Azure Updates: Modernizing apps; Multicloud networking; Assessment tools

Senior product marketing manager Akshay Kakar looked into ways to modernize intelligent apps with Microsoft partner solutions. According to Kakar, companies recognize a $3.50 return for every dollar they invest in AI. Currently, over 90 percent of AI deployments take less than 12 months and over 70 percent of enterprises that responded to a recent survey indicate they are using AI. Kakar highlighted three key capabilities for partners: Hashicorp Terraform on Azure, Azure Red Hat OpenShift, and Spring Apps Enterprise.

“Clearly, we’re witnessing rapid expansion of AI wherein organizations globally are unlocking productivity within their businesses, but also bending the curve on innovation by building on an open AI platform and partner ecosystem,” Kakar wrote.

Principal program manager Sunil Kishen discussed Azure multicloud networking capabilities. A recent Gartner survey found that 90 percent of enterprises are pursuing a multicloud strategy, driven largely by data sovereignty requirements and fear of vendor lock in. Microsoft continues to respond to these trends with Azure Arc, which allows customers to use Defender for Cloud, Update Management, and Azure Monitor wherever their workload is located. Microsoft has over 40,000 peering connections and connectivity to other major cloud service providers with ExpressRoute, VWAN, VNets, and direct internet peering.