An introduction to Microsoft Azure

In 2008, Microsoft took its first significant step into cloud computing by introducing Windows Azure, a cloud-based data center service. This launch marked a pivotal moment in what many people saw as a traditional software company’s history, signaling a strategic shift toward cloud computing.

Developed under the internal project Project Red Dog, Windows Azure represented Microsoft’s answer to the growing demand for scalable, accessible, and flexible computing resources.

Windows Azure was initially rolled out with five core components, each designed to offer distinct capabilities within the cloud computing spectrum:

• Microsoft SQL Data Services: This component offered a cloud version of Microsoft’s SQL database, simplifying the complexities associated with hosting and managing databases in a cloud environment.
• Microsoft .NET Services: As a platform as a service (PaaS) offering, it enabled developers to deploy their...