Microsoft Azure Beginner's Guide 2025
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In 2025, 85% of businesses are increasing their investment in Microsoft cloud. Learning Azure isn't just a "plus" on your resume anymore; it's a necessity. Whether you're a developer, IT pro, or student, this guide will take you from zero to your first deployed resource.
1. What is Microsoft Azure?
Think of Azure as a massive collection of servers and services that you can rent over the internet. Instead of buying a physical server to host a website or database, you click a button, and Microsoft provides one for you in seconds.
- IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service): You rent the "hardware" (Virtual Machines). You manage the OS and apps.
- PaaS (Platform as a Service): You bring the code; Azure manages the servers (App Service, SQL Database).
- SaaS (Software as a Service): You use the software (Microsoft 365, Dynamics).
2. How to Create a Free Account (Step-by-Step)
Microsoft offers an incredibly generous free tier. Here is how to get it:
- Go to the Azure Portal: Visit azure.microsoft.com/free.
- Click "Start Free": You'll need a Microsoft account (Outlook, Hotmail, or GitHub).
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Identity Verification: You will need to provide a phone number and a valid credit/debit card.
Note: You will NOT be charged. This is just to verify you are not a bot. - Get Your Credits: You instantly receive $200 (or €170) of credit to use in the first 30 days, plus 12 months of popular free services.
3. Top 5 Services to Learn First
Azure has over 200 services. Don't get overwhelmed. Start with these five:
Azure Virtual Machines
Create a Windows or Linux computer in the cloud. Perfect for hosting legacy apps or testing.
Azure App Service
Host websites and APIs without managing servers. Just upload your code (Python, .NET, Node.js).
Azure SQL Database
A fully managed relational database. No backups or updates to manage; Azure does it all.
Blob Storage
Store massive amounts of unstructured data like images, videos, and backups cheaply.
Azure AI Services
Add vision, speech, and language capabilities (like OpenAI models) to your apps via simple APIs.
4. Understanding Costs
The #1 fear of beginners is an unexpected bill. Follow these rules:
| Concept | Description |
|---|---|
| Pay-as-you-go | You pay by the second or minute. Stop a VM, and you stop paying for compute (though storage still costs a few cents). |
| Budgets | Set a monthly budget (e.g., $10) in "Cost Management." Azure will email you if you get close. |
| Free Tier | Many services (like App Service F1 plan) have a "Always Free" tier. Look for it when creating resources. |
Next Steps: Certification Path
Ready to get serious? The industry-standard certification to start with is AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals. It covers everything in this guide and validates your knowledge to employers.