Microsoft Azure: Planning, Deploying, and Managing Your Data Center in the Cloud

Introduction

Think about the first time you heard the term cloud computing a few years ago (or longer). There are accounts and reports as far back as 2006 of the term being used to describe some of the larger virtualization initiatives for companies like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft. If you search for more tangible evidence, you can find a report dated 1996 from the offices of Compaq Computer, where a group of technology executives who were intrigued by the future of Internet business published a report titled “Cloud Computing.” Fast-forward 20 years into the future to learn about cloud computing services.

The discussions in this book should help you understand the need to improve your organization’s maturity to support a formal cloud strategy ...