By Scott Will
Microsoft Azure ranks at the top level of public cloud services providers, but even a channel provider looking to sell Microsoft Azure virtual services can’t always know where to begin. The platform provides over 100 different services, ranging from AI through to Web Browser for Virtualized Container provisioning. But what kind of services can a channel vendor like Microsoft deliver? Below are three suggestions.
To understand the full potential of Microsoft Azure virtualization solutions, it’s useful to understand how these solutions differ from traditional on-premise software solutions. In comparison with other cloud services providers like Google, Amazon and others, Microsoft’s cloud services architecture relies less on complex infrastructure and more on a well-defined service discovery model. In a typical Azure managed service application, the user will only need to interact with one single database server rather than hundreds or thousands. This simplifies the deployment process and makes it easier to manage resources since there is only one server handling the required functionality.
Another way to maximize existing azure managed services is to provide the solution as a software appliance. The flexibility offered by an appliance allows users to easily evaluate the solution and make sure that it meets their business requirements before making any purchase. Some cloud service companies have already launched appliances that allow customers to test and evaluate their solutions without any investment in time or money.
Companies looking for quick implementation should therefore ask for appliance support as part of their subscription. Although this is a feature already offered by some competitors, other companies may see this as an opportunity to gain market share and move toward a free model with no long-term commitment. Companies should therefore ask for appliance support as part of their azure managed services subscription.
Microsoft’s cloud environment also allows for flexible scalability. It also offers a number of features and capabilities, which make it a preferred choice for many businesses. Users can also easily scale down or increase bandwidth when necessary. Scalability is particularly important for companies operating in a globalized environment, which requires fast connectivity to various resources located in different time zones. This ensures that the company remains competitive in the current and future cloud environment.
To facilitate the digital transformation, companies need to have the right cloud services platform that enables them to successfully adapt to the new Azure model. They should also have the necessary personnel in place to train their own employees on the new cloud platform. They can also train their external vendors to adopt the new infrastructure in order to provide their services to the cloud. The advantage of this approach is that external vendors can provide the manpower which the company would otherwise lack in terms of human capital.
