Azure Cloud Migration and Modernization Services

Healthcare Use Cases for Azure Functions Real-time patient streams Functions subscribe to heart-rate, SpO₂ or ECG data that arrives through Azure IoT Hub or Event Hubs. Each message drives the same code path: run anomaly-detection logic, check clinical thresholds, raise an alert in Teams or Epic, then write the event to the patient’s EHR. Standards-first data exchange A second group of Functions exposes or calls FHIR R4 APIs, transforms legacy HL7 v2 into FHIR resources, and routes messages between competing EMR/EHR systems. Tied into Microsoft Fabric’s silver layer, the same functions cleanse, validate and enrich incoming records before storage. AI-powered workflows Another set orchestrates AI/ML steps: pull DICOM images from Blob Storage, preprocess them, invoke an Azure ML model, post-process the inference, push findings back through FHIR and notify clinicians.  The same pattern calls Azure OpenAI Service to summarize encounters, generate codes or draft patient replies - sometimes all three inside a "Hyper-Personalized Healthcare Diagnostics" workflow. Built-in compliance Every function can run under Managed Identities, encrypt data at rest in Blob Storage or Cosmos DB, enforce HTTPS, log to Azure Monitor and Application Insights, store secrets in Key Vault and stay inside a VNet-integrated Premium or Flex plan - meeting the HIPAA safeguards that Microsoft’s BAA covers. From cloud-native platforms to real-time interfaces, our Azure developers, SignalR experts, and .NET engineers build systems that react instantly to user actions, data updates, and operational events and managing everything from secure APIs to responsive front ends. Developer skills that turn those healthcare ideas into running code Core serverless craft Fluency in C#/.NET or Python, every Azure Functions trigger (HTTP, Timer, IoT Hub, Event Hubs, Blob, Queue, Cosmos DB), input/output bindings and Durable Functions is table stakes. Health-data depth Daily work means calling Azure Health Data Services’ FHIR REST API (now with 2025 search and bulk-delete updates), mapping HL7 v2 segments into FHIR R4, and keeping appointment, lab and imaging workflows straight. Streaming and storage know-how Real-time scenarios rely on IoT Hub device management, Event Hubs or Stream Analytics, Cosmos DB for structured PHI and Blob Storage for images - all encrypted and access-controlled. AI integration Teams need hands-on experience with Azure ML pipelines, Azure OpenAI for NLP tasks and Azure AI Vision, plus an eye for ethical-AI and diagnostic accuracy. Security and governance Deep command of Azure AD, RBAC, Key Vault, NSGs, Private Endpoints, VNet integration, end-to-end encryption and immutable auditing is non-negotiable - alongside working knowledge of HIPAA Privacy, Security and Breach-Notification rules. Fintech Use Cases for Azure Functions Real-time fraud defence Functions reading Azure Event Hubs streams from mobile and card channels call Azure Machine Learning or Azure OpenAI models to score every transaction, then block, alert or route it to manual review - all within the milliseconds required by the RTP network and FedNow. High-volume risk calculations VaR, credit-score, Monte Carlo and stress-test jobs fan out across dozens of C# or Python Functions, sometimes wrapping QuantLib in a custom-handler container. Durable Functions orchestrate the long-running workflow, fetching historical prices from Blob Storage and live ticks from Cosmos DB, then persisting results for Basel III/IV reporting. Instant-payment orchestration Durable Functions chain the steps - authorization, capture, settlement, refund - behind ISO 20022 messages that arrive on Service Bus or HTTP. Private-link SQL Database or Cosmos DB ledgers give a tamper-proof trail, while API Management exposes callback endpoints to FedNow, SEPA or RTP. RegTech automation Timer-triggered Functions pull raw data into Data Factory, run AML screening against watchlists, generate DORA metrics and call Azure OpenAI to summarize compliance posture for auditors. Open-Banking APIs HTTP-triggered Functions behind API Management serve UK Open Banking or Berlin Group PSD2 endpoints, enforcing FAPI security with Azure AD (B2C or enterprise), Key Vault-stored secrets and token-based consent flows. They can just as easily consume third-party APIs to build aggregated account views. All code runs inside VNet-integrated Premium plans, uses end-to-end encryption, immutable Azure Monitor logs and Microsoft’s PCI-certified Building Block services - meeting every control in the 12-part PCI standard. Secure FinTech Engineer Platform mastery High-proficiency C#/.NET, Python or Java; every Azure Functions trigger and binding; Durable Functions fan-out/fan-in patterns; Event Hubs ingestion; Stream Analytics queries. Data & storage fluency Cosmos DB for low-latency transaction and fraud features; Azure SQL Database for ACID ledgers; Blob Storage for historical market data; Service Bus for ordered payment flows. ML & GenAI integration Hands-on Azure ML pipelines, model-as-endpoint patterns, and Azure OpenAI prompts that extract regulatory obligations or flag anomalies. API engineering Deep experience with Azure API Management throttling, OAuth 2.0, FAPI profiles and threat protection for customer-data and payment-initiation APIs. Security rigor Non-negotiable command of Azure AD, RBAC, Key Vault, VNets, Private Endpoints, NSGs, tokenization, MFA and immutable audit logging. Regulatory literacy Working knowledge of PCI DSS, SOX, GDPR, CCPA, PSD2, ISO 20022, DORA, AML/CTF and fraud typologies; understanding of VaR, QuantLib, market-structure and SEPA/FedNow/RTP rules. HA/DR architecture Designing across regional pairs, availability zones and multi-write Cosmos DB or SQL Database replicas to meet stringent RTO/RPO targets. Insurance Use Cases for Azure Functions Automated claims (FNOL → settlement) Logic Apps load emails, PDFs or app uploads into Blob Storage, Blob triggers fire Functions that call Azure AI Document Intelligence to classify ACORD forms, pull fields and drop data into Cosmos DB. Next Functions use Azure OpenAI to summarize adjuster notes, run AI fraud checks, update customers and, via Durable Functions, steer the claim through validation, assignment, payment and audit - raising daily capacity by 60%. Dynamic premium calculation HTTP-triggered Functions expose quote APIs, fetch credit scores or weather data, run rating-engine rules or Azure ML risk models, then return a price; timer jobs recalc books in batch. Elastic scaling keeps costs tied to each call. AI-assisted underwriting & policy automation Durable Functions pull application data from CRM, invoke OpenAI or custom ML to judge risk against underwriting rules, grab external datasets, and either route results to an underwriter or auto-issue a policy. Separate orchestrators handle endorsements, renewals and cancellations. Real-time risk & fraud detection Event Grid or IoT streams (telematics, leak sensors) trigger Functions that score risk, flag fraud and push alerts. All pipelines run inside VNet-integrated Premium plans, encrypt at rest/in transit, log to Azure Monitor and meet GDPR, CCPA and ACORD standards. Developer skills behind insurance solutions Core tech High-level C#/.NET, Java or Python; every Functions trigger (Blob, Event Grid, HTTP, Timer, Queue) and binding; Durable Functions patterns. AI integration Training and calling Azure AI Document Intelligence and Azure OpenAI; building Azure ML models for rating and fraud. Data services Hands-on Cosmos DB, Azure SQL, Blob Storage, Service Bus; API Management for quote and Open-Banking-style endpoints. Security Daily use of Azure Key Vault, Azure AD, RBAC, VNets, Private Endpoints; logging, audit and encryption to satisfy GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA-style rules. Insurance domain FNOL flow, ACORD formats, underwriting factors, rating logic, telematics, reinsurance basics, risk methodologies and regulatory constraints. Combining these serverless, AI and insurance skills lets engineers automate claims, price premiums on demand and manage policies - all within compliant, pay-per-execution Azure Functions. Logistics Use Cases for Azure Functions Real-time shipment tracking GPS pings and sensor packets land in Azure IoT Hub or Event Hubs.  Each message triggers a Function that recalculates ETAs, checks geofences in Azure Maps, writes the event to Cosmos DB and pushes live updates through Azure SignalR Service and carrier-facing APIs.  A cold-chain sensor reading outside its limit fires the same pipeline plus an alert to drivers, warehouse staff and customers. Instant WMS / TMS / ERP sync A "pick‐and‐pack" event in a warehouse system emits an Event Grid notification. A Function updates central stock in Cosmos DB, notifies the TMS, patches e-commerce inventory and publishes an API callback - all in milliseconds.  One retailer that moved this flow to Functions + Logic Apps cut processing time 60%. IoT-enabled cold-chain integrity Timer or IoT triggers process temperature, humidity and vibration data from reefer units, compare readings to thresholds, log to Azure Monitor, and - on breach - fan-out alerts via Notification Hubs or SendGrid while recording evidence for quality audits. AI-powered route optimization A scheduled Function gathers orders, calls an Azure ML VRP model or third-party optimizer, then a follow-up Function posts the new routes to drivers, the TMS and Service Bus topics. Real-time traffic or breakdown events can retrigger the optimizer. Automated customs & trade docs Blob Storage uploads of commercial invoices trigger Functions that run Azure AI Document Intelligence to extract HS codes and Incoterms, fill digital declarations and push them to customs APIs, closing the loop with status callbacks. All workloads run inside VNet-integrated Premium plans, use Key Vault for secrets, encrypt data at rest/in transit, retry safely and log every action - keeping IoT pipelines, partner APIs and compliance teams happy. Developer skills that make those logistics flows real Serverless core High-level C#/.NET or Python;  fluent in HTTP, Timer, Blob, Queue, Event Grid, IoT Hub and Event Hubs triggers;  expert with bindings and Durable Functions patterns. IoT & streaming Day-to-day use of IoT Hub device management, Azure IoT Edge for edge compute, Event Hubs for high-throughput streams, Stream Analytics for on-the-fly queries and Data Lake for archival. Data & geo services Hands-on Cosmos DB, Azure SQL, Azure Data Lake Storage, Azure Maps, SignalR Service and geospatial indexing for fast look-ups. AI & analytics Integrating Azure ML for forecasting and optimization, Azure AI Document Intelligence for paperwork, and calling other optimization or ETA APIs. Integration & security Designing RESTful endpoints with Azure API Management, authenticating partners with Azure AD, sealing secrets in Key Vault, and building retry/error patterns that survive device drop-outs and API outages. Logistics domain depth Understanding WMS/TMS data models, carrier and 3PL APIs, inventory control rules (FIFO/LIFO), cold-chain compliance, VRP algorithms, MQTT/AMQP protocols and KPIs such as transit time, fuel burn and inventory turnover. Engineers who pair these serverless and IoT skills with supply-chain domain understanding turn Azure Functions into the nervous system of fast, transparent and resilient logistics networks. Manufacturing Use Cases for Azure Functions Shop-floor data ingestion & MES/ERP alignment OPC Publisher on Azure IoT Edge discovers OPC UA servers, normalizes tags, and streams them to Azure IoT Hub.  Functions pick up each message, filter, aggregate and land it in Azure Data Explorer for time-series queries, Azure Data Lake for big-data work and Azure SQL for relational joins.  Durable Functions translate new ERP work orders into MES calls, then feed production, consumption and quality metrics back the other way, while also mapping shop-floor signals into Microsoft Fabric’s Manufacturing Data Solutions. Predictive maintenance Sensor flows (vibration, temperature, acoustics) hit IoT Hub. A Function invokes an Azure ML model to estimate Remaining Useful Life or imminent failure, logs the result, opens a CMMS work order and, if needed, tweaks machine settings over OPC UA. AI-driven quality control Image uploads to Blob Storage trigger Functions that run Azure AI Vision or custom models to spot scratches, misalignments or bad assemblies. Alerts and defect data go to Cosmos DB and MES dashboards. Digital-twin synchronization IoT Hub events update Azure Digital Twins properties via Functions. Twin analytics then raise events that trigger other Functions to adjust machine parameters or notify operators through SignalR Service. All pipelines encrypt data, run inside VNet-integrated Premium plans and log to Azure Monitor - meeting OT cybersecurity and traceability needs. Developer skills that turn manufacturing flows into running code Core serverless craft High-level C#/.NET and Python, expert use of IoT Hub, Event Grid, Blob, Queue, Timer triggers and Durable Functions fan-out/fan-in patterns. Industrial IoT mastery Daily work with OPC UA, MQTT, Modbus, IoT Edge deployment, Stream Analytics, Cosmos DB, Data Lake, Data Explorer and Azure Digital Twins; secure API publishing with API Management and tight secret control in Key Vault. AI integration Building and calling Azure ML models for RUL/failure prediction, using Azure AI Vision for visual checks, and wiring results back into MES/SCADA loops. Domain depth Knowledge of ISA-95, B2MML, production scheduling, OEE, SPC, maintenance workflows, defect taxonomies and OT-focused security best practice. Engineers who pair this serverless skill set with deep manufacturing context can stitch IT and OT together - keeping smart factories fast, predictive and resilient. Ecommerce Use Cases for Azure Functions Burst-proof order & payment flows HTTP or Service Bus triggers fire a Function that validates the cart, checks stock in Cosmos DB or SQL, calls Stripe, PayPal or BTCPay Server, handles callbacks, and queues the WMS. A Durable Functions orchestrator tracks every step - retrying, dead-lettering and emailing confirmations - so Black Friday surges need no manual scale-up. Real-time, multi-channel inventory Sales events from Shopify, Magento or an ERP hit Event Grid; Functions update a central Azure MySQL (or Cosmos DB) store, then push deltas back to Amazon Marketplace, physical POS and mobile apps, preventing oversells. AI-powered personalization & marketing A Function triggered by page-view telemetry retrieves context, queries Azure AI Personalizer or a custom Azure ML model, caches recommendations in Azure Cache for Redis and returns them to the front-end. Timer triggers launch abandoned-cart emails through SendGrid and update Mailchimp segments - always respecting GDPR/CCPA consent flags. Headless CMS micro-services Discrete Functions expose REST or GraphQL endpoints (product search via Azure Cognitive Search, cart updates, profile edits), pull content from Strapi or Contentful and publish through Azure API Management. All pipelines run in Key Vault-protected, VNet-integrated Function plans, encrypt data in transit and at rest, and log to Azure Monitor - meeting PCI-DSS and privacy obligations. Developer skills behind ecommerce experiences Language & runtime fluency Node.js for fast I/O APIs, C#/.NET for enterprise logic, Python for data and AI - plus deep know-how in HTTP, Queue, Timer and Event Grid triggers, bindings and Durable Functions patterns. Data & cache mastery Designing globally