Learning Microsoft Azure

Chapter 1. Cloud Computing Fundamentals

Over the last decade, cloud computing has changed the way we build and deploy software. It is now easier than ever to deploy highly scalable, resilient, and secure solutions to a global audience, in many cases at a fraction of the previous cost.

John Kilmister, Software Architect and Microsoft Azure MVP

What Is Cloud Computing?

Before delving into learning Microsoft Azure, it’s essential first to understand cloud computing. Cloud computing is a significant technological innovation that delivers various services through the internet, including web servers, databases, data storage, virtual machines, applications, network infrastructure, security tools, software, and other IT infrastructure. Cloud computing refers to the virtual storage and access of data and information over the internet, with the actual computing processing transpiring in the cloud.

Understanding the foundational principles of cloud computing is essential for designing and developing solutions in the cloud. As a public cloud platform, Azure provides secure, scalable, reliable, cost-effective, and easy-to-manage ways to build on the cloud. By leveraging Azure, organizations and users developing with it can take advantage of various cloud services and tools to innovate and solve complex business problems.

As a modern, game-changing technology, cloud computing enables businesses, organizations, and teams to access a wide range of IT resources on demand through the internet. ...