is competitive in the market.

What other advice do I have?

We are customers and end-users.

I'm not sure which version of the solution we are using at this time.

I'd recommend the solution to other organizations. Our experience so far has been mostly positive.

Overall, I would rate the product at an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

Marvin Lau

Team Lead Regional - Equipo Comercial de Soporte Técnico at SEGA

Feb 4, 2021

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Straightforward navigation, fast and easy, and supports SaaS

Pros and Cons

"The most valuable aspect of Azure is the flexibility you have for all the services and solutions it offers, even if you use IaaS, PaaS, or SaaS, you have the option to only pay for the services you use."

"Integrate as a service. A lot of Microsoft software licensing options aren’t yet in Azure. Also, the ability to integrate with other technologies, such as other options on the market based on RISC Technologies."

What is our primary use case?

We are a Microsoft Partner for Central America. The solution is in our portfolio, we provide managed services on Azure for our customers and we use it for our services infrastructure.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable aspect of Azure is the flexibility you have for all the services and solutions it offers, even if you use IaaS, PaaS, or SaaS, you have the option to only pay for the services you use – “pay as you go”, in a Cloud that is compliant with most regulations, using this advantage you have a lot of options and technologies you can adopt, and easily integrate into your infrastructure, to accelerate your Digital Transformation journey.

We integrating Azure to build solutions that we offer to our customers.

What needs improvement?

Integrate as a service. A lot of Microsoft software licensing options aren’t yet in Azure. Also, the ability to integrate with other technologies, such as other options on the market based on RISC Technologies.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for 10 years.

What other advice do I have?

I rate Microsoft Azure an nine out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

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Microsoft Azure

November 2024

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Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Azure. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.

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reviewer1383426

Principal Enterprise Architect at a construction company with 201-500 employees

Jul 30, 2020

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Easy to build connectors but they should offer more customization

Pros and Cons

"It comes with a lot of ready-made studies that we can connect with other existing Microsoft applications, for example, Office, Outlook, Chatline, and OneDrive. Everything is behind the scenes running with Azure. It's easy to build the connectors."

"They are a bit closed on the customization side. If they open the customization then it will be very good."

What is most valuable?

It comes with a lot of ready-made studies that we can connect with other existing Microsoft applications, for example, Office, Outlook, Chatline, and OneDrive. Everything is behind the scenes running with Azure. It's easy to build the connectors.

What needs improvement?

They are a bit closed on the customization side. If they open the customization then it will be very good.

It covers pretty much the similar problems that we face in many areas of Azure. If we are planning to use some of the Azure applications within our organization, there are some places that we need to complain about a complaint. Because of the design of Microsoft, we were not able to make this complaint. So, we are not able to use that interface.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Azure for two years.

How was the initial setup?

The Azure setup itself is a big procedure, but once that setup is done, the adoption is basic, allowing developers to use the Azure platform for their resource site. Then we slowly open the Azure for the website and we slowly allow Azure to impact our office.

What other advice do I have?

We don't have customer reviews of some of those applications. They should provide a lot of understanding. If reviewing and rating also becomes one of the alternatives, I think that will be a big win for them.

They are loaded with functionalities. I would rate Azure a seven out of ten.

They are very open with the options, but customers are not there with the road map. There are too many options. That confusion is a con of the solution.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

it_user312267

Head of Infrastructure at Whistl

Jul 30, 2017

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Some of the valuable features are VM Lab, SQL, and BI. I would like to see a better understanding about business and compute.

What is most valuable?

VM Lab

How has it helped my organization?

Ran full power during working hours and when people are not working. The server should not be running, let them sleep. :)
Eight working hours x 5 = 40 hours
Twenty per cent of the server ran 24/7, but if there are ns users, then it should not run full force.

What needs improvement?

I would like to see a better understanding about business and compute. Basically, knowledge of your to burn your money efficiently.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have used this solution for over four years.

What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

There were issues with deployment.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

There were issues with stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

There were issues with scalability.

How are customer service and technical support?

Customer Service:

Customer service is very good. Microsoft Azure support can replace the second level support group. Be aware of it as they are very good at what they are doing.

Technical Support:

I would give technical support a rating of 10/10.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We switched solutions due to cost.

What was our ROI?

It took less than three years for the ROI to be zero. Only experience is left. Over three years is better in-house for the ROI.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

These elements are brilliant. It is a no brainer.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We evaluated Lab.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

it_user7839

Consultant at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees

Dec 5, 2013

Java and Azure

The Announcement

Microsoft recently announced a partnership with Oracle which brings a number of Oracle technologies to the Windows Azure cloud.

In short, they announced:

Hyper-V (i.e. the virtualisation technology underpinning Azure) is now certified to run Oracle software.
Virtual Machine images will be available with the Oracle Database, and Weblogic preconfigured.
Properly licensed and supported Java on Azure.

Items 1 & 2 I’m not that excited about, but it’s item 3 which is interesting.

The current state of Java on Azure

Microsoft have supported Java on Windows Azure since the start. There’s an SDK and tooling built into Eclipse.