distributed catalogs in Cosmos DB, transactional stores in SQL/MySQL, hot caches in Redis and search in Cognitive Search. Integration craft Securely wiring payment gateways, WMS/TMS, Shopify/Magento, SendGrid, Mailchimp and carrier APIs through API Management, with secrets in Key Vault and callbacks handled idempotently. AI & experimentation Building ML models in Azure ML, tuning AI Personalizer, storing variant data for A/B tests and analyzing uplift. Security & compliance Implementing OWASP protections, PCI-aware data flows, encrypted config, strong/ eventual-consistency strategies and fine-grained RBAC. Commerce domain depth Full funnel understanding (browse → cart → checkout → fulfillment → returns), SKU and safety-stock logic, payment life-cycles, email-marketing best practice and headless-architecture principles. How Belitsoft Can Help Belitsoft builds modern, event-driven applications on Azure Functions using .NET and related Azure services. Our developers: Architect and implement serverless solutions with Azure Functions using the .NET isolated worker model (recommended beyond 2026). Build APIs, event processors, and background services using C#/.NET that integrate with Azure services like Event Grid, Cosmos DB, IoT Hub, and API Management. Modernize legacy .NET apps by refactoring them into scalable, serverless architectures. Our Azure specialists: Choose and configure the optimal hosting plan (Flex Consumption, Premium, or Kubernetes-based via KEDA). Implement cold-start mitigation strategies (warm-up triggers, dependency reduction, .NET optimization). Optimize cost with batching, efficient scaling, and fine-tuned concurrency. We develop .NET-based Azure Functions that connect with: Azure AI services (OpenAI, Cognitive Services, Azure ML) Event-driven workflows using Logic Apps and Event Grid Secure access via Azure AD, Managed Identities, Key Vault, and Private Endpoints Storage systems like Blob Storage, Cosmos DB, and SQL DB We also build orchestrations with Durable Functions for long-running workflows, multi-step approval processes, and complex stateful systems. Belitsoft provides Azure-based serverless development with full security compliance: Develop .NET Azure Functions that operate in VNet-isolated environments with private endpoints Build HIPAA-/PCI-compliant systems with encrypted data handling, audit logging, and RBAC controls Automate compliance reporting, security monitoring, and credential rotation via Azure Monitor, Sentinel, and Key Vault We enable AI-integration for real-time and batch processing: Embed OpenAI GPT and Azure ML models into Azure Function workflows (.NET or Python) Build Function-based endpoints for model inference, document summarization, fraud prediction, etc. Construct AI-driven event pipelines like trigger model execution from uploaded files or real-time sensor data Our .NET developers deliver complete DevOps integration: Set up CI/CD pipelines for Azure Functions via GitHub Actions or Azure DevOps Instrument .NET Functions with Application Insights, OpenTelemetry, and Log Analytics Implement structured logging, correlation IDs, and custom metrics for troubleshooting and cost tracking Belitsoft brings together deep .NET development know-how and over two decades of experience working across industries. We build maintainable solutions that handle real-time updates, complex workflows, and high-volume customer interactions - so you can focus on what matters most. Contact us to discuss your project.

Belitsoft is a team of Azure migration and modernization experts with a proven track record and portfolio of projects to show for it. We offer comprehensive application modernization services, which include workload analysis, compatibility checks, and the creation of a sound migration strategy. Further, we will take all the necessary steps to ensure your successful transition to Azure cloud. Planning your migration to Azure is an important process as it involves choosing whether to rehost, refactor, rearchitect, or rebuild your applications. A laid-out Azure migration strategy helps put these decisions in perspective. Read on to find our step-by-step guide for the cloud migration process, plus a breakdown of key migration models. An investment in on-premises hosting and data centers can be a waste of money nowadays, because cloud technologies provide significant advantages, such as usage-based pricing and the capacity to easily scale up and down. In addition, your downtime risks will be near-zero in comparison with on-premises infrastructure. Migration to the cloud from the on-premises model requires time, so the earlier you start, the better. Dmitry Baraishuk Chief Innovation Officer at Belitsoft on Forbes.com Cloud Migration Process to Microsoft Azure We would like to share our recommended approach for migrating applications and workloads to Azure. It is based on Microsoft's guidelines and outlines the key steps of the Azure Migration process. 1. Strategize and plan your migration process The first thing you need to do to lay out a sound migration strategy is to identify and organize discussions among the key business stakeholders. They will need to document precise business outcomes expected from the migration process. The team is also required to understand and discover the underlying technical aspects of cloud adoption and factor them into the documented strategy. Next, you will need to come up with a strategic plan that will prioritize your goals and objectives and serve as a practical guide for cloud adoption. It begins with translating strategy into more tangible aspects like choosing which applications and workloads have higher priority for migration. You move on deeper into business and technical elements and document them into a plan used to forecast, budget, and implement your Azure migration strategy. In the end, you'll be able to calculate your total cost of ownership with Azure’s TCO calculator which is a handy tool for planning your savings and expenses for your migration project. 2. Evaluate workloads and prepare for migration After creating the migration plan you will need to assess your environment and categorize all of your servers, virtual machines, and application dependencies. You will need to look at such key components of your infrastructure as: Virtual Networks: Analyze your existing workloads for performance, security, and stability and make sure you match these metrics with equivalent resources in Azure cloud. This way you can have the same experience as with the on-premise data center. Evaluate whether you will need to run your own DNS via Active Directory and which parts of your application will require subnets. Storage Capacity: Select the right Azure storage services to support the required number of operations per second for virtual machines with intensive I/O workloads. You can prioritize usage based on the nature of the data and how often users access it. Rarely accessed (cold data) could be placed in slow storage solutions. Computing resources: Analyze how you can win by migrating to flexible Azure Virtual Machines. With Azure, you are no longer limited by your physical server’s capabilities and can dynamically scale your applications along with shifting performance requirements. Azure Autoscale service allows you to automatically distribute resources based on metrics and keeps you from wasting money on redundant computing power. To make life easier, Azure has created tools to streamline the assessment process: Azure Migrate is Microsoft’s current recommended solution and is an end-to-end tool that you can use to assess and migrate servers, virtual machines, infrastructure, applications, and data to Azure. It can be a bit overwhelming and requires you to transfer your data to Azure’s servers. Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) toolkit can be a lighter solution for people who are just at the start of their cloud migration journey. It needs to be installed and stores data on-premise but is much simpler and gives a great picture of server compatibility with Azure and the required Azure VM sizes. Virtual Machine Readiness Assessment tool Is another great tool that guides the user all the way through the assessment with a series of questions. Besides the questions, it also provides additional information with regard to the question. In the end, it gives you a checklist for moving to the cloud. Create your migration landing zone. As a final step, before you move on to the migration process you need to prepare your Azure environment by creating a landing zone. A landing zone is a collection of cloud services used for hosting, operating, and governing workloads migrated to the cloud. Think of it as a blueprint for your future cloud setup which you can further scale to your requirements. 3. Migrate your applications to Azure Cloud  First of all, you can simply replace some of your applications with SaaS products hosted by Azure. For instance, you can move your email and communication-related workloads to Office 365 (Microsoft 365). Document management solutions can be replaced with Sharepoint. Finally, messaging, voice, and video-shared communications can step over to Microsoft Teams. For other workloads that are irreplaceable and need to be moved to the cloud, we recommend an iterative approach. Luckily, we can take advantage of Azure hybrid cloud solutions so there’s no need for a rapid transition to the cloud. Here are some tips for migrating to Azure: Start with a proof of concept: Choose a few applications that would be easiest to migrate, then conduct data migration testing on your migration plan and document your progress. Identifying any potential issues at an early stage is critical, as it allows you to fine-tune your strategy before proceeding. Collect insights and apply them when you move on to more complex workloads. Top choices for the first move include basic web apps and portals. Advance with more challenging workloads: Use the insights from the previous step to migrate workloads with a high business impact. These are often apps that record business transactions with high processing rates. They also include strongly regulated workloads. Approach most difficult applications last: These are high-value asset applications that support all business operations. They are usually not easily replaced or modernized, so they require a special approach, or in most cases - complete redesign and development. 4. Optimize performance in Azure cloud After you have successfully migrated your solutions to Azure, the next step is to look for ways to optimize their performance in the cloud. This includes revisions of the app’s design, tweaking chosen Azure services, configuring infrastructure, and managing subscription costs. This step also includes possible modifications when after you’ve rehosted your application, you decide to refactor and make it more compatible with the cloud. You may even want to completely rearchitect the solution with Azure cloud services. Besides this, some vital optimizations include: Monitoring resource usage and performance with tools like Azure Monitor and Azure Traffic Manager and providing an appropriate response to critical issues. Data protection using measures such as disaster recovery, encryption, and data back-ups. Maintaining high security standards by applying centralized security policies, eliminating exposure to threats with antivirus and malware protection, and responding to attacks using event management. Azure migration strategies The strategies for migrating to the Azure cloud depend on how much you are willing to modernize your applications. You can choose to rehost, refactor, rearchitect, or rebuild apps based on your business needs and goals. 1. Rehost or Lift and Shift strategy Rehosting means moving applications from on-premise to the cloud without any code or architecture design changes. This type of migration fits apps that need to be quickly moved to the cloud, as well as legacy software that supports key business operations. Choose this method if you don’t have much time to modernize your workload and plan on making the big changes after moving to the cloud. Advantages: Speedy migration with no risk of bugs and breakdown issues. Disadvantages: Azure cloud service usage may be limited by compatibility issues. 2. Refactor or repackaging strategy During refactoring, slight changes are made to the application so that it becomes more compatible with cloud infrastructure. This can be done if you want to avoid maintenance challenges and would like to take advantage of services like Azure SQL Managed Instance, Azure App Service, or Azure Kubernetes Service. Advantages: It’s a lot faster and easier than a complete redesign of architecture, allows to improve the application’s performance in the cloud, and to take advantage of advanced DevOps automation tools. Disadvantages: Less efficient than moving to improved design patterns like the transition to microservices from monolith architecture. 3. Rearchitect strategy Some legacy software may not be compatible with the Azure cloud environment. In this case, the application needs a complete redesign to a cloud-native architecture. It often involves migrating to microservices from the monolith and moving relational and nonrelational databases to a managed cloud storage solution. Advantages: Applications leverage the full power of Azure cloud with high performance, scalability, and flexibility. Disadvantages: Migrating may be tricky and pose challenges, including issues in the early stages like breakdowns and service disruptions. 4. Rebuild strategy The rebuild strategy takes things even further and involves taking apart the old application and developing a new one from scratch using Azure Platform as a service (PaaS) services. It allows taking advantage of cloud-native technologies like Azure Containers, Functions and Logic Apps to create the application layer and Azure SQL Database for the data tier. A cloud-native approach gives you complete freedom to use Azure’s extensive catalog of products to optimize your application’s performance. Advantages: Allows for business innovation by leveraging AI, blockchain, and IoT technologies. Disadvantages: A fully cloud-native approach may pose some limitations in features and functionality as compared to custom-built applications. Each modernization approach has pros and cons as well as different costs, risks and time frames. That is the essence of the risk-return principle, and you have to balance between less effort and risks but more value and outputs. The challenge is that as a business owner, especially without tech expertise, you don't know how to modernize legacy applications. Who's creating a modernization plan? Who's executing this plan? How do you find staff with the necessary experience or choose the right external partner? How much does legacy software modernization cost? Conducting business and technical audits helps you find your modernization path. Dmitry Baraishuk Chief Innovation Officer at Belitsoft on Forbes.com Professional support for your Azure migration Every migration process is unique and requires a personal approach. It is never a one-way street and there are a lot of nuances and challenges on the path to cloud adoption. Often, having an experienced migration partner can seriously simplify and accelerate your Azure cloud migration journey. Our Azure developers help you overcome cloud migration challenges through tailored planning, modernization expertise, and hands-on delivery. Let’s simplify your transition secure, efficient, and aligned with your business goals.

