The cloud is still a hot topic in the business community. Business leaders cannot ignore the benefits of scaling computing resources quickly and lowering operating and capital expenditures.
Although some people may have dismissed the cloud as a passing trend a few years back, it has proven its worth. It is clear that companies across the board are investing in the cloud and will continue to rely on it for the future. Many business leaders are now asking the question, “Should I invest in the Cloud?” But which cloud platform should I choose?
The future of the cloud is rosy indeed: According to Statistica, the global public cloud Platform-as-a-Service market alone is expected tohit $38 billion by the end of the year. This segment isn’t expected to slow down either. Researchers predict that this figure will reach $173 billion by 2026.
Cloud platforms are becoming more popular and the demand for IT professionals to manage them will continue to rise. If you want to be able to take advantage these market conditions, what should you do?
Cloud title fight: Azure against AWS
Amazon is a leader in Infrastructure as a service and PaaS. But that doesn’t mean IT professionals need to rush to learn about the platform. The public cloud market is changing at a remarkable pace, and the current momentum seems pointing in favor Microsoft and its Azure platform.
Azure is quickly catching up to AWS, despite its late start. RightScale’s 2016 State of the Cloud survey shows that interest in Azure is growing across the board, while AWS may seem to be stagnating. While Azure IaaS had a 12-percent adoption rate in 2016, that number rose to 17 per cent in 2016. Azure PaaS also saw an increase in adoption rates, from 9 to 13 percent last year.
However, despite the fact that 57% of respondents to the survey reported using AWS in 2016, this number is unchanged from last year. It is possible that Amazon’s demand for AWS has slowed down, and the growing interest shown in Azure will continue to challenge Amazon’s market leadership.
Azure’s competitive edge
Microsoft’s unwavering commitment to Azure’s success is one of the reasons to invest in Azure. The Motley Fool pointed out that Microsoft is willing to continue investing in Azure, even if it means losing profits in short-term. This bullish behavior could well be a long-term win for the public cloud market.
“Microsoft’s brand recognition could be a deciding element.”
Azure also has the Microsoft name. Many businesses rely exclusively on Microsoft software, including the Windows OS and Office suite of business apps. This has been going on for decades. This means that companies may feel more comfortable switching to a Microsoft platform than Amazon when it comes to moving to the cloud. Name recognition and brand awareness could be the driving factor behind cloud holdouts moving to Azure over AWS.
All of this being said, it is a great time for both IT veterans and newcomers to begin learning more about Azure. This is a great way for you to stand out from the rest when applying to companies that have adopted Azure. These credentials can also be used to negotiate salary demands with potential employers or your current employer. Employers will be impressed by your Microsoft Certified Solutions Developer: Azure Solutions Architect credential.
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Learn how to implement Azure