Managing Azure Virtual Networks
Microsoft Azure is a full-service cloud network management solution. You can create and manage an entire computer network in the cloud or employ it on premises and manage your virtual network in-house. You can even create a hybrid network that is partly in the cloud and partly hosted in-house. For example, your web servers might be hosted in the cloud on Azure, but all of your data stores might be in SQL servers hosted in your own server room.
Let’s take a look at some of the advantages provided by Microsoft Azure.
Build a Virtual Network (VNet)
You can create an entirely virtual network in the cloud just by signing up for a user account. All you have to do is use the Azure portal and follow the wizard-based tool to use your own block of IP addresses to define subnets. Then you can use the same wizard-based interfaces to create virtual servers and deploy them to your network. You can even connect your new virtual servers to existing data providers housed on premises. In a matter of minutes, you can create an entire computer network without having to ever touch a physical server.
Application Development
You can build your apps the way you want and have them quickly deployed and hosted on your new VNet. You can even use the tools and technologies that you are accustomed to since Azure supports a large list of programming languages, databases, devices and operating systems. Remotely debugging and tuning your applications is also very easy. This is because everything is hosted on your network just like it would be if you’d hired an army of technicians to setup your network hardware and manage its scalability and security.
Security
Azure Security Center facilitates the detection, response and prevention of threats by increasing visibility and giving you control of all of your resources. You can easily manage them through one portal that monitors the health of your entire network configuration instead of managing security on each individual machine. Fixes and patches can instantly be deployed to your entire network instead of trying to go to each machine to apply them. Over 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies trust their data to Azure so you can be sure that it’s safe.
Analyze the Future
Azure also gives you tools that run between and around your applications to provide analytics. You can use the artificial intelligence tools included with Azure to predict trends and future usage and get ahead of data surges before they become a surprise. Azure provides tools that help you to become proactive rather than reactive and get ahead of the game.
Large onsite data centers and server rooms are starting to become a thing of the past. Virtual networks have become standard operating procedure because they require a much smaller investment in resources and are much easier and faster to manage.
Why not learn how you can manage your new virtual network now by obtaining training from a nationally recognized online training center such as ONLC. Join our instructor-led training classes at one of our more than 300 locations or attend a training on your own PC in a classroom setting of your choice. Contact us today for more info!