What is HIPAA-compliant Database?  A database is an organized collection of structured information controlled by a database management system. To be HIPAA-compliant, the database must follow administrative, physical, and technical safeguards of the HIPAA Security Rule. Often it means limiting access to PHI, as well as safely processing, transmitting, receiving, and encrypting data, plus having a proactively breach mitigation strategy. Administrative, physical, and technical safeguards of the HIPAA Security Rule HIPAA Rules for Database Security If your database contains even a part of PHI, it is covered by the HIPAA Act of 1996 and can attract the attention of auditors. PHI is the information containing any identifiers that link an individual to their health status, the healthcare services they have received, or their payment for healthcare services. The HIPAA Security Rule (the part of HIPAA Act) specifically focuses on protecting electronic PHI. Technical safeguards (the part of HIPAA Security Rule) contain requirements for creating a HIPAA-compliant database. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) covers HIPAA Technical Safeguards for database security in their guidance. The first question that can arise is whether you should use any specific database management system to address the requirements? The answer is absolutely no. The Security Rule is based on the concept of technology neutrality. Therefore, no specific requirements for types of technology are identified. Businesses can determine themselves which technologies are reasonable and appropriate to use. There are many technical security tools, products, and solutions that a company may select. However, the guidance warns that despite the fact that some solutions may be costly, it can’t be the cause of not implementing security measures. "Required" (R) specifications are mandatory measures. "Addressable" (A) specifications may not be implemented if neither the standard measure nor any reasonable alternatives are deemed appropriate (this decision must be well-documented and justified based on the risk assessment). Here are the mandatory and addressable requirements for a HIPAA-compliant database. Mandatory HIPAA Database Security Requirements HIPAA Compliant Database Access Control Database authentication. Verify that a person looking for access to ePHI is the one claimed. Database authorization. Restrict access to PHI according to different roles ensuring that no data or information is made available or disclosed to unauthorized persons. Encrypted PHI PHI must be encrypted both when it is being stored and during transit to ensure that a malicious party cannot access information directly. Unique User IDs You need to distinguish one individual user from another followed by the ability to trace activities performed by each individual within the ePHI database.  Database security logging and monitoring All usage queries and access to PHI must be logged and saved in a separate infrastructure to archive for at least six years.  Database backups Must be created, tested, and securely stored in a separate infrastructure, as well as properly encrypted.  Patching and updating database management software Regular software upgrades, as soon as they are available, to ensure that it’s running the latest tech. ePHI disposal capability Methods of deleting ePHI by trained specialists without the ability to recover it should be implemented. By following the above requirements you create a HIPAA-compliant database. However, it’s not enough. All HIPAA-compliant databases must be settled in a high-security infrastructure (for example, cloud hosting) that itself should be fully HIPAA-compliant. HIPAA-Compliant Database Hosting You need HIPAA-compliant hosting if you want either to store ePHI databases using services of hosting providers, or/and to provide access to such databases from the outside of your organization. Organizations can use cloud services to store or process ePHI, according to U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. HIPAA compliant or HIPAA compliance supported? Most of the time, cloud hosting providers are not HIPAA compliant by default but support HIPAA compliance, which means incorporating all the necessary safeguards to ensure HIPAA requirements can be satisfied. If healthcare business wants to start collaborating with a cloud hosting provider, they have to enter into a contract called a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) to enable a shared security responsibility model, which means that the hosting provider takes some HIPAA responsibility, but not all.  deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/risk/us-hipaa-compliance-in-the-aws-cloud.pdf In other words, it is possible to utilize HIPAA compliance supported services and not be HIPAA compliant. Vendors provide tools to implement HIPAA requirements, but organizations must ensure that they have properly set up technical controls - it's their responsibility only. Cloud misconfigurations can cause an organization to be non-compliant with HIPAA. So, healthcare organizations must: be ensured that the ePHI is encrypted during transit, in use, and at rest; enable data backup and disaster recovery plan to create and maintain retrievable exact copies of ePHI, including secure authorization and authentication  even during times where emergency access to ePHI is needed; implement authentication and authorization mechanisms to protect ePHI from being altered or destroyed in an unauthorized manner as well as include procedures for creating, changing, and safeguarding passwords; implement procedures to monitor log-in attempts and report discrepancies; conduct assessments of potential risks and vulnerabilities to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of ePHI; include auditing capabilities for their database applications so that security specialists can analyze activity logs to discover what data was accessed, who had access, from what IP address, etc. In other words, one needs to track, log, and store data in special locations for extended periods of time. PaaS/DBaaS vs IaaS Database Hosting Solutions Healthcare organizations may use their own on-premise HIPAA-compliant database management solutions or utilize cloud hosting services (sometimes with managed database services) offered by external hosting providers.  Selecting between different hosting options is often selecting between PaaS/DBaaS and IaaS.  For example, Amazon Web Services (AWS) provides Amazon Relational Database Services (Amazon RDS) that not only gives you access to already cloud-deployed MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server or Amazon Aurora relational database management software, but also removes almost all administration tasks (so-called PaaS/DBaaS solution). In turn, Amazon's Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) services are for those who want to control as much as possible with their database management in the cloud (so-called IaaS solution).  on-Premise vs PaaS/DBaaS vs IaaS Database Hosting Solution PaaS/DBaaS vs IaaS Database Hosting Solution Azure also provides relational database services that are the equivalent of Amazon RDS: Azure SQL Database, Azure Database for MySQL, Azure Database for PostgreSQL, and Azure Database for MariaDB. Other database engines such as SQL Server, Oracle, and MySQL can be deployed using Azure VM Instances (Amazon EC2 equivalent in Azure). Our company is specializing in database development and creates databases for large and smaller amounts of data storage. Belitsoft’s experts will help you prepare a high-level cloud development and cloud migration plan and then perform smooth and professional migration of legacy infrastructure to Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google Cloud. We also employ experts in delivering easy to manage HIPAA-compliant solutions and technology services for medical businesses of all sizes. Contact us if you would like to get a HIPAA risk assessment and analysis.

Reducing Cloud Costs Before Migration: Building a Budget Companies often face overpayment challenges due to Azure's complex pricing, cloud metric misconception, and lack of expert guidance. A key step in preparing for these intricacies is developing a strategic budgeting plan that sets the foundation for a smooth migration. Key budgeting process focuses on: identifying and optimizing major cost drivers selecting the right hosting region to balance cost with performance choosing cost-effective architectural solutions defining the necessary computing power and storage requirements Addressing these aspects is essential to avoid unnecessary expenses and make informed decisions throughout the Azure cloud migration journey. With Belitsoft's application modernization services, you can evaluate your legacy systems, decrease inefficiencies, and modernize architectures for improved cloud performance and reduced costs. Planning Cloud Resource Utilization Selecting the Appropriate Service As part of our cloud migration strategy, we conduct a thorough assessment of your current on-premises resources, encompassing databases, integrations, architecture, and application workloads. The goal is to transition these elements to the cloud in a way that maximizes resource efficiency, optimizes performance, and reduces costs post-migration. Consider, for instance, a customer database primarily active during business hours in your current setup. In planning its cloud migration, we assess cloud storage and access patterns, considering them a critical aspect. There are several methods for this, such as using Azure VM running SQL, Azure SQL Database, Managed Instance, or a Synapse pool, each offering unique features. In this scenario, for cost-efficiency, the Azure SQL Database’s serverless option might be the preferred choice. It scales automatically, reducing resources during off-peak times and adjusting to meet demand during busy periods. This decision exemplifies our approach to matching cloud services to usage patterns, balancing flexibility and cost savings. Our detailed pre-migration planning prepares you for a cloud transition that is both efficient and economical. You'll have a clear strategy to effectively manage and optimize cloud resources, leading to a smoother and more budget-friendly migration experience. Calculating necessary computing power and storage to avoid overpayment When migrating to the cloud, it's not a good idea to blindly match the resources 1:1, as it can lead to wasted spending. Why? On-premises setups usually have more capacity than needed for peak usage and future growth, with around 30% CPU utilization. In contrast, cloud environments allow for dynamic scaling, adjusting resources in real time to match current needs and significantly reducing overprovisioning. As a starting point, we aim to run cloud workloads at about 80% utilization to avoid paying for unused resources. Utilizing TCO Calculator for Cost Comparisons To define the optimal thresholds for computing power and storage, we evaluate your workloads, ensuring you only invest in what is necessary to build. There are tools like Database Migration Assistant (DMA), Database Experimentation Assistant (DEA), Azure Migrate, DTU Calculator, and others that can assist in this process. Our cloud migration team uses the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Calculator to provide a comprehensive financial comparison between on-premises infrastructure and the Azure cloud. This tool evaluates costs related to servers, licenses, electricity, storage, labor, and data center expenses in your current setup and compares them to the cloud. It helps you understand the financial implications of the move. Accurately Budgeting Your Cloud Resources with Azure Pricing Calculator After gaining a general understanding of potential savings with the TCO Calculator, we employ the Azure Pricing Calculator for a more detailed budget for your cloud resources. This free web-based tool Microsoft that helps estimate the costs of specific Azure services you plan to use. It allows you to adjust configurations, choose different service options, and see how they impact on your overall budget. Selecting the Region for Cloud Hosting When preparing for cloud migration, selecting the right Azure hosting region involves a balanced consideration of latency, and cost. Evaluating Latency Our assessment focuses on the speed of data access for your end-users. Contrary to assumptions, the best region is not always the closest to your company's office but depends on the location of your main user base and data center. For example, if your company is based in Seattle but most users and the data center are in Chicago, a region near Chicago would be more appropriate for faster data access. We use tools like Azurespeed for comprehensive latency tests, prioritizing your users' and data center's location over office proximity. Complexity with multiple user locations: Choosing a single Azure region becomes challenging, with a diverse user base spread across multiple countries. Different user groups may experience varying latency, affecting data transmission speed. In such scenarios, hosting services in multiple Azure regions could be the solution, ensuring all users, regardless of location, enjoy fast access to your services. Strategic planning for multi-region hosting: Operating in multiple regions requires careful planning and data structuring to balance efficiency and costs. This may include replicating data across regions or designing services to connect users to the nearest region for optimal performance. Evaluating Cost Costs for the same Azure services can vary significantly between regions. For instance, running a D4 Azure Virtual Machine in the East US region costs $566.53 per month, while the same setup in the West US region could rise to $589.89. This seemingly small price difference of $23.36 can cause significant extra expenses annually. Let's consider a healthcare enterprise with 20 key departments that requires about 40 VMs for data-intensive apps. If they choose the more expensive region, it could add around $11,212 to their annual costs. So, the decision of which region to choose is not just about picking the lowest cost option. It involves balancing cost with specific operational needs, particularly latency. We aim to guide you in selecting a hosting region that delivers optimal performance while aligning with your budgetary constraints. This will ensure a smooth and cost-effective cloud migration experience for your business. Reducing Cloud Costs Post-Migration Transfer existing licenses If you have existing on-premises Windows and SQL Server licenses, we can help you capitalize on the Azure Hybrid Benefit. This allows you to transfer your existing licenses to the cloud instead of buying new ones. To quantify the savings, Azure provides a specialized calculator. We use this tool to help you understand the financial advantages of transferring your licenses and discover potential cost reductions. Our goal is to ensure you get the most value out of your existing investments when moving to the cloud. For a 4-core Azure SQL Database with Standard Edition, for example, Azure Hybrid Benefit can save you about $292per month, which adds up to $3,507 in savings over a year Continual Architectural Review for Cost Savings After migrating to Azure, it’s vital to review your cloud architecture periodically. Cloud services frequently introduce new, cost-efficient alternatives, presenting opportunities to reduce expenses without compromising on functionality. While it's not recommended to overhaul your architecture for small savings, substantial cost reductions warrant consideration. For instance, let's say you initially set up an Azure virtual machine for SQL Server, but later discover that Azure SQL Database is a more affordable option. By switching early, you can save on costs and minimize disruption. To illustrate, consider a healthcare company that moved its patient data management system to Azure using Azure Virtual Machines. This setup cost them $7,400 per month (10 application server VMs at $500 each and 3 database server VMs at $800 each). However, after implementing Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) and Azure SQL Database Managed Instance, they reevaluated their setup. Switching to AKS for application servers and Azure SQL Database Managed Instance for databases required a one time expense of $35,000, which covered planning, implementation, and training. This change brought their monthly expenses down to $4,500, (AKS at $3,000 and Azure SQL Database Managed Instance at $1,500), resulting in monthly savings of $2,900. Within a year, these savings will have offset the initial migration costs, resulting in an annual saving of approximately $34,800. Autoscale turning on and off the computing resources on demand Azure's billing model charges for compute resources, like virtual machines (VMs), on an hourly basis. To reduce the overall spend, we identify and turn off resources you don't need to run 24/7. Our approach includes: We thoroughly review your Azure resources to optimize spending, focusing on deactivating idle VMs. Organizing resources with clear naming and tagging helps us to track their purpose and determine the best times for activation and deactivation. Resources used for development, testing, or quality assurance, like Dev/Test/QA, often remain idle overnight and on weekends. We can automate turning them off when they're not needed, resulting in significant cost savings. Compared to production VMs, the savings from these resources can be substantial. For example, consider an organization with 1.5 TB of production data on SQL Servers, primarily used for monthly reporting, costing about $2,000 per month. Since these systems are idle about 95% of the time, they're incurring unnecessary costs for mostly unused resources. With Azure's autoscaling feature, the organization can configure the system to scale up during high-demand periods, like the monthly reporting cycle, and scale down when demand is low. This way, they only pay the full rate of $2,000 during active periods (only 5% of the month), reducing monthly costs to around $600. Annually, this leads to saving of $16,800, a significant reduction in expenditure. Cost-conscious organizations can effectively handle and save on cloud migration expenses by partnering with Belitsoft's cloud experts, who handle Azure migration budget planning and ongoing cost management. Contact us to involve our experts in your cloud migration process.