However, Microsoft haven’t been able to install Java, you’ve had to do that yourself. This has meant that the package you deploy to Azure has had to contain the Java installer, any frameworks and web servers you need, as well as your application code. This makes the package too large to work with, in some cases too large to even upload. It certainly slows down application updates.

Utilities such as AzureRunMe have helped bridge this gap, by splitting your package into separate zip files in blob storage which are only downloaded when required. However, ultimately you have to do more work to get Java running, and it takes longer to spin machines up.

Having said that, Java applications work surprisingly well in Azure. Applications are coded against the JVM, rather than the operating system and make relatively few assumptions about the environment. They also tend to use ORMs (like Hibernate) giving you a simple database schema which is easy to port to Windows Azure SQL Database.

I often find that Java applications are quicker to get running in Azure than similar .NET apps.

The JVM

When we talk about Java here, we’re really talking about the Java Virtual Machine (JVM), the runtime which hosts Java applications.

Java is just one of the languages supported by the JVM, there has recently been a small explosion in language options on the JVM, including:

Clojure
Scala
Groovy
Jython
JRuby
Kotlin

…to name just a few.

What does this mean for the future?

I haven’t got any special knowledge here, but there are few things Microsoft could do now:

Provide a ‘Java’ role in Cloud Services. This would have Java and (optionally) Tomcat pre-installed, making deployment of Java applications faster and easier.
Enable the JVM as a hosting option on Windows Azure Websites (alongside Python, .NET, PHP and Node.js).
JVM support gives you Ruby (using JRuby). There’s already a Ruby SDK for Azure, and JRuby seems to be the fastest Ruby runtime (AFAIK). This is potentially true for this long list of languages too.
This is probably good news for Hadoop on Azure.
Enterprise Java developers should certainly take note. The capabilities of the Azure Service Bus, coupled with competent PaaS and IaaS offerings and the low-cost SQL Database, make Azure an attractive option.

Hold On, Load balancing…

Java web applications (in my experience) often hold large object graphs in memory, as state stored against each user session. This means that sticky sessions are required, and the Azure load balancer in Cloud Services is round-robin (sort of). Sticky sessions aren’t very cloud friendly, but it’s difficult to make legacy application stateless.

Whilst there are ways to work around this, they all rely on ‘un-balancing’ the load balancer, and will frequently add network hops and overhead to the processing of each request. We need to be able to select a load balancing strategy on endpoints configured in Azure (i.e. round robin/sticky/performance based decision).

As a side note, the load balancing strategy for Windows Azure Websites is sticky.

Conclusion

Better support for Java on the Microsoft cloud goes well beyond one language, and unlocks a number of possibilities, such as better support for Ruby and Hadoop for example.

Load balancing is one pain point, but something we know they can fix in the platform.

Azure remains an exciting place for everyone from the smallest startup, to the largest enterprise.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

it_user8505

Consultant at a computer software company with 51-200 employees

Aug 9, 2013

Understanding the Basics of Windows Azure Service Bus

As we become more distributed in our everyday lives, we must change our approach and view of how we build software. Distributed environments call for distributed software solutions. According to Wikipedia, a distributed system is a software system in which components located on networked computers communicate and coordinate their actions by passing messages. The most important part of a distributed system is the ability to pass a unified set of messages. Windows Azure Service Bus allows developers to take advantage of a highly responsive and scalable message communication infrastructure through the use of their Relayed Messaging or Brokered Messaging solutions.

-- Relay Messaging --

Relay Messaging provides the most basic messaging requirements for a distributed software solution. This includes the following:

- Traditional one-way Messaging
- Request/Response Messaging
- Peer to Peer Messaging
- Event Distribution Messaging

These capabilities allow developers to easily expose a secured service that resides on a private network to external clients without the need of making changes to your Firewall or corporate network infrastructure.

Relay Messaging does not come without limitations. One of the greatest disadvantages of relay messaging is that it requires both the Producer (sender) and Consumer (receiver) to be online. If the receiver is down and unable to respond to a message, the sender will receive an exception and the message will not be able to process. Relay messaging not only creates a dependency on the receiver due to its remoting nature, this behavior also makes all responses subject to network latency. Relay Messaging is not suitable for HTTP-style communication therefore not recommended for occasionally connected clients.

-- Brokered Messaging --

Unlike Relay Messaging, Brokered Messaging allows asynchronous decoupled communication between the Producer and Consumer. The main components of the brokered messaging infrastructure that allows for asynchronous messaging are Queues, Topics, and Subscriptions.

Queues

Service bus queues provides the standard queuing theory of FIFO (First In First Out). Queues bring a durable and scalable messaging solution that creates a system that is resilient to failures. When messages are added to the queue, they remain there until some single agent has processed the message. Queues allow overloaded Consumers to be scaled out and continue to process at their own pace.

Topics and Subscriptions

In contrast to queues, Topics and Subscriptions permit one-to-many communication which enables support for the publish/subscribe pattern. This mechanism of messaging also allows Consumers to choose to receive discrete messages that they are interested in.

