Introduction to Azure Compute Options

Selecting the right compute model in Microsoft Azure is one of the most important decisions you will make when building or migrating applications to the cloud. In this video, we break down What is Azure Compute and explore the three primary options available: Azure Virtual Machines (VMs), Azure App Service, and Azure Containers. Each of these offerings addresses different business and technical needs, ranging from full control of infrastructure to rapid application deployment and modern DevOps workflows.

You will discover not only the Advantages of Azure VMs and the Disadvantages of Azure VMs, but also learn When to Use Azure Virtual Machines for scenarios like legacy application migration or workloads requiring specialized hardware. We will then move into Azure App Service, examining When to Use Azure App Services for fast and scalable web app deployment, along with the Advantages of Azure App Services and the Disadvantages of Azure App Services you should be aware of. Finally, we will cover What are Azure Containers, their role in modern application design, and how services like Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) and Azure Container Instances (ACI) help streamline deployment. Along the way, we will also look at Azure Comparing VMs vs. App Services vs. Containers, Azure Container Cost Considerations, and tips for Azure Choosing the Right Container Option.

What you will learn in this video

By watching this video, you will gain a clear understanding of:

1. The core concept of Azure Compute and why it is the engine behind modern cloud applications.
2. How Azure Virtual Machines (VMs) provide full control and flexibility, and when they are the right choice.
3. The benefits and limitations of Azure App Service, and how it helps you focus on development without infrastructure overhead.
4. The role of Azure Containers, including the differences between AKS and ACI, and when to select one over the other.
5. A practical comparison of all three compute models to help you evaluate which is best for your projects in terms of scalability, cost, and operational requirements.

Why this video matters

Whether you are a developer looking for rapid deployment, a cloud architect evaluating scalability, or an IT administrator migrating legacy systems, this walkthrough will give you the practical insights needed to make the right compute choice in Azure. With cloud costs, performance, and management effort all at stake, understanding these trade-offs ensures your applications run efficiently and sustainably.

What’s Next

This video is part of our comprehensive Azure learning series. Once you finish exploring compute options, stay tuned for the next video Azure Storage Solutions: Blob, File, Queue, and Table Storage. There, we will dive into the backbone of Azure’s data services and show you how to choose the best storage model for your workloads.