Benefits of Azure Functions With Azure Functions, enterprises offload operational burden to Azure or outsource infrastructure management to Microsoft. There are no servers/VMs for operations teams to manage. No patching OS, configuring scale sets, or worrying about load balancer configuration. Fewer infrastructure management tasks mean smaller DevOps teams and free IT personnel. Functions Platform-as-a-Service integrates easily with other Azure services - it is a prime candidate in any 2025 platform selection matrix. CTOs and VPs of Engineering see adopting Functions as aligned with transformation roadmaps and multi-cloud parity goals. They also view Functions on Azure Container Apps as a logical step in microservice re-platforming and modernization programs, because it enables lift-and-shift of container workloads into a serverless model. Azure Functions now supports container-app co-location and user-defined concurrency - it fits modern reference architectures while controlling spend. The service offers pay-per-execution pricing and a 99.95% SLA on Flex Consumption. Many previous enterprise blockers - network isolation, unpredictable cold starts, scale ceilings - are now mitigated with the Flex Consumption SKU (faster cold starts, user-set concurrency, VNet-integrated "scale-to-zero"). Heads of Innovation pilot Functions for business-process automation and novel services, since MySQL change-data triggers, Durable orchestrations, and browser-based Visual Studio Code enable quick prototyping of automation and new products. Functions enables rapid feature rollout through code-only deployment and auto-scaling, and new OpenAI bindings shorten minimum viable product cycles for artificial intelligence, so Directors of Product see it as a lever for faster time-to-market and differentiation. Functions now supports streaming HTTP, common programming languages like .NET, Node, and Python, and browser-based development through Visual Studio Code, so team onboarding is low-friction. Belitsoft applies deep Azure and .NET development expertise to design serverless solutions that scale with your business. Our Azure Functions developers architect systems that reduce operational overhead, speed up delivery, and integrate seamlessly across your cloud stack. Future of Azure Functions Azure Functions will remain a cornerstone of cloud-native application design. It follows Microsoft's cloud strategy of serverless and event-driven computing and aligns with containers/Kubernetes and AI trends. New features will likely be backward-compatible, protecting investments in serverless architecture. Azure Functions will continue integrating with other Azure services. .NET functions are transitioning to the isolated worker model, decoupling function code from host .NET versions - by 2026, the older in-process model will be phased out. What is Azure Functions Azure Functions is a fully managed serverless service - developers don’t have to deploy or maintain servers. Microsoft handles the underlying servers, applies operating-system and runtime patches, and provides automatic scaling for every Function App. Azure Functions scales out and in automatically in response to incoming events - no autoscale rules are required. On Consumption and Flex Consumption plans you pay only when functions are executing - idle time isn’t billed. The programming model is event-driven, using triggers and bindings to run code when events occur. Function executions are intended to be short-lived (default 5-minute timeout, maximum 10 minutes on the Consumption plan). Microsoft guidance is to keep functions stateless and persist any required state externally - for example with Durable Functions entities.  The App Service platform automatically applies OS and runtime security patches, so Function Apps receive updates without manual effort. Azure Functions includes built-in triggers and bindings for services such as Azure Storage, Event Hubs, and Cosmos DB, eliminating most custom integration code. Azure Functions Core Architecture Components Each Azure Function has exactly one trigger, making it an independent unit of execution. Triggers insulate the function from concrete event sources (HTTP requests, queue messages, blob events, and more), so the function code stays free of hard-wired integrations. Bindings give a declarative way to read from or write to external services, eliminating boiler-plate connection code. Several functions are packaged inside a Function App, which supplies the shared execution context and runtime settings for every function it hosts. Azure Function Apps run on the Azure App Service platform. The platform can scale Function Apps out and in automatically based on workload demand (for example, in Consumption, Flex Consumption, and Premium plans). Azure Functions offers three core hosting plans - Consumption, Premium, and Dedicated (App Service) - each representing a distinct scaling model and resource envelope. Because those plans diverge in limits (CPU/memory, timeout, scale-out rules), they deliver different performance characteristics. Function Apps can use enterprise-grade platform features - including Managed Identity, built-in Application Insights monitoring, and Virtual Network Integration - for security and observability. The runtime natively supports multiple languages (C#, JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, Java, PowerShell, and others), letting each function be written in the team’s preferred stack. Advanced Architecture Patterns Orchestrator functions can call other functions in sequence or in parallel, providing a code-first workflow engine on top of the Azure Functions runtime. Durable Functions is an extension of Azure Functions that enables stateful function orchestration. It lets you build long-running, stateful workflows by chaining functions together. Because Durable Functions keeps state between invocations, architects can create more-sophisticated serverless solutions that avoid the traditional stateless limitation of FaaS. The stateful workflow model is well suited to modeling complex business processes as composable serverless workflows. It adds reliability and fault tolerance. As of 2025, Durable Functions supports high-scale orchestrations, thanks to the new durable-task-scheduler backend that delivers the highest throughput. Durable Functions now offers multiple managed and BYO storage back-ends (Azure Storage, Netherite, MSSQL, and the new durable-task-scheduler), giving architects new options for performance. Azure Logic Apps and Azure Functions have been converging. Because Logic Apps Standard is literally hosted inside the Azure Functions v4 runtime, every benefit for Durable Functions (stateful orchestration, high-scale back-ends, resilience, simplified ops) now spans both the code-first and low-code sides of Azure’s workflow stack. Architects can mix Durable Functions and Logic Apps on the same CI/CD pipeline, and debug both locally with one tooling stack. They can put orchestrator functions, activity functions, and Logic App workflows into a single repo and deploy them together. They can also run Durable Functions and Logic Apps together in the same resource group, share a storage account, deploy from the same repo, and wire them up through HTTP or Service Bus (a budget for two plans or an ASE is required). Azure Functions Hosting Models and Scalability Options Azure Functions offers five hosting models - Consumption, Premium, Dedicated, Flex Consumption, and container-based (Azure Container Apps). The Consumption plan is billed strictly “per-execution”, based on per-second resource consumption and number of executions. This plan can scale down to zero when the function app is idle. Microsoft documentation recommends the Consumption plan for irregular or unpredictable workloads. The Premium plan provides always-ready (pre-warmed) instances that eliminate cold starts. It auto-scales on demand while avoiding cold-start latency. In a Dedicated (App Service) plan the Functions host “can run continuously on a prescribed number of instances”, giving fixed compute capacity. The plan is recommended when you need fully predictable billing and manual scaling control. The Flex Consumption plan (GA 2025) lets you choose from multiple fixed instance-memory sizes (currently 2 GB and 4 GB). Hybrid & multi-cloud Function apps can be built and deployed as containers and run natively inside Azure Container Apps, which supplies a fully-managed, KEDA-backed, Kubernetes-based environment. Kubernetes-based hosting The Azure Functions runtime is packaged as a Docker image that “can run anywhere,” letting you replicate serverless capabilities in any Kubernetes cluster. AKS virtual nodes are explicitly supported. KEDA is the built-in scale controller for Functions on Kubernetes, enabling scale-to-zero and event-based scale out. Hybrid & multi-cloud hosting with Azure Arc Function apps (code or container) can be deployed to Arc-connected clusters, giving you the same Functions experience on-premises, at the edge, or in other clouds. Arc lets you attach Kubernetes clusters “running anywhere” and manage & configure them from Azure, unifying governance and operations. Arc supports clusters on other public clouds as well as on-premises data centers, broadening where Functions can run. Consistent runtime everywhere Because the same open-source Azure Functions runtime container is used across Container Apps, AKS/other Kubernetes clusters, and Arc-enabled environments, the execution model, triggers, and bindings remain identical no matter where the workload is placed. Azure Functions Enterprise Integration Capabilities Azure Functions runs code without you provisioning or managing servers. It is event-driven and offers triggers and bindings that connect your code to other Azure or external services. It can be triggered by Azure Event Grid events, by Azure Service Bus queue or topic messages, or invoked directly over HTTP via the HTTP trigger, enabling API-style workloads. Azure Functions is one of the core services in Azure Integration Services, alongside Logic Apps, API Management, Service Bus, and Event Grid. Within that suite, Logic Apps provides high-level workflow orchestration, while Azure Functions provides event-driven, code-based compute for fine-grained tasks. Azure Functions integrates natively with Azure API Management so that HTTP-triggered functions can be exposed as managed REST APIs. API Management includes built-in features for securing APIs with authentication and authorization, such as OAuth 2.0 and JWT validation. It also supports request throttling and rate limiting through the rate-limit policy, and supports formal API versioning, letting you publish multiple versions side-by-side. API Management is designed to securely publish your APIs for internal and external developers. Azure Functions scales automatically - instances are added or removed based on incoming events. Azure Functions Security Infrastructure hardening Azure App Service - the platform that hosts Azure Functions - actively secures and hardens its virtual machines, storage, network connections, web frameworks, and other components.  VM instances and runtime software that run your function apps are regularly updated to address newly discovered vulnerabilities.  Each customer’s app resources are isolated from those of other tenants.  Identity & authentication Azure Functions can authenticate users and callers with Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) through the built-in App Service Authentication feature.  The Functions can also be configured to use any standards-compliant OpenID Connect (OIDC) identity provider.  Network isolation Function apps can integrate with an Azure Virtual Network. Outbound traffic is routed through the VNet, giving the app private access to protected resources.  Private Endpoint support lets function apps on Flex Consumption, Elastic Premium, or Dedicated (App Service) plans expose their service on a private IP inside the VNet, keeping all traffic on the corporate network.  Credential management Managed identities are available for Azure Functions; the platform manages the identity so you don’t need to store secrets or rotate credentials.  Transport-layer protection You can require HTTPS for all public endpoints. Azure documentation recommends redirecting HTTP traffic to HTTPS to ensure SSL/TLS encryption.  App Service (and therefore Azure Functions) supports TLS 1.0 – 1.3, with the default minimum set to TLS 1.2 and an option to configure a stricter minimum version.  Security monitoring Microsoft Defender for Cloud integrates directly with Azure Functions and provides vulnerability assessments and security recommendations from the portal.  Environment separation Deployment slots allow a single function app to run multiple isolated instances (for example dev, test, staging, production), each exposed at its own endpoint and swappable without downtime.  Strict single-tenant / multi-tenant isolation Running Azure Functions inside an App Service Environment (ASE) places them in a fully isolated, dedicated environment with the compute that is not shared with other customers - meeting high-sensitivity or regulatory isolation requirements.  Azure Functions Monitoring Azure Monitor exposes metrics both at the Function-App level and at the individual-function level (for example Function Execution Count and Function Execution Units), enabling fine-grained observability. Built-in observability Native hook-up to Azure Monitor & Application Insights – every new Function App can emit metrics, logs, traces and basic health status without any extra code or agents.  Data-driven architecture decisions Rich telemetry (performance, memory, failures) – Application Insights automatically captures CPU & memory counters, request durations and exception details that architects can query to guide sizing and design changes.  Runtime topology & trace analysis Application Map plus distributed tracing render every function-to-function or dependency call, flagging latency or error hot-spots so that inefficient integrations are easy to see.  Enterprise-wide data export Diagnostic settings let you stream Function telemetry to Log Analytics workspaces or Event Hubs, standardising monitoring across many environments and aiding compliance reporting.  Infrastructure-as-Code & DevOps integration Alert and monitoring rules can be authored in ARM/Bicep/Terraform templates and deployed through CI/CD pipelines, so observability is version-controlled alongside the function code.  Incident management & self-healing Function-specific "Diagnose and solve problems" detectors surface automated diagnostic insights, while Azure Monitor action groups can invoke runbooks, Logic Apps or other Functions to remediate recurring issues with no human intervention.  Hybrid / multi-cloud interoperability OpenTelemetry preview lets a Function App export the very same traces and logs to any OTLP-compatible endpoint as well as (or instead of) Application Insights, giving ops teams a unified view across heterogeneous platforms.  Cost-optimisation insights Fine-grained metrics such as FunctionExecutionCount and FunctionExecutionUnits (GB-seconds = memory × duration) identify high-cost executions or over-provisioned plans and feed charge-back dashboards.  Real-time storytelling tools Application Map and the Live Metrics Stream provide live, clickable visualisations that non-technical stakeholders can grasp instantly, replacing static diagrams during reviews or incident calls.  Kusto log queries across durations, error rates, exceptions and custom metrics to allow architects prove performance, reliability and scalability targets. Azure Functions Performance and Scalability Scaling capacity Azure Functions automatically add or remove host instances according to the volume of trigger events. A single Windows-based Consumption-plan function app can fan out to 200 instances by default (100 on Linux). Quota increases are possible. You can file an Azure support request to raise these instance-count limits. Cold-start behaviour & mitigation Because Consumption apps scale to zero when idle, the first request after idleness incurs extra startup latency (a cold start). Premium plan keeps instances warm. Every Premium (Elastic Premium) plan keeps at least one instance running and supports pre-warmed instances, effectively eliminating cold starts. Scaling models & concurrency control Functions also support target-based scaling, which can add up to four instances per decision cycle instead of the older one-at-a-time approach. Premium plans let you set minimum/maximum instance counts and tune per-instance concurrency limits in host.json. Regional characteristics Quotas are scoped per region. For example, Flex Consumption imposes a 512 GB regional memory quota, and Linux Consumption apps have a 500-instance-per-subscription-per-hour regional cap. Apps can be moved or duplicated across regions. Microsoft supplies guidance for relocating a Function App to another Azure region and for cross-region recovery. Downstream-system protection Rapid scale-out can overwhelm dependencies. Microsoft’s performance guidance warns that Functions can generate throughput faster than back-end services can absorb and recommends applying throttling or other back-pressure techniques. Configuration impact on cost & performance Plan selection and tuning directly affect both. Choice of hosting plan, instance limits and concurrency settings determine a Function App’s cold-start profile, throughput and monthly cost. How Belitsoft Can Help Our serverless developers modernize legacy .NET apps into stateless, scalable Azure Functions and Azure Container Apps. The team builds modular, event-driven services that offload operational grunt work to Azure. You get faster delivery, reduced overhead, and architectures that belong in this decade. Also, we do CI/CD so your devs can stop manually clicking deploy. We ship full-stack teams fluent in .NET, Python, Node.js, and caffeine - plus SignalR developers experienced in integrating live messaging into serverless apps. Whether it's chat, live dashboards, or notifications, we help you deliver instant, event-driven experiences using Azure SignalR Service with Azure Functions. Our teams prototype serverless AI with OpenAI bindings, Durable Functions, and browser-based VS Code so you can push MVPs like you're on a startup deadline. You get your business processes automated so your workflows don’t depend on somebody's manual actions. Belitsoft’s .NET engineers containerize .NET Functions for Kubernetes and deploy across AKS, Container Apps, and Arc. They can scale with KEDA, trace with OpenTelemetry, and keep your architectures portable and governable. Think: event-driven, multi-cloud, DevSecOps dreams - but with fewer migraines. We build secure-by-design Azure Functions with VNet, Private Endpoints, and ASE. Our .NET developers do identity federation, TLS enforcement, and integrate Azure Monitor + Defender. Everything sensitive is locked in Key Vault. Our experts fine-tune hosting plans (Consumption, Premium, Flex) for cost and performance sweet spots and set up full observability pipelines with Azure Monitor, OpenTelemetry, and Logic Apps for auto-remediation. Belitsoft helps you build secure, scalable solutions that meet real-world demands - across industries and use cases. We offer future-ready architecture for your needs - from cloud migration to real-time messaging and AI integration. Consult our experts.