-- Common Use Cases --

When should you consider using Windows Azure Service Bus? What problems could Service Bus solve? There are countless scenarios where you may find benefits in your application having the ability to communicate with other application or processes. A few example may include an inventory transfer system or a factory monitoring system.

Inventory Transfer

In an effort to offer exceptional customer service, most retailers will allow their customers to have merchandise transferred to a store that is more conveniently located to their customers. Therefore, the store that has the merchandise must communicate to the store that will be receiving the product of this transaction. This includes information such as logistical information, customer information, and inventory information. To solve this problem using Windows Azure Service Bus, the retailer would setup relay messaging service for all retail locations that could receive a message describing the inventory transfer transaction. When the receiving store gets this notification they will use this information to allow the store to track the item and update their inventory.

Factory Monitoring

Windows Azure Service Bus could also be used to enable factory monitoring. Typically machines within a factory are constantly monitored to insure system health and safety. Accurate monitoring of these systems is a cost saver in the manufacturing industry because it allows factory workers to take a more proactive response to potential problems. By taking advantage of Brokered Messaging, the factory robots and machines can broadcast various KPI (Key Performance Indicator) data to the server to allow subscribed agents such as a monitoring software to respond to the broadcasted messages.

-- Summary --

In summary, Windows Azure Service Bus offers a highly responsive and scalable solution for distributed systems. For basic request/response or one-way messaging such as transferring inventory within a group of retail stores, Relay Messaging will meet most system requirements. If your requirements call for a more flexible system that will support asynchrony and multiple message consumers, it is better to take advantage of the Queues and Topics that are made available in Brokered Messaging.

Disclosure: The company I work for is a Microsoft Partner - http://magenic.com/AboutMagenic

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

it_user3876Database Manager at a tech company with 51-200 employees

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Dec 21, 2013

Hi Travis Brown.

Can you please tell that what is the maximum size of message that can be added to the queue for transmission?

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it_user8103

Consultant at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

Jul 25, 2013

5 Great Features in Windows Azure Backup

Windows Azure Backup was recently released as a preview feature in Windows Azure’s already comprehensive suite. This is a great feature, even in its current preview state. However, due to its recent release, it can be difficult to find helpful descriptions of features already available. In this blog, we will highlight five great features of the Windows Azure Backup Preview and a short description of each one.

1. Scheduled Backup

In the world of backup and recovery, scheduled backups are not necessarily a new feature. New or old, it is definitely a convenient and required backup feature, especially for those who value data integrity.

Windows Azure does a great job of providing users with a simple interface that can be configured on the Windows Azure Backup Agent snap in for Windows Server 2012. The snap in (see Figure 1) allows users to easily customize a specific backup schedule, frequency, and granularity for that specific server. After it is configured, the specified data for backup is locally compressed, encrypted, and sent to Azure for storage.

Windows Azure

Figure 1: Windows Azure Scheduling Backup Wizard

2. Granular Recovery

While scheduled and convenient backups are helpful, they don’t mean anything unless an equally granular and robust recovery solution is in place. Windows Azure Backup has provided users with just that. The Windows Azure Backup Storage can be recovered from your local server or from the Azure Management Console. The user can decide what folder or file they would like to recover and specify exactly which backup version they wish to recover.

In the event of a server failure, it is even possible to stand up a new instance of that server and recover your data from Windows Azure Recovery Services. Whether you’re missing a file, folder, or entire server, Windows Azure Recovery Services can meet all your needs.

3. Compressed and Encrypted Traffic

If you are already familiar with Windows Azure, you are likely aware that any traffic sent to the Azure Cloud is compressed and encrypted on your local machine before being uploaded. This is not any different for Windows Azure Recovery Services. The reason it has been included as a great feature relates to how it affects your monthly bill. Windows Azure will only bill on your compressed backups. Since Azure charges by GB/month, this can save you a significant amount of money.

4. Competitive Pricing

Windows Azure Backup is a Cloud service; therefore, it is a monthly subscription service just like the rest of Azure’s features. It is priced by the average GB/month. For example, if your compressed storage is 20 GB for the first half of the month and 40 GB for the second half of the month, you will pay the average or 30 GB. The current price is $0.50 per GB/month, but while the service is in preview, Microsoft is offering a 50% discount across the board. This proves to be an attractive and cost-effective option for customers who are considering moving their backup solution to the Cloud. Considering the initial capital saved by choosing a Cloud backup service, this can be extremely beneficial in many scenarios.

Windows Azure 2

Figure 2: Windows Azure Backup Pricing

5. Backups Live in Cloud

In my opinion, the final and most important feature is a simple one. All the backed up content lives in Microsoft’s Cloud. That means two things: (1) no paying for on-premise storage solutions and (2) no data loss during power outages or server failures. It is a simple feature, but if you consider the implications of loosing backed up data, it’s a very important one.

In conclusion, Windows Azure Backup is a highly convenient and robust solution for anyone considering Cloud backup and recovery solutions. The five features described above are only a few of the features included in this fine-tuned machine that is called Windows Azure Backup.

If you are interested in learning more about Windows Azure Backup, please feel free to contact Credera or visit our blog.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.