Microsoft recently introduced Azure Local, an infrastructure solution cloud designed to integrate directly with companies' physical sites. Azure Local addresses a key issue for distributed organizations: how to combine the advantages of cloud with the proximity and control of local resources?
This solution makes it possible to run essential cloud services locally, while remaining connected to the Azure ecosystem, offering businesses unrivalled flexibility and simplified management.
Azure Local: a solution designed for your distributed sites
Azure Local offers the possibility of deploying a connected local infrastructure, suitable for environments requiring low latency, strict compliance or guaranteed performance. Key features include:
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Centralized, simplified management: with Azure Local, companies can manage their distributed physical resources directly from the Azure portal. This includes deployment, configuration, updates and monitoring of local infrastructures. The same Azure portal and APIs can be used to administer both local and cloud resources, eliminating the need for separate management tools for each environment.
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Flexible choice of equipment: Azure Local enables companies to choose the equipment best suited to their needs. Whether you prefer a specific supplier or are looking to optimize your costs, this solution adapts to your requirements. You can choose from a wide range of hardware certified by partner OEMs, enabling you to tailor the infrastructure to your budget and performance requirements.
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Automated updates: Software updates, often a tedious and critical task, are simplified with Azure Local. Microsoft bundles all necessary updates (including vendor drivers and firmware) into a single monthly package. These updates are managed via Azure Update Manager, a centralized tool for scheduling and applying updates, ensuring that the latest vulnerability fixes are applied on time, minimizing risk.
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Advanced monitoring and observability: Azure Local integrates natively with Azure Monitor, enabling real-time monitoring of local resources and cloud. You can monitor your virtual machines, Kubernetes clusters and other components from a single dashboard, quickly identifying and resolving potential problems thanks to comprehensive observability.
Who is Azure Local designed for?
Azure Local is an ideal solution for all organizations that have constraints with cloud as it is designed. Here are a few concrete examples:
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Healthcare: where confidentiality and rapid access to patient data are paramount.
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Finance: Requiring low latency and strict regulatory compliance.
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Industry: For production sites requiring local data management for IoT or real-time control systems.
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Retail: To provide a seamless, local customer experience at the point of sale.
Principle ofAzure Local
With Azure Local, you have your physical or virtualized servers installed on your site (or several distributed sites), but you can manage these servers in a unified, centralized way via the Azure portal and its APIs. This combines :
The advantages of on-premise :
- Low latency for mission-critical applications.
- Total control over sensitive data remaining on site.
- Compliance with local regulations (such as data sovereignty).
The advantages of cloud Azure :
- Simplified, centralized management.
- Automated updates and monitoring via tools such as Azure Update Manager and Azure Monitor.
- Integration with advanced cloud services (analysis, AI, identity management, etc.).
How does it work?
With Azure Local, deployment begins with the installation of physical or virtualized servers directly on your premises. These servers can be selected from a range of hardware certified by Azure, guaranteeing compatibility and performance.
Once deployed, these local servers are connected to Azure using services such as Azure Arc. This integration makes it easy to manage hybrid environments combining local resources (on-premises) and cloud, all via a unified interface.
The management of these servers is simplified thanks to the Azure portal. The same tools are available as for your cloud resources, including deployment, updates, monitoring and configuration management.
Finally, security remains a priority with Azure Local. Local systems benefit fromAzure's advanced protection mechanisms, such as data encryption and identity management, ensuring a high level of security for your critical infrastructures.
Key benefits ofAzure Local
Azure Local is not just an extension of cloud Azure , it's a response to the challenges facing distributed businesses.
Low latency
Ideal for environments requiring high speed of execution.
Local compliance
Meets specific regulatory requirements in terms of data sovereignty
Increased resilience
Guarantees business continuity, even when connections to cloud are interrupted.
Performance optimization
Allows critical workloads to be processed locally while remaining connected to Azure.
Why adopt Azure Local with Lambert Consulting ?
To maximize the benefits ofAzure Local, call on an experienced partner such as Lambert Consulting. Specialized in hybrid infrastructures and cloud, Lambert Consulting supports companies in their digital transformation with tailor-made services.
Some of the services we offer Lambert Consulting
Audit and consulting
Assess your needs and identify the right solutions.
Azure Local deployment
Setting up an optimized, compliant infrastructure.
Management and maintenance
Benefit from a proactive management service to ensure business continuity
Training
Help your teams master the management of hybrid environments.
Conclusion
With Azure Local, Microsoft offers an innovative solution to meet the needs of modern businesses, combining the power of cloud with the advantages of a local infrastructure. By working with a partner like Lambert ConsultingSwiss companies can exploit the full potential ofAzure Local, benefiting from simplified management, guaranteed compliance and optimum performance.
Ready to transform your IT infrastructure?
When challenges are difficult to handle internally, it is best to call in a specialist. An external assessment can be of great help. It will be able to guide you in the realisation of your project and give you recommendations.