The Benefits of Microsoft Azure: What You Need to Know
As cloud technology continues to evolve, Microsoft Azure continues to stand out as a leader in driving smart digital transformation.
At Stoneridge Software, we help our clients harness the full slate of benefits of Microsoft Azure, from scalability and cost control to security and increased collaboration. Whether you are unfamiliar with Azure or are exploring ways to expand and optimize your cloud footprint, this blog will give you what you need to know, including:
- What Azure is
- How it works
- How you can use it to boost collaboration
- Why it’s a robust security solution for your business
What Azure Is: A Comprehensive Cloud Platform
Microsoft Azure is a cloud computing platform that allows businesses to build, deploy, and manage applications and services through a vast global network of Microsoft-managed data centers. It supports a wide range of operating systems, programming languages, frameworks, databases, and devices.
Five Core Pillars:
- Apps and Infrastructure – Azure offers cloud-hosted environments for running line-of-business applications, websites, and workloads. Organizations can lift and shift existing workloads or build new applications using microservices and containers.
- Data and AI – Azure provides robust data services such as Azure SQL Database and Azure Cosmos DB, along with AI and machine learning capabilities through Azure AI, OpenAI, and Azure Machine Learning. This lets you analyze data trends, automate decisions, and deploy intelligent applications.
- Networking – Azure includes virtual networks, load balancers, VPN gateways, and ExpressRoute connections to ensure secure, high-speed connectivity across cloud and on-prem environments.
- Identity – Azure Active Directory (Entra ID) allows secure single sign-on, multifactor authentication, and identity lifecycle management for both employees and external users.
- Security and Management – Tools like Azure Monitor, Azure Policy, and Microsoft Defender for Cloud help you manage and secure your entire IT footprint.
How Azure Leads to Cost Savings
Azure uses a pay-as-you-go model, meaning you only pay for what you use. This makes it easier to scale resources up or down based on demand—whether you're running a seasonal business or need additional computing power during a product launch.
How Azure Works: Behind the Scenes
Azure operates across more than 60 regions globally, with hundreds of data centers. These are organized to support high availability and redundancy:
- Primary and Secondary Regions – You can host your application in a primary region and replicate it to a paired region (e.g., Oregon to California), ensuring business continuity in the event of a regional outage.
- Geographic Compliance – Hosting data in specific regions helps meet local data sovereignty laws or client contractual requirements.
Core Infrastructure Components - Compute – Includes VMs, Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), and App Services that allow businesses to run anything from web apps to high-performance computing.
- Storage – Options include Blob storage for unstructured data, Disk storage for VMs, and File shares for cloud-based SMB access. These services are redundant and highly durable.
- Networking – Azure's virtual network (VNet) enables resource segmentation, access control, and secure hybrid connectivity to your on-premises infrastructure.
- Management Tools – Azure provides robust monitoring (Azure Monitor), automation (Logic Apps), and cost control tools (Cost Management + Billing) to help IT teams stay in control.
Third-Party and Microsoft 365 Integration
Azure integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365 through Microsoft Graph API, allowing connected security, compliance, and user identity policies. It also supports integration with services like Salesforce, Adobe, and SAP—ensuring consistent workflows and access across your ecosystem.
How Azure Boosts Collaboration
Azure isn’t just a data storage and cloud computing solution, however. It also allows you and your team to work smarter from anywhere. Let’s look at how Azure does this.
Smart Platform Integrations
- Microsoft Teams – Teams become a true digital workspace when backed by Azure. Shared files are stored in SharePoint (which runs on Azure), meeting recordings are stored in OneDrive or Stream, and identity is secured by Azure AD. Teams leverage Azure to enable document co-authoring, persistent chat, real-time collaboration, and external guest access—all with policy-driven security.
- SharePoint Online – Acts as the central hub for file storage and internal sites. SharePoint uses Azure-based search and compliance tools to make content discoverable, manageable, and secure. Metadata tagging, version control, and retention policies are built in.
Remote Work and User Experience
- Endpoint Management with Intune – Azure-powered device management ensures every corporate or BYOD device is compliant with company policies. Lost a laptop? IT can wipe it remotely and revoke access immediately.
- Conditional Access – Instead of blocking users outright, Azure lets you define dynamic conditions. For example, you can allow access only if users are on a compliant device, within a certain IP range, or using multifactor authentication.
- Consistent Access Across Devices – Whether you're working from a mobile device, tablet, or desktop, Azure ensures you're authenticated, your data is synced, and your tools are connected.
Security Features: Built-In Protection
One of the biggest benefits of operating on the Microsoft Cloud with Azure is that you gain access to Microsoft’s state-of-the-art security features built into the price of your license.
Comprehensive Security Framework
- Information Governance – Azure Information Protection helps classify and label data based on sensitivity. Emails and documents can be encrypted automatically, restricted from forwarding, or watermarked to prevent leaks.
- Compliance Tools – Azure includes compliance blueprints and prebuilt assessments aligned with standards like GDPR, HIPAA, and ISO 27001. The Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager simplifies audits and risk management.
- Microsoft Sentinel – A cloud-native SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) tool that collects telemetry from across your Azure and on-premises environments, then uses AI to identify and respond to threats.
Proactive Security Operations
- Defender for Endpoint and Defender for Cloud – Real-time threat detection tools that provide recommendations, alerts, and automated remediation steps to reduce your attack surface.
- Security Score – Azure’s built-in Secure Score provides a dashboard view of your security posture and suggests prioritized actions to strengthen defenses.
- Lost Device Protection – If an employee loses a device, policies set through Azure can immediately revoke access, wipe data, and trigger alerts.
From advanced AI to seamless hybrid work, Microsoft Azure brings security, scalability, and intelligence to every corner of your organization.
Whether you're migrating legacy systems, modernizing applications, or optimizing operations, Azure provides the tools and support to move forward with confidence.
Reach out to Stoneridge Today for Proactive Azure Support and Consulting Services
Want help navigating your Azure journey? Connect with Stoneridge Software to discover how Azure can support your business today and tomorrow.
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