Healthcare, financial services, insurance, logistics, and manufacturing all operate under complex, overlapping compliance and security regimes. Engineers who understand both Azure and the relevant regulations can design, implement, and manage architectures that embed compliance from day one and map directly onto the industry’s workflows.   Specialized Azure Developers  Specialised Azure developers understand both the cloud’s building blocks and the industry’s non-negotiable constraints. They can: Design bespoke, constraint-aware architectures that reflect real-world throughput ceilings, data-sovereignty rules and operational guardrails. Embed compliance controls, governance policies and audit trails directly into infrastructure and pipelines. Migrate or integrate legacy systems with minimal disruption, mapping old data models and interface contracts to modern Azure services while keeping the business online. Tune performance and reliability for mission-sensitive workloads by selecting the right compute tiers, redundancy patterns and observability hooks. Exploit industry-specific Azure offerings such as Azure Health Data Services or Azure Payment HSM to accelerate innovation that would otherwise require extensive bespoke engineering. Evaluating Azure Developers  When you’re hiring for Azure-centric roles, certifications provide a helpful first filter, signalling that a candidate has reached a recognised baseline of skill. Start with the core developer credential, AZ-204 (Azure Developer Associate) - the minimum proof that someone can design, build and troubleshoot typical Azure workloads. From there, map certifications to the specialisms you need: Connected-device solutions lean on AZ-220 (Azure IoT Developer Specialty) for expertise in device provisioning, edge computing and bi-directional messaging. Data-science–heavy roles look for DP-100 (Azure Data Scientist Associate), showing capability in building and operationalising ML models on Azure Machine Learning. AI-powered application roles favour AI-102 (Azure AI Engineer Associate), which covers cognitive services, conversational AI and vision workloads. Platform-wide or cross-team functions benefit from AZ-400 (DevOps Engineer) for CI/CD pipelines, DP-420 (Cosmos DB Developer) for globally distributed NoSQL solutions, AZ-500 (Security Engineer) for cloud-native defence in depth, and SC-200 (Security Operations Analyst) for incident response and threat hunting. Certifications, however, only establish breadth. To find the depth you need—especially in regulated or niche domains - you must probe beyond badges. Aim for a "T-shaped" profile: broad familiarity with the full Azure estate, coupled with deep, hands-on mastery of the particular services, regulations and business processes that drive your industry. That depth often revolves around: Regulatory frameworks such as HIPAA, PCI DSS and SOX. Data standards like FHIR for healthcare or ISO 20022 for payments. Sector-specific services - for example, Azure Health Data Services, Payment HSM, or Confidential Computing enclaves - where real project experience is worth far more than generic credentials. Design your assessment process accordingly: Scenario-based coding tests to confirm practical fluency with the SDKs and APIs suggested by the candidate’s certificates. Architecture whiteboard challenges that force trade-offs around cost, resilience and security. Compliance and threat-model exercises aligned to your industry’s rules. Portfolio and GitHub review to verify they’ve shipped working solutions, not just passed exams. Reference checks with a focus on how the candidate handled production incidents, regulatory audits or post-mortems. By combining certificate verification with project-centred vetting, you’ll separate candidates who have merely studied Azure from those who have mastered it - ensuring the people you hire can deliver safely, securely and at scale in your real-world context. Choosing the Right Engineering Model for Azure Projects Every Azure initiative starts with the same question: who will build and sustain it? Your options - in-house, off-shore/remote, near-shore, or an outsourced dedicated team - differ across cost, control, talent depth and operational risk. In-house teams: maximum control, limited supply Hiring employees who sit with the business yields the tightest integration with existing systems and stakeholders. Proximity shortens feedback loops, safeguards intellectual property and eases compliance audits. The downside is scarcity and expense: specialist Azure talent may be hard to find locally and total compensation (salary, benefits, overhead) is usually the highest of all models. Remote offshore teams: global reach, lowest rates Engaging engineers in lower-cost regions expands the talent pool and can cut labour spend by roughly 40 % compared with the US salaries for a six-month project. Distributed time zones also enable 24-hour progress. To reap those gains you must invest in: Robust communication cadence - daily stand-ups, clear written specs, video demos. Security and IP controls - VPN, zero-trust identity, code-review gates.Intentional governance - KPIs, burn-down charts and a single throat to choke. Near-shore teams: balance of overlap and savings Locating engineers in adjacent time zones gives real-time collaboration and cultural alignment at a mid-range cost. Nearshore often eases language barriers and enables joint white-board sessions without midnight calls. Dedicated-team outsourcing: continuity without payroll Many vendors offer a "team as a service" - you pay a monthly rate per full-time engineer who works only for you. Compared with ad-hoc staff-augmentation, this model delivers: Stable velocity and domain knowledge retention. Predictable budgeting (flat monthly fee). Rapid scaling - add or remove seats with 30-day notice. Building a complete delivery pod Regardless of sourcing, high-performing Azure teams typically combine these roles: Solution Architect. End-to-end system design, cost & compliance guardrails Lead Developer(s). Code quality, technical mentoring Service-specialist Devs. Deep expertise (Functions, IoT, Cosmos DB, etc.) DevOps Engineer. CI/CD pipelines, IaC, monitoring Data Engineer / Scientist. ETL, ML models, analytics QA / Test Automation. Defect prevention, performance & security tests Security Engineer. Threat modelling, policy-as-code, incident response Project Manager / Scrum Master. Delivery cadence, blocker removal Integrated pods also embed domain experts - clinicians, actuaries, dispatchers - so technical decisions align with regulatory and business realities. Craft your blend Most organisations settle on a hybrid: a small in-house core for architecture, security and business context, augmented by near- or offshore developers for scale. A dedicated-team contract can add continuity without the HR burden. By matching the sourcing mix to project criticality, budget and talent availability - you’ll deliver Azure solutions that are cost-effective, secure and adaptable long after the first release. Azure Developers Skills for HealthTech Building healthcare solutions on Azure now demands a dual passport: fluency in healthcare data standards and mastery of Microsoft’s cloud stack. Interoperability first Developers must speak FHIR R4 (and often STU3), HL7 v2.x, CDA and DICOM, model data in those schemas, and build APIs that translate among them - for example, transforming HL7 messages to FHIR resources or mapping radiology metadata into DICOM-JSON. That work sits on Azure Health Data Services, secured with Azure AD, SMART-on-FHIR scopes and RBAC. Domain-driven imaging & AI X-ray, CT, MRI, PET, ultrasound and digital-pathology files are raw material for AI Foundry models such as MedImageInsight and MedImageParse. Teams need Azure ML and Python skills to fine-tune, validate and deploy those models, plus responsible-AI controls for bias, drift and out-of-distribution cases. The same toolset powers risk stratification and NLP on clinical notes. Security & compliance as design constraints HIPAA, GDPR and Microsoft BAAs mean encryption keys in Key Vault, policy enforcement, audit trails, and, for ultra-sensitive workloads, Confidential VMs or SQL CC. Solutions must meet the Well-Architected pillars - reliability, security, cost, operations and performance - with high availability and disaster-recovery baked in. Connected devices Remote-patient monitoring rides through IoT Hub provisioning, MQTT/AMQP transport, Edge modules and real-time analytics via Stream Analytics or Functions, feeding MedTech data into FHIR stores. Genomics pipelines Nextflow coordinates Batch or CycleCloud clusters that churn petabytes of sequence data. Results land in Data Lake and flow into ML for drug-discovery models. Unified analytics Microsoft Fabric ingests clinical, imaging and genomic streams, Synapse runs big queries, Power BI visualises, and Purview governs lineage and classification - so architects must know Spark, SQL and data-ontology basics. Developer tool belt Strong C# for service code, Python for data science, and Java where needed; deep familiarity with Azure SDKs (.NET/Java/Python) is assumed. Certifications - AZ-204/305, DP-100/203/500, AI-102/900, AZ-220, DP-500 and AZ-500 - map to each specialty. Generative AI & assistants Prompt engineering and integration skills for Azure OpenAI Service turn large-language models into DAX Copilot-style documentation helpers or custom chatbots, all bounded by ethical-AI safeguards. In short, the 2025 Azure healthcare engineer is an interoperability polyglot, a cloud security guardian and an AI practitioner - all while keeping patient safety and data privacy at the core. Azure Developers Skills for FinTech To engineer finance-grade solutions on Azure in 2025, developers need a twin fluency: deep cloud engineering and tight command of financial-domain rules. Core languages Python powers quant models, algorithmic trading, data science and ML pipelines. Java and C#/.NET still anchor enterprise back-ends and micro-services. Low-latency craft Trading and real-time risk apps demand nanosecond thinking: proximity placement groups, InfiniBand, lock-free data structures, async pipelines and heavily profiled code. Quant skills Solid grasp of pricing theory, VaR, market microstructure and time-series maths - often wrapped in libraries like QuantLib - underpins every algorithm, forecast or stress test. AI & MLOps Azure ML and OpenAI drive fraud screens, credit scoring and predictive trading. Teams must automate pipelines, track lineage, surface model bias and satisfy audit trails. Data engineering Synapse, Databricks, Data Factory and Lake Gen2 tame torrents of tick data, trades and logs. Spark, SQL and Delta Lake skills turn raw feeds into analytics fuel. Security & compliance From MiFID II and Basel III to PCI DSS and PSD2, developers wield Key Vault, Policy, Confidential Computing and Payment HSM - designing systems that encrypt, govern and prove every action. Open-banking APIs API Management fronts PSD2 endpoints secured with OAuth 2.0, OIDC and FAPI. Developers must write, throttle, version and lock down REST services, then tie them to zero-trust back-ends. Databases Azure SQL handles relational workloads. Cosmos DB’s multi-model options (graph, key-value) fit fraud detection and global, low-latency data. Cloud architecture & DevOps AKS, Functions, Event Hubs and IaC tools (Terraform/Bicep) shape fault-tolerant, cost-aware micro-service meshes - shipped through Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions. Emerging quantum A niche cohort now experiments with Q#, Quantum DK and Azure Quantum to tackle portfolio optimisation or Monte Carlo risk runs. Accelerators & certifications Microsoft Cloud for Financial Services landing zones, plus badges like AZ-204, DP-100, AZ-500, DP-203, AZ-400 and AI-102, signal readiness for regulated workloads. In short, the 2025 Azure finance developer is equal parts low-latency coder, data-governance enforcer, ML-ops engineer and API security architect - building platforms that trade fast, stay compliant and keep customer trust intact. Azure Developers Skills for InsurTech To build insurance solutions on Azure in 2025, developers need a twin toolkit: cloud-first engineering skills and practical knowledge of how insurers work. AI that speaks insurance Fraud scoring, risk underwriting, customer churn models and claims-severity prediction all run in Azure ML. Success hinges on Python, the Azure ML SDK, MLOps discipline and responsible-AI checks that regulators will ask to see. Document Intelligence rounds out the stack, pulling key fields from ACORD forms and other messy paperwork and handing them to Logic Apps or Functions for straight-through processing. Data plumbing for actuaries Actuarial models feed on vast, mixed data: premiums, losses, endorsements, reinsurance treaties. Azure Data Factory moves it, Data Lake Gen 2 stores it, Synapse crunches it and Power BI surfaces it. Knowing basic actuarial concepts - and how policy and claim tables actually look - turns raw feeds into rates and reserves. IoT-driven usage-based cover Vehicle telematics and smart-home sensors stream through IoT Hub, land in Stream Analytics (or IoT Edge if you need on-device logic) and pipe into ML for dynamic pricing. MQTT/AMQP, SAQL and Maps integration are the new must-learns. Domain fluency Underwriting, policy admin, claims, billing and re-insurance workflows - plus ACORD data standards - anchor every design choice, as do rules such as Solvency II and local privacy laws. Hybrid modernisation Logic Apps and API Management act as bilingual bridges, wrapping legacy endpoints in REST and letting new cloud components coexist without a big-bang cut-over. Security & compliance baked in Azure AD, Key Vault, Defender for Cloud, Policy and zero-trust patterns are baseline. Confidential Computing and Clean Rooms enable joint risk analysis on sensitive data without breaching privacy. Devops C#/.NET, Python and Java cover service code and data science. Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions deliver CI/CD. In short, the modern Azure insurance developer is a data engineer, machine-learning practitioner, IoT integrator and legacy whisperer - always coding with compliance and customer trust in mind. Azure Developers Skills for Logistics To build logistics apps on Azure in 2025 you need three things: strong IoT chops, geospatial know-how, and AI/data skills- then wrap them in supply-chain context and tight security. IoT at the edge You’ll register and manage devices in IoT Hub, push Docker-based modules to IoT Edge, and stream MQTT or AMQP telemetry through Stream Analytics or Functions for sub-second reactions. Maps everywhere Azure Maps is your GPS: geocode depots, plot live truck icons, run truck-route APIs that blend traffic, weather and road rules, and drop geo-fences that fire Events when pallets wander. ML that predicts and spots trouble Azure ML models forecast demand, optimise loads, signal bearing failures and flag odd transit times; Vision Studio adds barcode, container-ID and damage recognition at the dock or in-cab camera. When bandwidth is scarce, the same models run on IoT Edge. Pipelines for logistics data Factory or Synapse Pipelines pull ERP, WMS, TMS and sensor feeds into Lake Gen2/Synapse, cleanse them with Mapping flows or Spark, and surface KPIs in Power BI. Digital Twins as the nervous system Model fleets, warehouses and routes in DTDL, stream real-world data into the twin graph, and let planners run "what-if" simulations before trucks roll. Domain glue Know order-to-cash, cross-dock, last-mile and cold-chain quirks so APIs from carriers, weather and maps stitch cleanly into existing ERP/TMS stacks. Edge AI + security Package models in containers, sign them, deploy through DPS, and guard everything with RBAC, Key Vault and Defender for IoT. Typical certification mix: AZ-220 for IoT, DP-100 for ML, DP-203 for data, AZ-204 for API/app glue, and AI-102 for vision or anomaly APIs. In short, the modern Azure logistics developer is an IoT integrator, geospatial coder, ML engineer and data-pipeline builder - fluent in supply-chain realities and ready to act on live signals as they happen. Azure Developers Skills for Manufacturing To build the smart-factory stack on Azure, four skill pillars matter - and the best engineers carry depth in one plus working fluency in the other three. Connected machines at the edge IoT developers own secure device onboarding in IoT Hub, push Docker modules to IoT Edge, stream MQTT/AMQP telemetry through Event Hubs or Stream Analytics, and encrypt every hop. They wire sensors into CNCs and PLCs, enable remote diagnostics, and feed real-time quality or energy data upstream. Industrial AI & MLOps AI engineers train and ship models in Azure ML, wrap vision or anomaly APIs for defect checks, and use OpenAI or the Factory Operations Agent for natural-language guides and generative design. They automate retraining pipelines, monitor drift, and deploy models both in the cloud and on edge gateways for sub-second predictions. Digital twins that think Twin specialists model lines and sites in DTDL, stream live IoT data into Azure Digital Twins, and expose graph queries for "what-if" simulations. They know 3-D basics and OpenUSD, link twins to analytics or AI services, and hand operators a real-time virtual plant that flags bottlenecks before they hit uptime. Unified manufacturing analytics Data engineers pipe MES, SCADA and ERP feeds through Data Factory into Fabric and Synapse, shape OT/IT/ET schemas, and surface OEE, scrap and energy KPIs in Power BI. They tune Spark and SQL, trace lineage, and keep the lakehouse clean for both ad-hoc queries and advanced modelling. The most valuable developers are T- or Π-shaped: a deep spike in one pillar (say, AI vision) plus practical breadth across the others (IoT ingestion, twin updates, Fabric pipelines). That cross-cutting knowledge lets them deliver complete, data-driven manufacturing solutions on Azure in 2025. How Belitsoft Can Help? For Healthcare Organizations Belitsoft offers full-stack Azure developers who understand HIPAA, HL7, DICOM, and the ways a healthcare system can go wrong. Modernize legacy EHRs with secure, FHIR-based Azure Health Data Services Deploy AI diagnostic tools using Azure AI Foundry  Build RPM and telehealth apps with Azure IoT + Stream Analytics Unify data and enable AI with Microsoft Fabric + Purview governance For Financial Services & Fintech We build finance-grade Azure systems that scale, comply, and don’t flinch under regulatory audits or market volatility. Develop algorithmic trading systems with low-latency Azure VMs + AKS Implement real-time fraud detection using Azure ML + Synapse + Stream Analytics Launch Open Banking APIs with Azure API Management + Entra ID Secure everything in-flight and at rest with Azure Confidential Computing & Payment HSM For Insurance Firms Belitsoft delivers insurance-ready Azure solutions that speak ACORD, handle actuarial math, and automate decisions without triggering compliance trauma. Streamline claims workflows using Azure AI Document Intelligence + Logic Apps Develop AI-driven pricing & underwriting models on Azure ML Support UBI with telematics integrations (Azure IoT + Stream Analytics + Azure Maps) Govern sensitive data with Microsoft Purview, Azure Key Vault, and RBAC controls For Logistics & Supply Chain Operators Belitsoft equips logistics companies with Azure developers who understand telemetry, latency, fleet realities, and just how many ways a supply chain can fall apart. Track shipments in real time using Azure IoT Hub + Digital Twins + Azure Maps Predict breakdowns before they happen with Azure ML + Anomaly Detector Automate warehouses with computer vision on Azure IoT Edge + Vision Studio Optimize delivery routes dynamically with Azure Maps APIs + AI For Manufacturers Belitsoft provides end-to-end development teams for smart factory modernization - from device telemetry to edge AI, from digital twin modeling to secure DevOps. Deploy intelligent IoT solutions with Azure IoT Hub, IoT Edge, and Azure IoT Operations Enable predictive maintenance using Azure Machine Learning and Anomaly Detector Build Digital Twins for real-time simulation, optimization, and monitoring Integrate factory data into Microsoft Fabric for unified analytics across OT/IT/ET Embed AI assistants like Factory Operations Agent using Azure AI Foundry and OpenAI

Azure SignalR Use Cases Azure SignalR is routinely chosen as the real-time backbone when organizations modernize legacy apps or design new interactive experiences. It can stream data to connected clients instantly instead of forcing them to poll for updates. Azure SignalR can push messages in milliseconds at scale. Live dashboards and monitoring Company KPIs, financial-market ticks, IoT telemetry and performance metrics can update in real time on browsers or mobile devices, and Microsoft’s Stream Analytics pattern documentation explicitly recommends SignalR for such dynamic dashboards. Real-time chat High-throughput chat rooms, customer-support consoles and collaborative messengers rely on SignalR’s group- and user-targeted messaging APIs. Instant broadcasting and notifications One-to-many fan-out allows live sports scores, news flashes, gaming events or travel alerts to reach every subscriber at once. Collaborative editing Co-authoring documents, shared whiteboards and real-time project boards depend on SignalR to keep all participants in sync. High-frequency data interactions Online games, instant polling/voting and live auctions need millisecond round-trips. Microsoft lists these as canonical "high-frequency data update" scenarios. IoT command-and-control SignalR provides the live metrics feed and two-way control channel that sit between device fleets and user dashboards. The official IoT sustainability blueprint ("Project 15") places SignalR in the visualization layer so operators see sensor data and alerts in real time. Azure SignalR Functionality and Value  Azure SignalR Service is a fully-managed real-time messaging service on Azure, so Microsoft handles hosting, scalability, and load-balancing for you. Because the platform takes care of capacity provisioning, connection security, and other plumbing, engineering teams can concentrate on application features. That same model also scales transparently to millions of concurrent client connections, while hiding the complexity of how those connections are maintained. In practice, the service sits as a logical transport layer (a proxy) between your application servers and end-user clients. It offloads every persistent WebSocket (or fallback) connection, leaving your servers free to execute only hub business logic. With those connections in place, server-side code can push content to clients instantly, so browsers and mobile apps receive updates without resorting to request/response polling. This real-time, bidirectional flow underpins chat, live dashboards, and location tracking scenarios. SignalR Service supports WebSockets, Server-Sent Events, and HTTP Long Polling, and it automatically negotiates the best transport each time a client connects. Azure SignalR Service Modes Relevant for Notifications Azure SignalR Service offers three operational modes - Default, Serverless, and Classic - so architects can match the service’s behavior to the surrounding application design. Default mode keeps the traditional ASP.NET Core SignalR pattern: hub logic runs inside your web servers, while the service proxies traffic between those servers and connected clients. Because the hub code and programming model stay the same, organizations already running self-hosted SignalR can migrate simply by pointing existing hubs at Azure SignalR Service rather than rewriting their notification layer. Serverless mode removes hub servers completely. Azure SignalR Service maintains every client connection itself and integrates directly with Azure Functions bindings, letting event-driven functions publish real-time messages whenever they run. In that serverless configuration, the Upstream Endpoints feature can forward client messages and connection events to pre-configured back-end webhooks, enabling full two-way, interactive notification flows even without a dedicated hub server. Because Azure Functions default to the Consumption hosting plan, this serverless pairing scales out automatically when event volume rises and charges for compute only while the functions execute, keeping baseline costs low and directly tied to usage. Classic mode exists solely for backward compatibility - Microsoft advises choosing Default or Serverless for all new solutions. Azure SignalR Integration with Azure Functions Azure SignalR Service teams naturally with Azure Functions to deliver fully managed, serverless real-time applications, removing the need to run or scale dedicated real-time servers and letting engineers focus on code rather than infrastructure. Azure Functions can listen to many kinds of events - HTTP calls, Event Grid, Event Hubs, Service Bus, Cosmos DB change feeds, Storage queues and blobs, and more - and, through SignalR bindings, broadcast those events to thousands of connected clients, forming an automatic event-driven notification pipeline. Microsoft highlights three frequent patterns that use this pipeline out of the box: live IoT-telemetry dashboards, instant UI updates when Cosmos DB documents change, and in-app notifications for new business events. When SignalR Service is employed with Functions it runs in Serverless mode, and every client first calls an HTTP-triggered negotiate Function that uses the SignalRConnectionInfo input binding to return the connection endpoint URL and access token. Once connected, Functions that use the SignalRTrigger binding can react both to client messages and to connection or disconnection events, while complementary SignalROutput bindings let the Function broadcast messages to all clients, groups, or individual users. Developers can build these serverless real-time back-ends in JavaScript, Python, C#, or Java, because Azure Functions natively supports all of these languages. Azure SignalR Notification-Specific Use Cases Azure SignalR Service delivers the core capability a notification platform needs: servers can broadcast a message to every connected client the instant an event happens, the same mechanism that drives large-audience streams such as breaking-news flashes and real-time push notifications in social networks, games, email apps, or travel-alert services. Because the managed service can shard traffic across multiple instances and regions, it scales seamlessly to millions of simultaneous connections, so reach rather than capacity becomes the only design question. The same real-time channel that serves people also serves devices. SignalR streams live IoT telemetry, sends remote-control commands back to field hardware, and feeds operational dashboards. That lets teams surface company KPIs, financial-market ticks, instant-sales counters, or IoT-health monitors on a single infrastructure layer instead of stitching together separate pipelines. Finally, Azure Functions bindings tie SignalR into upstream business workflows. A function can trigger on an external event - such as a new order arriving in Salesforce - and fan out an in-app notification through SignalR at once, closing the loop between core systems and end-users in real time. Azure SignalR Messaging Capabilities for Notifications Azure SignalR Service supplies targeted, group, and broadcast messaging primitives that let a Platform Engineering Director assemble a real-time notification platform without complex custom routing code. The service can address a message to a single user identifier. Every active connection that belongs to that user-whether it’s a phone, desktop app, or extra browser tab-receives the update automatically, so no extra device-tracking logic is required. For finer-grained routing, SignalR exposes named groups. Connections can be added to or removed from a group at runtime with simple methods such as AddToGroupAsync and RemoveFromGroupAsync, enabling role-, department-, or interest-based targeting. When an announcement must reach everyone, a single call can broadcast to every client connected to a hub.  All of these patterns are available through an HTTP-based data-plane REST API. Endpoints exist to broadcast to a hub, send to a user ID, target a group, or even reach one specific connection, and any code that can issue an HTTP request-regardless of language or platform-can trigger those operations.  