---
title: What is Microsoft Azure?
description: "Microsoft Azure is a global cloud platform offering compute, storage, networking, databases, analytics, AI, and security services. It spans multiple Regions and Availability Zones and integrates tightly with Microsoft identity and enterprise tooling. ## How Azure Works Azure resources live…"
url: "https://www.relianoid.com/resources/knowledge-base/misc/what-is-microsoft-azure/"
updated: "2025-11-05"
category: Misc
---

# What is Microsoft Azure?

Microsoft Azure is a global cloud platform offering compute, storage, networking, databases, analytics, AI, and security services. It spans multiple Regions and Availability Zones and integrates tightly with Microsoft identity and enterprise tooling.

## How Azure Works

Azure resources live in **subscriptions** and are organized with **resource groups**. Networking uses **Azure Virtual Network (VNet)**, subnets, NSGs, and route tables. Compute is provided by *Virtual Machines*, *Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)*, and *App Services*. Identity is centrally managed with *Microsoft Entra ID* (formerly Azure AD). Most services are API-driven for automation.

## Core Services

- **Compute:** VMs, VM Scale Sets, AKS, Functions (serverless), App Service.
- **Storage & Data:** Blob, Disk, Files, SQL Database, Cosmos DB, Cache for Redis.
- **Networking:** VNet, VPN/ExpressRoute, Application Gateway, Azure Load Balancer, Front Door, Traffic Manager.
- **Security & Management:** Defender for Cloud, Key Vault, Monitor, Log Analytics, Policy, Update Manager.
- **DevOps & IaC:** ARM/Bicep, Azure DevOps/GitHub Actions, Terraform support.

## Reference Architecture

1. Create a hub-and-spoke VNet topology with shared services in the hub.
2. Run workloads in spokes (AKS or VMSS) across Availability Zones.
3. Expose apps through Azure Load Balancer or Front Door; terminate TLS as needed.
4. Use Key Vault for secrets, Managed Identities for auth, and Monitor for observability.

## Why Deploy *RELIANOID* Load Balancer on Azure?

Running **RELIANOID** as Azure VMs or VM Scale Sets inside your VNets gives you a consistent, portable L4/L7 application delivery plane:

- **Advanced traffic control:** Fine-grained HTTP/S routing, header rewrites, mTLS enforcement, and protocol features beyond basic L4 LB.
- **High availability:** Multi-AZ deployment with health checks and hot restart to apply policy changes without dropping connections.
- **Security:** Centralized TLS termination with modern ciphers, integration with your PKI, and segmentation with NSGs.
- **Hybrid consistency:** Uniform policies across Azure, other clouds, and on-prem—useful for migrations and DR.
- **Automation:** Bootstrap via cloud-init, ARM/Bicep/Terraform, and integrate with pipelines for repeatable changes.

This is especially valuable when you need features or behaviors consistent with existing non-Azure environments, or when consolidating policy across many apps.

## Resources

[Deploy RELIANOID Enterprise Edition on Azure](https://www.relianoid.com/resources/knowledge-base/enterprise-edition-v8-administration-guide/relianoid-enterprise-v8-deployment-guide-in-azure/)
 [Deploy RELIANOID Community Edition on Azure](https://www.relianoid.com/resources/knowledge-base/community-edition-v7-administration-guide/relianoid-community-v7-deployment-guide-in-azure/)

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