Architecture & Patterns
Azure for Architects (Free Edition)
You are looking for a book to start with the foundation of designing solutions in Azure? General guidance of core topics e.g. Azure Resource Manager (Templates), architectural considerations and overview of some Azure services are included in the following book. You’ll receive a free copy (e-book) from Microsoft:
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/resources/azure-for-architects/
AzureCAT Guidance
Microsoft’s CAT stands for “Customer Advisory Team” and actively assists with customers in complex projects and take the learning backs to the product teams.
You’ll find the white papers and resources of CAT here:
http://aka.ms/CAT
Azure Architecture Center
This is one of the most valuable sources for cloud architects. Including reference architecture of the most common solutions in Azure. Microsoft’s cloud adoption framework and design patterns are also part of this library.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/architecture/
Azure Security Architecture
“Shared responsibility” and “modern perimeter” (“Zero Trust”) are just few aspects of cloud transformation and IT modernization in mostly every organization. This section of the “Azure Architecture center” describes many best practices, reference architectures and recommendations that are related for architects or security administrators.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/architecture/security/overview
Azure Application Architecture Guide
This guide gives you an overview and introduction on how to design and implement software architecture and applications in Azure. Great resource if you are interested to compare traditional on-premises and modernized cloud approaches.
https://docs.microsoft.com/azure/architecture/guide/
Microsoft 365 Enterprise foundation infrastructure
First you should build a strong foundation before you’re starting the deployment of Microsoft 365 in your organization. The following deployment guide (divided up into several phases) is a great way for planning the most foundational subjects (from Network, Identity until Mobile Devices) on your journey to introduce Microsoft 365 services:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/enterprise/deploy-foundation-infrastructure
Microsoft Cloud IT architecture resources
If you like to learn more about core cloud architecture concepts for Microsoft identity, security and network this resource is very helpful:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office365/enterprise/microsoft-cloud-it-architecture-resources)
Serverless apps: Architecture, patterns and Azure implementations
The following e-book is a perfect (starter) guide to get an overview of “Serverless apps” in Azure. This includes benefits, potential solutions and different design patterns in developing cloud native development using serverless computing.
https://aka.ms/serverless-ebook
Cloud Computing Services
Enterprise Cloud Strategy
Definition of cloud strategy and roadmap are a key point before starting the transformation of an organization.
You can get a free copy of the e-book “Enterprise Cloud Strategy” by Microsoft which includes general aspects of moving to cloud computing (costs, cloud models, etc.):
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/resources/enterprise-cloud-strategy/
Compare Cloud solutions
In a world of various cloud services and provides it is hard to compare and keep the different product names in mind.
This page helps to compare the name of several offerings between Azure, AWS, IBM and other major providers:
http://comparecloud.in/
How I choose which services to use in Azure?
This is one of the most common question if you are designing or migrating services. The following articles shows a good approach to find the right answer:
