Windows Azure Case Analysis: Choosing a virtual machine or a cloud service

With the development of cloud computing technology and market, enterprises are more diversified in the consideration of IT management and operation, and the application is developed from traditional deployment mode to private cloud, public cloud, and hybrid cloud deployment. As Microsoft's core public cloud platform, Windows Azure offers three computing models (virtual machines, cloud services, and Web sites) that allow customers to quickly build, deploy, and manage cloud applications. This article is intended to give some advice and guidance on how to choose virtual machines and cloud services.

Virtual Machines and cloud services

Virtual machines is an important part of Windows Azure infrastructure as a service (IaaS), supports Windows and Linux operating systems, and offers a variety of templates for users to choose from. Its characteristics are (not limited to):

Self-service request and rapid creation of virtual machines

Flexible image movement, support from local to cloud, or from cloud to local

Self-built virtual machine image, batch construction unified application Environment

Fast hook up and unload data disks

Supports Windows Azure Virtual network (network) to build a local area network

Complete management interface, such as management portal, PowerShell, restful, etc.

Cloud Service (Cloud services) is an important part of Windows Azure Platform and Services (PaaS) that provides two computing roles (Web role and work) to build highly available distributed cloud applications or services. and supports automated deployment of applications and flexible scaling of resources. Its characteristics are (not limited to):

Supports multiple development languages, such as C#,vb,c++,java,php,node.js,python

Support tiered architecture to build large and complex distributed Application systems

Provides local simulators for developers to debug and test locally

Deploy streamline and automation to quickly deploy applications to test (Stage) or production environments in Windows Azure

In the absence of business interruption, the runtime modifies the resource configuration

Support for Windows Azure Virtual Network (Network)

Provides diagnostics functionality to collect diagnostic data from running applications

Select services in combination with application features

Different enterprises in the industry, it maturity, data security and the sensitivity of the cost of the difference, so, in the face of Windows Azure on what to run the application of this issue, the enterprises also have different basis and planning. Overall, the capabilities and features of Windows Azure can be better leveraged when applications require the following features, reducing total cost of ownership (TCO).

High-availability--windows azure virtual machines and cloud services provide a 99.9% SLA

High-scalability--windows Azure virtual machines provide vertical scaling (scale-up) capabilities, and cloud services provide horizontal and vertical scaling (scale-out and scale-up) capabilities

Internet access--windows Azure's virtual machines and cloud services can be deployed in Microsoft Global Data Center

After determining the application, the next consideration is the technology implementation, how to choose the virtual machine or cloud services, the following table gives some common considerations for decision reference use:

Table: Calculation mode selection point of study