Is Microsoft Azure the Right Choice for Your Microsoft SharePoint Implementation?
I recently wrote a post for TechNet UK discussing how organizations can determine whether Microsoft Azure is the right choice for hosting their Microsoft SharePoint implementations in the cloud.
Many businesses have organizational policies and compliance restrictions which dictate that not all content is “cloud ready”. Other organizations have significant investment or integration points to other technology within their business. These situations, along with many others, can pose unique challenges and concerns. Microsoft Azure has the ability to bridge the gap for those who may not be able or willing to move to a full SaaS setup but would still like to take advantage of cloud technology.
Azure is a very appealing option for many organizations for a number of reasons:
- Knowledge barrier to entry is low: Although moving to the cloud and using Azure can sound complex, deploying SharePoint in Azure is faster and easier than most would imagine.
- You can still achieve more customizable solutions: For those with more complex requirements or existing customization investments, Azure gives you the ability to deliver these features on a cloud-based SharePoint environment just as you would on premises.
- Less capital expense: For those without SharePoint or those who need to scale up their environment quickly and easily, you can avoid the lead times and capital expenses of on-premises deployments.
- Migration considerations: For businesses with large amounts of data in SharePoint or those that are looking to move a significant amount of content into an environment, Azure can present a simpler migration option.
- Long term cost proposition is low: There is no debate that the total cost of ownership of an Office 365 SharePoint solution is the lowest available. The Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) nature of Azure, however, still offers substantial cost reductions regarding ongoing management in comparison to on-premises deployments.
- Single vendor with a unifying ecosystem: For those already invested in Microsoft technologies, Azure makes sense as the next step in an IT strategy. Microsoft has a unified vision for its on-premises, public cloud, and private cloud offerings. For those looking to move toward a seamless user experience, Azure has an advantage over merging disparate vendor offerings.
To read more about the major differences of Microsoft Azure and Office 365 for SharePoint, please visit TechNet UK.
Learn how we can help your organization simplify SharePoint management across hybrid or all-in cloud deployments, visiting our website.
In his former role at AvePoint as Director of AvePoint Client Services, Blair worked in Australia, the United Kingdom and continental Europe in designing and implementing enterprise collaboration solutions for clients across all industry sectors. Blair has been focused specifically on SharePoint since 2007, with specific expertise in designing and implementing document management solutions for members of the banking, legal and professional services industries.
