At Pandoblox, we ask ourselves: “How do we build products that have the biggest impact and elevate our clients’ business goals?”
As one of the most widely used cloud computing platforms today, Microsoft Azure has been at the forefront of transforming the cloud over the last decade. Its dominance assures that Azure will continue to shape the cloud in the years ahead.
Our Azure development team spans a full complement of specialists, from Azure architects and Azure security consultants to full-stack developers to freshmen developers, all of whom center their efforts around DevOps and DevSecOps practices and frameworks. And building those foundations by keeping up with the trends and technologies allows Pandoblox to serve our clients in the best way possible.
Here’s a look at some of the latest trends in Azure-based cloud and data solutions that you can look forward to working on here at Pandoblox:
1. AI and Machine Learning Integration
We are seeing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) being integrated into more and more platforms every day. AI and ML are not only integrated into Azure but have also become integral to its offerings. For instance, businesses are able to deploy AI-powered applications more easily with Azure Cognitive Services and Azure Machine Learning through pre-built models and improved customization capabilities. In conjunction with Pandoblox’s DevOps operations, Azure’s AI and ML takes advantage of new infrastructure, new AI-optimized virtual machines and dedicated AI hardware accelerators that will allow for faster training and deployment of complex models to make Azure even better.
2. Edge Computing and IoT
As the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to grow, Azure is expanding its IoT services to support a wider range of devices and use cases via the Azure IoT Hub, Azure IoT Central, and Azure Digital Twins, further simplifying the management and analysis of IoT data. Azure’s IOT offering also introduces new edge computing capabilities, including improved support for Azure Stack Edge and Azure IoT Edge that provides more powerful and flexible edge computing solutions and enables real-time data processing, as well as reduced latency for critical applications.
3. Security and Compliance
Zero Trust Architecture has become the main thrust in security protocols and Azure is deploying new tools and best practices to help organizations implement Zero Trust, enhancing protection against cyber threats and data breaches. Pandoblox firmly believes in SecureByDesign methodologies and both Azure Security Center and Azure Sentinel will introduce even more advanced threat detection and response capabilities in the near future, leveraging AI and machine learning to identify and mitigate risks faster.
4. Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Strategies
Hybrid and multi-cloud systems are becoming more prevalent as flexibility is the trend among many organizations today. As such, significant improvements are set to be introduced to Azure Arc to improve resource management across on-premises, multi-cloud, and edge environments, and will see major improvements, including enhanced support for Kubernetes clusters, improved governance capabilities, and more seamless integration with other cloud platforms. Meanwhile, new features in Azure Virtual WAN and Azure ExpressRoute will allow Pandoblox to provide more reliable and high-speed connections between Azure and other cloud providers for our clients.
5. Serverless Computing
Serverless computing is rapidly gaining traction as a powerful way to simplify application development and reduce infrastructure management. Thus, Azure Functions and Azure Logic Apps have been updated to allow the Pandoblox team to build and deploy serverless applications more efficiently through automatic scaling and pay-per-execution pricing models. New features in Azure Event Grid and Azure Service Bus will enable more seamless integration between serverless components and other Azure services.
6. DevOps and Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)
Azure DevOps now offers new tools and features to streamline the CI/CD pipeline, allowing the Pandoblox team to take advantage of enhanced automation capabilities, better integration with popular development frameworks, and improved support for infrastructure-as-code to help Pandoblox deliver software faster and with higher quality. Azure's upcoming integration with GitHub will enable easier automation of build, test, and deployment processes, furthering collaboration and productivity for the Pandoblox DevOps teams using both platforms.
7. Data and Analytics
Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Data Lake, and Azure Databricks now offer improved performance, scalability, and integration capabilities, which means organizations can now process and analyze large volumes of data more efficiently. And with real-time data processing becoming more critical for many applications, Azure Stream Analytics and Azure Event Hubs have been updated to improve their handling of real-time data streams. Pandoblox’s own proprietary data hygiene, warehouse, and visualization products and services rely heavily on data lake infrastructures such as these.
8. Sustainability and Green Cloud Initiatives
Azure has reiterated its commitment to invest in renewable energy sources and improve the energy efficiency of its data centers. New tools and features will help businesses track and reduce their carbon footprint when using Azure services, alongside the introduction of new solutions that will support sustainability goals. Such solutions include services that optimize resource usage, reduce waste, and support circular economy initiatives.
9. Quantum Computing
Through its quantum computing platform Azure Quantum, Azure has claimed its stake in the development of quantum computing to realize its potential as a revolutionary technology. Significant improvements have been made in the platform such as improved quantum algorithms, better integration with classical computing resources, expanded partnerships with quantum hardware providers, as well as enhanced development environments, improved quantum simulators, and expanded educational resources which are envisioned to help accelerate the adoption of quantum computing and drive innovation across various fields. This innovation can play a mission critical role in decision making data visualizations.
10. Collaboration and Productivity
Azure continues to enhance its collaboration offerings, including Microsoft Teams and Azure Communication Services with new features that improve user experience, security, and integration with other productivity tools. New AI-driven features in tools like Microsoft 365 and Azure Cognitive Services will automate routine tasks, provide intelligent insights, and improve decision-making, helping to reduce business overhead for Pandoblox clients.
As it stands, Azure has already delivered a range of innovative and impactful trends that Pandoblox uses, and will continue to shape the future of cloud computing for the foreseeable future. Those looking to establish their expertise and careers in cloud technology stand to benefit from building their knowledge and skills with the Pandoblox team, trusted by many businesses, to guide them on how to effectively utilize this powerful platform and stay ahead of the curve in the process.
Pandoblox is always looking for talented individuals with the drive to learn and participate in projects with pride in the final outcome.
Check our careers page for available openings for Azure professionals.
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