Microsoft has several cloud solutions that businesses rely on. Its biggest platform is Azure, which offers SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS services.
Leverage Azure for increased efficiency by leveraging practical tips and powerful tools. These resources and tools can help you streamline tech processes, cut costs, and stay competitive.
Office 365
Regarding productivity, few tools are as well-known or widely used as Microsoft Office. It’s easy to become locked in a specific workflow, memorize keyboard shortcuts, and become familiar with every tool. However, learning new nuances of the suite helps employees improve their work and keeps them competitive in their field.
With Office 365, employees can access digital workspaces anywhere and on any device. The cloud-based application also helps to boost collaboration and communication. Employee decision-making becomes more informed as a result and business performance increases.
Microsoft provides a range of Office 365 options to accommodate different types of businesses. These include Office 365 Business, Office 365 Small Business, and Office 365 Enterprise. The latter comprises online services, desktop apps, per-user Windows Enterprise licenses, Microsoft Intune device management tools, and the Microsoft Admin Center. These qualities can all be used by enterprises to increase productivity.
Azure
Azure is one of Microsoft Cloud Solutions with great potential for businesses of any size. The platform features an extensive catalog of services that cover almost every IT requirement imaginable, including computing (Virtual Machines), Data Storage, Databases, and more. Utilizing the correct service for each workload is essential to get maximum performance and optimize costs.
Some scenarios—like backups—don’t require fast I/O and may benefit from slower, less expensive storage options. For those looking to cut costs, Azure offers a variety of pay-as-you-go pricing models and reserved instances that offer discounts when purchased in bulk.
It also provides multiple services for application development, giving it a leg up over competitors such as AWS. Its global footprint of 54 regions—a set of locally based data centers in 140 countries—enables businesses to preserve compliance and data residency while allowing access to advanced resiliency options.
Dynamics 365
The latest solution in Microsoft’s long line of business applications, Dynamics 365, brings CRM, ERP, and supporting functions under one digital roof. It also integrates with Microsoft Power Platform tools—Power BI data visualization software, Power Apps application builder, Power Pages website development tool, Power Automate automation tool, and the new virtual agent builder.
The CRM component of the Dynamics 365 solution helps businesses generate and nurture more leads with marketing automation capabilities like automated lead scoring and customizable email templates. It also allows marketers to analyze and scrutinize lead conversion rates to optimize their efforts.
To ensure optimal performance, it’s essential to regularly monitor Dynamics 365 performance metrics such as network latency and bandwidth. These metrics allow IT teams to identify potential issues and take corrective actions. Network load balancing can improve performance by distributing incoming requests across multiple Dynamics 365 servers. This prevents any single server from becoming overwhelmed and maximizes resource utilization.
Power BI
Power BI is Microsoft’s premier business intelligence and data visualization tool that aggregates and contextualizes raw data into dynamic visual dashboards. With various features to assist users in making better decisions, the tool is a well-liked option for companies across multiple sectors and sizes.
Import mode is the fastest way to load data into Power BI using the in-memory VertiPaq engine. However, this method has limitations, such as limited refresh frequency and the need to use DAX. To improve performance, it is recommended to optimize the data model at the source.
One of the most effective ways to speed up Power BI is to use a powerful ETL service like Stitch. This service automates connecting to and extracting data from multiple sources, making creating interactive reports easier. In addition, it allows you to import data into Power BI from any cloud-based source. This helps you save time and resources.