Because the REST interface is designed for serverless and decoupled architectures, event-generating microservices can stay independent while relying on SignalR for delivery, keeping the notification layer maintainable and extensible. Azure SignalR Scalability for Notification Systems Azure SignalR Service is architected for demanding, real-time workloads and can be scaled out across multiple service instances to reach millions of simultaneous client connections. Every unit of the service supplies a predictable baseline of 1,000 concurrent connections and includes the first 1 million messages per day at no extra cost, making capacity calculations straightforward. In the Standard tier you may provision up to 100 units for a single instance; with 1,000 connections per unit this yields about 100,000 concurrent connections before another instance is required. For higher-end scenarios, the Premium P2 SKU raises the ceiling to 1,000 units per instance, allowing a single service deployment to accommodate roughly one million concurrent connections. Premium resources offer a fully managed autoscale feature that grows or shrinks unit count automatically in response to connection load, eliminating the need for manual scaling scripts or schedules. The Premium tier also introduces built-in geo-replication and zone-redundant deployment: you can create replicas in multiple Azure regions, clients are directed to the nearest healthy replica for lower latency, and traffic automatically fails over during a regional outage. Azure SignalR Service supports multi-region deployment patterns for sharding, high availability and disaster recovery, so a single real-time solution can deliver consistent performance to users worldwide. Azure SignalR Performance Considerations for Real-Time Notifications Azure SignalR documentation emphasizes that the size of each message is a primary performance factor: large payloads negatively affect messaging performance, while keeping messages under about 1 KB preserves efficiency. When traffic is a broadcast to thousands of clients, message size combines with connection count and send rate to define outbound bandwidth, so oversized broadcasts quickly saturate throughput; the guide therefore recommends minimizing payload size in broadcast scenarios. Outbound bandwidth is calculated as outbound connections × message size / send interval, so smaller messages let the same SignalR tier push many more notifications per second before hitting throttling limits, increasing throughput without extra units. Transport choice also matters: under identical conditions WebSockets deliver the highest performance, Server-Sent Events are slower, and Long Polling is slowest, which is why Azure SignalR selects WebSocket when it is permitted. Microsoft’s Blazor guidance notes that WebSockets give lower latency than Long Polling and are therefore preferred for real-time updates. The same performance guide explains heavy message traffic, large payloads, or the extra routing work required by broadcasts and group messaging can tax CPU, memory, and network resources even when connection counts are within limits, highlighting the need to watch message volume and complexity as carefully as connection scaling. Azure SignalR Security for Notification Systems Azure SignalR Service provides several built-in capabilities that a platform team can depend on when hardening a real-time notification solution. Flexible authentication choices The service accepts access-key connection strings, Microsoft Entra ID application credentials, and Azure-managed identities, so security teams can select the mechanism that best fits existing policy and secret-management practices.  Application-centric client authentication flow Clients first call the application’s /negotiate endpoint. The app issues a redirect containing an access token and the service URL, keeping user identity validation inside the application boundary while SignalR only delivers traffic.  Managed-identity authentication for serverless upstream calls In Serverless mode, an upstream endpoint can be configured with ManagedIdentity. SignalR Service then presents its own Azure identity when invoking backend APIs, removing the need to store or rotate custom secrets.  Private Endpoint network isolation The service can be bound to an Azure Private Endpoint, forcing all traffic onto a virtual network and allowing operators to block the public endpoint entirely for stronger perimeter control. The notification system can meet security requirements for financial notifications, personal health alerts, or confidential business communications and other sensitive enterprise scenarios. Azure SignalR Message Size and Rate Limitations Client-to-server limits Azure imposes no service-side size ceiling on WebSocket traffic coming from clients, but any SignalR hub hosted on an application server starts with a 32 KB maximum per incoming message unless you raise or lower it in hub configuration. When WebSockets are not available and the connection falls back to long-polling or Server-Sent Events, the platform rejects any client message larger than 1 MB. Server-to-client guidance Outbound traffic from the service to clients has no hard limit, but Microsoft recommends staying under 16 MB per message. Application servers again default to 32 KB unless you override the setting (same sources as above). Serverless REST API constraints If you publish notifications through the service’s serverless REST API, the request body must not exceed 1 MB and the combined headers must stay under 16 KB. Billing and message counting For billing, Azure counts every 2 KB block as one message: a payload of 2,001 bytes is metered as two messages, a 4 KB payload as three, and so on. Premium-tier rate limiting The Premium tier adds built-in rate-limiting controls - alongside autoscaling and a higher SLA - to stop any client or publisher from flooding the service. Azure SignalR Pricing and Costs for Notification Systems Azure SignalR Service is sold on a pure consumption basis: you start and stop whenever you like, with no upfront commitment or termination fees, and you are billed only for the hours a unit is running. The service meters traffic very specifically: only outbound messages are chargeable, while every inbound message is free. In addition, any message that exceeds 2 KB is internally split into 2-KB chunks, and the chunks - not the original payload - are what count toward the bill. Capacity is defined at the tier level. In both the Standard and Premium tiers one unit supports up to 1 000 concurrent connections and gives unlimited messaging with the first 1 000 000 messages per unit each day free of charge. For US regions, the two paid tiers of Azure SignalR Service differ only in cost and in the extras that come with the Premium plan - not in the raw connection or message capacity. In Central US/East US, Microsoft lists the service-charge portion at $1.61 per unit per day for Standard and $2.00 per unit per day for Premium. While both tiers share the same capacity, Premium adds fully managed auto-scaling, availability-zone support, geo-replication and a higher SLA (99.95% versus 99.9%). Finally, those daily rates change from region to region. The official pricing page lets you pick any Azure region and instantly see the local figure. Azure SignalR Monitoring and Diagnostics for Notification Systems Azure Monitor is the built-in Azure platform service that collects and aggregates metrics and logs for Azure SignalR Service, giving a single place to watch the service’s health and performance. Azure SignalR emits its telemetry directly into Azure Monitor, so every metric and resource log you configure for the service appears alongside the rest of your Azure estate, ready for alerting, analytics or export. The service has a standard set of platform metrics for a real-time hub: Connection Count (current active client connections) Inbound Traffic (bytes received by the service) Outbound Traffic (bytes sent by the service) Message Count (total messages processed) Server Load (percentage load across allocated units) System Errors and User Errors (ratios of failed operations) All of these metrics are documented in the Azure SignalR monitoring data reference and are available for charting, alert rules, and autoscale logic. Beyond metrics, Azure SignalR exposes three resource-log categories: Connectivity logs, Messaging logs and HTTP request logs. Enabling them through Azure Monitor diagnostic settings adds granular, per-event detail that’s essential for deep troubleshooting of connection issues, message flow or REST calls. Finally, Azure Monitor Workbooks provide an interactive canvas inside the Azure portal where you can mix those metrics, log queries and explanatory text to build tailored dashboards for stakeholders - effectively turning raw telemetry from Azure SignalR into business-oriented, shareable reports. Azure SignalR Client-Side Considerations for Notification Recipients Azure SignalR Service requires every client to plan for disconnections. Microsoft’s guidance explains that connections can drop during routine hub-server maintenance and that applications "should handle reconnection" to keep the experience smooth. Transient network failures are called out as another common reason a connection may close. The mainstream client SDKs make this easy because they already include automatic-reconnect helpers. In the JavaScript library, one call to withAutomaticReconnect() adds an exponential back-off retry loop, while the .NET client offers the same pattern through WithAutomaticReconnect() and exposes Reconnecting / Reconnected events so UX code can react appropriately. Sign-up is equally straightforward: the connection handshake starts with a negotiate request, after which the AutoTransport logic "automatically detects and initializes the appropriate transport based on the features supported on the server and client", choosing WebSockets when possible and transparently falling back to Server-Sent Events or long-polling when necessary. Because those transport details are abstracted away, a single hub can serve a wide device matrix - web and mobile browsers, desktop apps, mobile apps, IoT devices, and even game consoles are explicitly listed among the supported client types. Azure publishes first-party client SDKs for .NET, JavaScript, Java, and Python, so teams can add real-time features to existing codebases without changing their core technology stack. And when an SDK is unavailable or unnecessary, the service exposes a full data-plane REST API. Any language that can issue HTTP requests can broadcast, target individual users or groups, and perform other hub operations over simple HTTP calls. Azure SignalR Availability and Disaster Recovery for Notification Systems Azure SignalR Service offers several built-in features that let a real-time notification platform remain available and recoverable even during severe infrastructure problems: Resilience inside a single region The Premium tier automatically spreads each instance across Azure Availability Zones, so if an entire datacenter fails, the service keeps running without intervention.  Protection from regional outages For region-level faults, you can add replicas of a Premium-tier instance in other Azure regions. Geo-replication keeps configuration and data in sync, and Azure Traffic Manager steers every new client toward the closest healthy replica, then excludes any replica that fails its health checks. This delivers fail-over across regions.  Easier multi-region operations Because geo-replication is baked into the Premium tier, teams no longer need to script custom cross-region connection logic or replication plumbing - the service now "makes multi-region scenarios significantly easier" to run and maintain.  Low-latency global routing Two complementary front-door options help route clients to the optimal entry point: Azure Traffic Manager performs DNS-level health probes and latency routing for every geo-replicated SignalR instance. Azure Front Door natively understands WebSocket/WSS, so it can sit in front of SignalR to give edge acceleration, global load-balancing, and automatic fail-over while preserving long-lived real-time connections. Verified disaster-recovery readiness Microsoft’s Well-Architected Framework stresses that a disaster-recovery plan must include regular, production-level DR drills. Only frequent fail-over tests prove that procedures and recovery-time objectives will hold when a real emergency strikes. How Belitsoft Can Help Belitsoft is the engineering partner for teams building real-time applications on Azure. We build fast, scale right, and think ahead - so your users stay engaged and your systems stay sane. We provide Azure-savvy .NET developers who implement SignalR-powered real-time features. Our teams migrate or build real-time dashboards, alerting systems, or IoT telemetry using Azure SignalR Service - fully managed, scalable, and cost-predictable. Belitsoft specializes in .NET SignalR migrations - keeping your current hub logic while shifting the plumbing to Azure SignalR. You keep your dev workflow, but we swap out the homegrown infrastructure for Azure’s auto-scalable, high-availability backbone. The result - full modernization. We design event-driven, serverless notification systems using Azure SignalR in Serverless Mode + Azure Functions. We’ll wire up your cloud events (CosmosDB, Event Grid, Service Bus, etc.) to instantly trigger push notifications to web and mobile apps. Our Azure-certified engineers configure Managed Identity, Private Endpoints, and custom /negotiate flows to align with your zero-trust security policies. Get the real-time UX without security concerns. We build globally resilient real-time backends using Azure SignalR Premium SKUs, geo-replication, availability zones, and Azure Front Door. Get custom dashboards with Azure Monitor Workbooks for visualizing metrics and alerting. Our SignalR developers set up autoscale and implement full-stack SignalR notification logic using the client SDKs (.NET, JS, Python, Java) or pure REST APIs. Target individual users, dynamic groups, or everyone in one go. We implement auto-reconnect, transport fallback, and UI event handling.

