Microsoft Azure is a cloud computing solution that organizations use for application management purposes. Azure app solution is an HTTP-bound service that operates under PaaS (platform as a service) framework. Organizations use Azure app services widely because this platform gives easy access to:
- Web apps
- Web pages
- REST APIs
- Mobile back-ends etc.
Organizations use Azure app services for a number of reasons, but the primary objective is always to launch, manage, and administer applications with utmost convenience and efficiency. Due to its multi-faceted benefits, users employ Azure app services for deploying them into desired languages for Windows and Linux operating systems. Azure doesn’t let its users worry about virtual machine sizing, which is often the biggest concern for most organizations when it comes to app deployment. It is because Azure offers a flexible and scalable solution every time for virtual machine sizing. Additionally, Microsoft takes care of necessary server licenses, updates, upgrades, and patchwork so that the users can use the platform without buying these additional things.
Application and Hosting Environments
Azure app solutions come in a package with four application development and hosting frameworks, including:
- Web App
- Mobile App
- Logic Apps
- API Apps
The web apps were also known as Azure websites a while ago. Similarly, mobile apps also were previously associated with Azure mobile solutions. Not long ago, Azure came up with a new concept of combining these two. The newly introduced app, with the combination of web and mobile apps, offers a single platform that develops multi-device and multi-platform apps. The new Logic App is a serverless framework that provides different services for app integration without requiring written codes. The API apps include a built-in connector which is an excellent and convenient choice for building logic workflows. API apps are capable of integrating with different SaaS models and on-premise applications such as:
- Office 365
- SalesForce
- Dynamics
- OneDrive
- Box
- Dropbox
Azure intentionally involved these services into its package because the users can enjoy a flexible price model with the same benefits and improved workflow support. It all is a part of the pay-as-you-go model. Azure automates the management of all the app services and runs them in isolated VMs.
Due to the auto-scale feature of the power apps, any increase in app usage will automatically trigger a response at the other end. The resources will start adding up automatically to reduce or eliminate downtime and latency.
Features of Azure App Services
As mentioned earlier, Azure app services are fully managed and hosted PaaS model for developers and organizations. It includes a number of features that attract a large number of users. The key features include:
- Languages and Frameworks
Azure app service offers exceptional support and maintenance for ASP.NET, ASP.NET Core, Java, Ruby, Node.js, PHP, and Python. It also allows the users to run PowerShell and some other scripts in the background.
- Managed Production Environment
A great feature of the Azure app is that it can automatically patch, manage, and maintain the operating system and the language infrastructure. Azure takes care of the platform while the users get busing writing apps.
- Containerization and Docker
Azure app offers tokenization and container services that let users host different OS with the app. Users can also execute multi-container apps with the help of the Docker Compose feature. It also lets you migrate your Docker skills to the app.
- DevOps Optimization
Azure lets users set up CI/CD (continuous integration and deployment) pipelines with the help of Azure DevOps framework, GitHub, Docker Hub, etc. Users can now update with controlled testing and staging platforms. Organizations prefer it because they can manage their apps in app service through Azure PowerShell or cross-platform CLI.
- Scalability with Availability
Users can scale up and down manually or automatically with app services and host the apps anywhere they wish to in Microsoft’s data center. This all is possible due to the high availability of the app service SLA.
- Security, Safety, and Compliance
With Azure, users no longer have to worry about security and compliance protocols because the app service is fully compliant with ISO, SOC, and PCI. It also first verifies and authenticates users through Azure active directory, Google, Social media platforms, and other accounts. Moreover, the users can build IP address restrictions of their choice to manage and secure service identities.
Conclusion
There are many features in addition to the one we mentioned. These include connections with SaaS platforms, links to the on-premises data sources, application templates, integration services, serverless codes, and other API and mobile features. You can start using Azure app services and enjoy all these features under one roof.