Microsoft Azure is a powerful tool that gives your organization advanced capabilities and much greater control of your IT environment. However, because Azure is so powerful, it is also complex, so you need ongoing management, robust security, optimization, and expert support to maximize the benefits.
Azure managed services provide these capabilities, allowing your IT team to focus on business growth while experienced specialists optimize Azure performance and handle the day-to-day operation of your Microsoft cloud environment.
What are Azure managed services?
Microsoft Azure managed services are similar to those delivered by a managed services provider (MSP), only more advanced and specialized. Instead of simply provisioning cloud infrastructure, an MSP oversees your Azure environment on your behalf, monitoring, securing, optimizing, and performing maintenance on your cloud resources throughout their life cycle.
For midsized businesses, this means you gain access to Microsoft technology and cloud expertise without needing to add a large dedicated team of Azure specialists to your payroll. Your provider helps ensure your cloud environment remains secure, compliant, cost-effective, and available around the clock, and your internal IT team can focus on strategic initiatives instead.
Common responsibilities taken on by Azure managed services include, but are not limited to:
- 24/7 proactive monitoring and incident response
- Performance optimization
- Security management
- Backup and disaster recovery
- Cost and resource optimization
- Patch management
- Technical support and strategic planning
- Assistance with custom app and platform development
What is the difference between IaaS and managed services?
Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), while similar, is not the same thing, and the terms should not be used interchangeably. IaaS gives you the building blocks of cloud computing, such as virtual machines, networking, storage, and databases, but your organization is generally responsible for the management of such. In this case, you must hire more IT personnel to handle the configuring, maintaining, securing, and monitoring of your Azure resources.
Azure managed services, on the other hand, sit on top of IaaS.
Rather than merely renting cloud infrastructure, you receive expert management that helps your business get the most value from Azure. Think of IaaS as purchasing a high-performance vehicle, while managed services provide the experienced mechanic, maintenance team, and navigator that keep it running smoothly.
What is included in Azure managed services?
Although service offerings vary between providers, most Azure managed services include several core capabilities.
Azure cloud services
Cloud infrastructure management forms the foundation of every Azure managed services engagement. Your provider provisions and manages virtual machines, storage, networking, databases, identity services, and cloud security controls.
These are the day-to-day services that continuously monitor system performance, apply updates, optimize resource usage, and more, all with the goal of resolving issues before they affect your users.
If done properly, you won’t even realize that your MSP is performing Azure cloud infrastructure services; everything will just work, and you can focus on your core operations.
Azure DevOps
If your business develops software or custom business applications, Azure DevOps services can accelerate development and improve the quality of the end result.
An MSP with strong Azure expertise can help implement automated development pipelines that simplify application deployment and testing. These services often include:
- Source code management
- Automated testing
- Release management
- Continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD)
- And more
With Azure DevOps assistance, your IT team can deliver faster software releases with fewer manual processes and lower risk of deployment errors.
Azure business continuity solutions
Azure is used by many of the world’s most successful businesses, so cybercriminals are constantly developing new ways to crack it to steal data. Azure managed services typically include business continuity planning designed to keep your operations running in the face of a cyberattack or other disruptions, such as natural disasters or hardware failures.
These services often include:
- Automated cloud backups
- Disaster recovery planning
- Geo-redundant storage
- Automatic failover
- High availability architecture
- Regular recovery testing
Again, the power of Azure is offset by its relative complexity, which can make disaster recovery slow and risky. However, Azure managed services are more than capable of handling this complexity and restoring your cloud platform quickly and smoothly to get you back to work.
Other Azure services
The above services are just the tip of the iceberg. Managed Azure providers also deliver specialized services based on your organization’s needs. Examples include:
- Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) management
- Active security monitoring and threat detection
- Compliance reporting
- Microsoft Defender management
- Azure Virtual Desktop administration
- Data analytics services
- AI and machine learning integration
- Cloud governance and policy management
- Vendor management
Most providers offer these services with your monthly fee, but advanced ones may need to be purchased separately. If your organization requires extra or uncommon Azure services, check provider offerings and service level agreements carefully before making a decision to ensure they can meet your needs cost-effectively.
What to look for in an Azure managed service provider
Not every MSP offers the same level of Azure expertise. Choosing the right (or wrong) partner can have a significant impact on the performance, security, and long-term success your cloud environment ultimately delivers.
When researching potential Azure MSPs, look for the following qualities.
Certified engineers with proven Microsoft Azure management experience
Microsoft Partner certifications are all well and good, but practical experience managing real-world Azure environments is equally important. You want deep expertise with the Azure ecosystem, not engineers with impressive but unspecialized experience and certifications.
Strong cybersecurity capabilities
Advanced platforms like Azure require advanced cybersecurity. Your provider should offer services such as:
- Identity and access management
- Vulnerability management
- Real-time threat monitoring
- Backup protection
- Compliance support
- Industry-specific cybersecurity solutions
Beyond protecting your Azure environment, a strong MSP can also help you stay compliant with regulatory requirements. Whether you’re navigating HIPAA, GDPR, or other industry-specific regulations, the right provider will have the tools and expertise to keep your business on the right side of compliance.
Be sure to check their cybersecurity certifications and client history to get a better picture of their ability to protect and manage your Azure environment.
Transparency
Choose an MSP that provides regular reporting, clear communication, and visibility into system performance and security events. Your Azure MSP should also be able to provide clear documentation on the services they provide and their outcomes.
After all, it’s your Azure environment, and you need detailed information (in writing) about what it is doing so that you can make business decisions accordingly.
A true partnership
Finally, look for a provider that treats your cloud environment as a long-term investment rather than a one-time deployment. The best Azure managed services providers don’t stop at just “keeping the lights on.” They regularly review your infrastructure, recommend improvements, and help align your cloud strategy with your business goals to keep your organization growing and successful.
As an Azure managed services provider with over 15 years of experience serving midsized to enterprise businesses, Soteria can deliver on all these points and more. Book a free consultation with Soteria’s Azure experts and discover how our services will improve reliability, strengthen security, control costs, and maximize the value of your Microsoft Azure investment.