Simple and quick "lift-and-shift" to SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines This approach is best for straightforward migration (rehosting) of an existing on-premises SQL database safely to the cloud without investing in the app. By using SQL Server on virtual machines (VMs), you can experience the same performance capabilities as on-premises in VMWare managing no on-premises hardware. Azure VMs are available globally with different machine sizes with varying amounts of memory (RAM) and the number of virtual CPU cores to match your application's resource needs. You can customize your VM size and location based on your specific SQL Server requirements, ensuring efficient handling of tasks regardless of your location or project demands. However, it's important to note that while this option removes the need to manage physical servers, you still are responsible for overseeing the virtual machine, including managing the operating system, applying patches, and handling the SQL Server installation and configuration. Low-effort database modernization with migration to Azure SQL Managed Instance Best for large-scale modernization projects and is recommended for businesses seeking to shift to a fully managed Azure infrastructure. This option eliminates the need for direct VM management and aligns with on-premises SQL Server features, simplifying it. Including data migration testing in the migration strategy helps teams identify and resolve compatibility or performance issues. This step confirms if the Azure SQL Managed Instance can meet your database's needs, ensuring a seamless transition without any surprise. Azure SQL Managed Instance (MI) brings the benefits of the Platform as a Service (PaaS) model for migration projects, such as managed services, scalability, and high availability. MI stands out for its support of advanced database features like cross-database transactions (which allow transactions across multiple databases) and Service Broker (used for managing message-based communication in databases). These features are not available in the standard Azure SQL Database service. The flip side is that it involves more hands-on management, such as tasks like tuning indexes for performance optimization and managing database backups and restorations. Like Azure SQL, MI also boasts a high service-level agreement of 99.99%, underlining its reliability and uptime. It consistently runs on the latest stable version of the SQL Server engine, providing users with the most up-to-date features and security enhancements. It further includes built-in features for operational efficiency and accessibility. Compatibility-level protections are included to ensure older applications remain compatible with the updated database system. Migration to Azure SQL database: cloud-native experience with minimal management Great for applications with specific database requirements, such as fluctuating workloads or large databases up to 100TB, Azure SQL Database offers a solution for those seeking consistent performance at the database level. Azure SQL Database, a fully managed PaaS offering, significantly reduces manual administrative tasks. It automatically handles backups, patches, upgrades, and monitoring, ensuring your applications run on the latest stable version of the SQL Server engine. With a high availability service level of 99.99%, Azure SQL Database guarantees reliable performance. While Azure SQL Database provides an experience close to cloud-native, it lacks certain server-level features. These include SQL Agent for job scheduling, Linked Servers for connecting to other servers, and SQL Server Auditing for security and compliance event tracking. To accommodate different needs, Azure SQL Database offers two billing models: the vCore-based model and the DTU-based model. The vCore purchasing model allows you to customize the number of CPU cores, memory, storage capacity, and speed. Alternatively, the DTU (Database Transaction Unit) billing model combines memory, I/O, and computing resources into distinct service tiers, each tailored for various database workloads. We tailor specialized configurations for Azure SQL Database to meet your scalability, performance, and cost efficiency requirements: Migrating large databases up to 100TB For extensive, high-performance database applications, we utilize Azure SQL Database Hyperscale. This service is especially beneficial for databases exceeding traditional size limits, offering up to 100 TB. We leverage Hyperscale's robust log throughput and efficient Blob storage for backups, reducing the time needed for backup processes in large-scale databases from hours to seconds. Handling unpredictable workloads Our cloud experts use Azure SQL Database Serverless for intermittent and unpredictable workloads. We set up these databases to automatically scale and adjust computing power according to real-time demands, which saves costs. Our configurations also allow for automatic shutdown during inactive periods, reducing costs by only charging for active usage periods. Find more expert recommendations in the guide Azure Cost Management Best Practices for Cost-Minded Organizations. Managing IoT-scale databases on 1000+ devices For IoT scenarios, such as databases running on a large fleet of devices, like RFID tags on delivery vehicles, we suggest using Azure SQL Database Edge. This option uses minimal resources, making it suitable for various IoT applications. It also offers important time-scale analysis capabilities, necessary for thorough data tracking and analysis over time. Migrating multi-tenant apps with shared resources Our team chooses Azure SQL Database Elastic Pool for SaaS applications with different workloads across multiple databases. This solution allows for efficient resource sharing and cost control. It can adapt to the changing performance needs of various clients. With Elastic Pool, billing is based on the pool's duration calculated hourly, not individual database usage. This enables more predictable budgeting and resource allocation. As a SaaS ISV, you may be the hosting provider for multiple customers. Each customer has their own dedicated database, but their performance requirements can vary greatly. Some need high performance, while others only need a limited amount. Elastic pools solve this problem by allocating the resources to each database within a predictable budget. Each migration path to Azure SQL Database has unique complexities and opportunities. Effectively navigating these options requires understanding Azure's capabilities and aligning with your business objectives and technology. At Belitsoft, we provide expertise in Azure and aim to make your transition to Azure SQL Database strategic, efficient, and cost-effective. If you need assistance to find the best migration destination for your SQL Server databases, talk to our cloud migration expert. They'll guide you through the process and provide personalized consultations for your Azure migration. This will help you make timely and informed decisions for a seamless transition to the cloud.

1. Avoiding potential legal penalties by adhering to regional compliance laws To protect your business from legal risks and maintain trust and reputation with customers, stakeholders, and investors, we rigorously follow regional compliance laws during cloud migration. For businesses in the EU, we adhere to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and in California, the US, we comply with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). In our migration strategy, we prioritize key provisions, such as granting users the right to delete their personal data upon request, and strictly processing only the necessary amount of data for each purpose. We meticulously document every step and keep detailed logs to uphold GDPR's accountability standards. This thorough preparation allows us to navigate data protection audits by data protection authorities (DPAs) successfully, without penalties. 2. Responding to threats fast by adopting a cybersecurity framework To enhance response to threats, it is recommended to adopt a proven cybersecurity framework. These frameworks, such as NIST, CIS, or ISO/IEC 27001 and 27002, provide a structured approach for quickly detecting risks, handling threats, and recovering from incidents. They act as comprehensive manuals for threat response, which is especially vital for sectors dealing with sensitive data or under stringent regulatory requirements, such as finance, healthcare, and government sectors. We can adapt frameworks such as NIST and incorporat your own criteria to measure security program effectiveness. Intel’s adoption of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework highlights that it "can provide value to even the largest organizations and has the potential to transform cybersecurity on a global scale by accelerating cybersecurity best practices". NIST CSF can streamline threat responses, but success depends on meticulous implementation and regular updates by an experienced cloud team to keep up with emerging threats. 3. Minimizing the risk of unauthorized breaches with firewalls and private endpoints Restricting IP address access with firewall We secure your data by implementing firewalls that restrict access to authorized IP addresses during and after the migration. For that, we create an "allow list" to ensure only personnel from your company's locations and authorized remote workers can access migrating data. The user's IP address is checked against the firewall's white list when connecting to your database. If a match is found, the client can connect; otherwise, the connection request is rejected. Firewall rules are regularly reviewed and updated throughout the migration process. This adaptability is key, as the migration stages might require different access levels and controls. To manage this, our proven approach involves using Azure Portal to create, review, and update firewall rules with a user-friendly interface. PowerShell provides more advanced control through scripting, allowing for automation and management of firewall settings across multiple databases or resources. Limiting external access to your data with Azure Private Endpoints When your company migrates to Azure, your database might be accessible over the internet, creating security risks. To limit public access and make network management more secure, we employ tools like Azure Private Endpoint. This service creates a private connection from your database to Azure services, allowing access without exposing them to the public internet. Our specialists implement it by setting up Azure services like SQL databases directly on a Virtual Network (VNet) with a private IP address. As a result, access to the database is limited to your company's network. 4. Identifying users before granting access to sensitive data with strict authentication Firewalls and private endpoints are the initial steps in securing your data against external threats. Our next security layer involves user authentication to ensure authorized access to your sensitive business data and services. We suggest using Azure Active Directory (AD) for user authentication. Azure AD offers different authentication methods, such as logging in with Azure credentials or Multi-factor Authentication (MFA). MFA requires additional verification, like a code sent via SMS, phone call, or email. While Multi-factor authentication enhances security, it can inconvenience users with extra steps and a complex login process, or by requiring confirmation on another device. We choose MFA techniques that balance top security with ease of use, like push notifications or biometrics, and integrate them smoothly into daily operations. With authentication complete, we assign specific roles to the users through Role-Based Access Control (RBAC). This allows precise permission for accessing and managing Azure services, including databases. 5. Proactively detecting threats with regular automated audits With your cloud environment secured through access controls and compliance protocols, the next step is to establish robust threat detection. To automate analysis and protection of your Azure data, we use tools from the Azure Security Center, such as Advanced Threat Detection and Vulnerability Assessment. For instance, our team configures threat detection to alert on unusual activities—such as repeated failed login attempts or access from unrecognized locations—that could indicate attempted breaches. When an alert is triggered, it provides details and potential solutions via integration with the Azure Security Center. We also automate the detection and fixing of weak points in your database with the Vulnerability Assessment service. It scans your Azure databases for security issues, system misconfiguration, superfluous permissions, unsecured data, firewall and endpoint rules, and server-level permissions. Having skilled personnel is the key to benefitting from automated threat detection tools, as their effectiveness depends on proper configuration and regular review of alerts to ensure they are not false positives. 6. Extra security layers for protecting data during and after migration Protecting sensitive data by encrypting it When businesses migrate data to Azure, allocating resources to encryption technologies is key to protecting your data throughout its migration and subsequent storage in Azure, ensuring both security and compliance. This includes encrypting data during transfer using Transport Layer Security (TLS), which is like adding an extra layer of security. Azure SQL Database also automatically encrypts stored data, including files, backups, with Transparent Data Encryption (TDE), keeping your data secure even when it is in storage. Also, the Always Encrypted method protects sensitive data even while it's processed by applications, enhancing security throughout its lifecycle. Setting access and controls to a shared database for multiple clients For multiple clients sharing the same database, we implement Row-Level Security (RLS) policies to control data access, ensuring that each client interacts only with data relevant to their roles. This control mechanism streamlines data management and enhances data privacy and security. Our team also creates custom access rules based on user roles to segregate data visibility, keeping shared databases secure. For instance, access can be tailored so that the HR department views only employee-related data, while the financial department accesses solely financial records. RLS rules manage data visibility and actions with precision. The RLS rules work in two ways: they enable viewing and editing permissions tailored to user roles and issue error messages for unauthorized actions, like preventing junior staff from altering financial reports. Disguising sensitive data Security experts emphasize internal staff is a significant source of data breaches. To address this issue, we employ Dynamic Data Masking (DDM) and RLS to add an extra layer of protection. DDM is a crucial security feature that shields sensitive information, including credit card numbers, national ID numbers, and employee salaries, from internal staff, including database administrators. It replaces this critical data with harmless placeholders in query results while keeping the original data intact and secure. This approach avoids the complexity of managing encryption keys. We customize DDM to suit specific needs, offering full, partial, or random data masking. These masks apply to selected database columns, ensuring tailored protection for various data types. By deploying DDM, we protect sensitive information from internal risks, preventing unintentional security breaches caused by human error or susceptibility to phishing attacks. To ensure your data migration to Azure is secure and compliant, reach out to our expert cloud team. Our expertise lies in implementing encryption, compliance rules, and automating threat detection to safeguard your sensitive data.

Talk to our data warehouse consultants Data Warehouse vs Database Of course, when all you have is a hammer everything looks like a nail. The more detailed picture demonstrates that it's more cost-effective to use the right tool for the job. A Database is used for storing the data. A Data Warehouse is used for the analysis of data. Database You are using a Database (DB) during your daily activities for entering, storing and modification transactional (that is, statistical) business data.  This can be detailed information about what you sold to whom and when: the Сustomer #1 from Segment #1 bought three units of the SKU#1 on the 10th of March 2020).  There can be tens of thousands of such entries per day. So you can’t use these data as a basis for decision making without initial preparation.  To prepare the data for analysis, you have to :  download the data from the DB; upload it to the special software (e.g. Excel, Power BI, Tableau, etc.); make your calculations. The more calculations you need to do, the more time they take, and the higher the chances of making a mistake are.  Only after this, the data can be used for decision making. Data Warehouse A Data Warehouse (DWH), as usual, is a set of databases. A data warehouse stores both statistical and aggregated data. A DWH is created primarily to analyze data for decision making.  A DWH could be the source of the following aggregated and calculated data: Total Sales (by Location, Category, SKU, Period, and more). For example, all Сustomers from Segment #1 bought 100 000 units of goods from Category #1 brought $1,000,000 in March 2020; Total Sales Growth (by Location, Category, SKU, and more). For example, it increased by 100,000$ or 10% in March 2020 compared with March 2019.  Budget Vs. Actual (by Location, Category, Period, Сustomer Segment, and more). For example, the actual variance is $10,000 or -10%.  and so on. These data can be used to create models, e.g. to predict demand for goods from Category #1 from Сustomers from the Segment #1. The data for the analysis are automatically loaded and precalculated in the DWH so you don’t have to spend financial resources on specialists’ salaries to get analysis-ready information. This also negates the possibility of human error. A data warehouse is different from a database in that it contains aggregated and calculated data for analytical purposes. This is why you can’t do without a DWH if you need analytics for making business decisions. Using BI without DWH you could face such risks as: Business data loss. Risk of incorrect analytics due to business data loss (loss of data due to temporary connection glitch, denial of access to the data during report generation, loss of access to the historical data due to its deletion at the source). Performance issues. Using analytics could be impossible due to the BI-tool freezing, crashing, or becoming unresponsive. Check out other benefits of a data warehouse.