Microsoft Azure Applications: Development and Deployment Essentials

Microsoft Azure, formerly known as Windows Azure, is a versatile platform that goes beyond traditional hosting. It offers extensive tools and support for developing, deploying, and managing applications using multiple programming languages and technologies. Discover how Azure enables robust application development and deployment across diverse platforms.

Microsoft Azure - Applications

Microsoft Azure, often known as Windows Azure, is more than just a hosting service. It's a comprehensive platform for developing and managing applications using a wide variety of technologies and programming languages.

Development and Deployment

Azure supports various development technologies beyond just Microsoft's .NET platform. You can create and deploy applications using:

  • .NET: Microsoft's own technology for application development.
  • Java
  • PHP
  • Ruby
  • Oracle
  • Linux
  • MySQL
  • Python

Scaling and Load Balancing

One of Azure's key features is its ability to scale applications easily. Developers specify the number of instances (or copies) of an application needed when hosting it. If website or app traffic changes, you can adjust the number of instances through the Azure management portal.

Azure can also automate load balancing, meaning it can decide on its own when to allocate more resources to your application based on demand.

Web Applications and Automation

Azure supports various technologies for web applications, including:

  • .NET
  • Java
  • Python
  • PHP
  • Node.js

It offers automation for tasks like scaling and backups. There's also a feature called WebJobs, which is used for batch processing. WebJobs can be scaled and scheduled, making it easier to handle background tasks in your applications.

Mobile Applications

For mobile development, Azure supports:

  • Xamarin iOS
  • Xamarin Android
  • iOS

Simplified Development and Administration

Azure is designed to handle much of the administrative work so that developers can focus solely on building their applications. This means you don't have to worry about the underlying infrastructure.

Azure Marketplace

Azure features a marketplace where you can purchase and deploy applications and services. This marketplace is available in 88 countries. Applications bought from the marketplace can be easily integrated into your local development environment. Pricing varies with options like usage-based fees, monthly subscriptions, and even some free applications.

Overall, Microsoft Azure provides a versatile and user-friendly platform for developing, scaling, and managing a wide range of applications.