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Azure Cloud Apps for Microsoft-First Teams

Build and migrate applications on Microsoft Azure with .NET, Entra ID single sign-on, Azure SQL and DevOps pipelines that fit your existing Microsoft estate.

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Orders.cs
Sample code

Azure development that fits your Microsoft environment

Microsoft Azure is the cloud of choice for many organisations already running Microsoft 365, Windows Server, SQL Server and Active Directory. Its strength is integration: Entra ID for single sign-on, Azure SQL for familiar databases, App Service and Functions for .NET workloads, and Azure DevOps or GitHub for delivery. Existing enterprise agreements often make Azure the most cost-effective option as well.

Choose Azure when your users authenticate with Microsoft accounts, when you run .NET or SQL Server workloads, or when you want hybrid setups that connect on-premise systems to the cloud. AWS may suit cloud-native startups that want the widest service catalogue, and Google Cloud suits analytics-heavy teams. We weigh contracts, skills and workload before recommending a direction.

Nexzem builds Azure solutions with Bicep or Terraform, managed identities instead of stored passwords, and environments separated by subscription. We migrate legacy .NET and SQL Server systems, build new cloud apps, and integrate Azure OpenAI models and agents through Microsoft Foundry where AI features add value.

Read Azure, the way we write it

A short, idiomatic sample. Scroll and the editor types each part while the note beside it explains why it is written that way.

Orders.cs
Sample code
using System.Net;
using Microsoft.Azure.Functions.Worker;
using Microsoft.Azure.Functions.Worker.Http;
public class Orders(ShopDb db)
{
// An HTTP-triggered Azure Function that scales to zero when idle
[Function("GetOrder")]
public async Task<HttpResponseData> Run(
[HttpTrigger(AuthorizationLevel.Function, "get", Route = "orders/{id:int}")] HttpRequestData req, int id)
{
// Managed identity reaches the database: no secrets in code
var order = await db.Orders.FindAsync(id);
var res = req.CreateResponse(order is null ? HttpStatusCode.NotFound : HttpStatusCode.OK);
if (order is not null) await res.WriteAsJsonAsync(order);
return res;
}
}

  1. line 7-11

    An HTTP-triggered Azure Function that scales to zero when idle

  2. line 12-18

    Managed identity reaches the database: no secrets in code

What we build with Azure

Azure applications and migrations for Microsoft-centric organisations, with .NET, identity and data built in.

  1. 01

    Azure App Service Builds

    Web apps and APIs on App Service with deployment slots, autoscaling and managed certificates, ideal for .NET, Node.js and Python workloads.

  2. 02

    Azure Functions and Logic Apps

    Event-driven functions and workflow automation for integrations, scheduled jobs, approvals and document processing, all running without servers to patch or manage.

  3. 03

    Legacy Migration to Azure

    Moves of on-premise .NET, IIS and SQL Server systems to Azure, choosing rehost, replatform or refactor per workload based on value.

  4. 04

    AKS and Containers

    Containerised applications on Azure Kubernetes Service or Container Apps with ingress, scaling, secrets and monitoring set up properly.

  5. 05

    Identity and Access

    Entra ID single sign-on, conditional access, role-based permissions and external customer login for internal tools and customer-facing applications.

  6. 06

    Azure OpenAI Integration

    Chat, search, document extraction and agent features built on Azure OpenAI models in Microsoft Foundry, with private networking, content filters and usage tracking.

  7. 07

    DevOps Pipelines

    Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions pipelines with automated tests, release approvals and infrastructure deployments using Bicep or Terraform, giving every change a clear audit trail.

Why teams pick Nexzem for Azure

The checks every engagement has to pass before we call it done.

.github/PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE.md5/5 checked

  • - [x] Works with what you have

    Microsoft 365, Active Directory and SQL Server integrate without awkward workarounds.

  • - [x] Single sign-on for staff

    Employees use their existing Microsoft accounts across new applications.

  • - [x] No stored passwords

    Managed identities and Key Vault keep secrets out of code and config files.

  • - [x] Hybrid ready

    On-premise systems connect securely while workloads move at your pace.

  • - [x] Cost visibility

    Budgets, tags and regular reviews keep Azure spending understandable.

Azure for Microsoft-centric organizations

Azure is often the natural cloud for companies already invested in Microsoft. Entra ID, formerly Azure Active Directory, provides one identity system across Microsoft 365, Azure and thousands of SaaS apps. .NET applications, SQL Server databases and Windows workloads move with familiar tooling, and Azure Hybrid Benefit lets organizations reuse eligible Windows Server and SQL Server licenses to lower cloud costs.

Azure Arc extends Azure management to servers and Kubernetes clusters running on-premises or in other clouds, which suits hybrid estates. Our AWS vs Azure and Azure vs Google Cloud comparisons cover broader trade-offs, but for organizations living in Microsoft 365 and Dynamics, Azure's integration usually outweighs small differences in service features.

Azure is not limited to Microsoft technology. Linux virtual machines, Java, Python and Node.js applications, PostgreSQL and Kubernetes all run well, so teams can modernize gradually without being locked into Windows. Many organizations run mixed estates on Azure, combining Windows and Linux workloads under the same governance, identity and monitoring.

Designing an Azure landing zone

Microsoft's Cloud Adoption Framework describes landing zones that organize subscriptions under management groups, apply Azure Policy for guardrails such as allowed regions and required tags, and grant access through role-based access control tied to Entra ID groups. Production and non-production workloads live in separate subscriptions with clear ownership and budgets.

Identity is the real security perimeter in Azure. Conditional access policies, multi-factor authentication, privileged identity management for administrators and managed identities for applications remove most of the credential risks that cause cloud incidents, and they are far easier to set up at the start than to retrofit.

Networking commonly follows a hub-and-spoke design, with shared firewalls, private endpoints and connectivity to on-premises networks in the hub. Microsoft Defender for Cloud monitors security posture, Log Analytics centralizes logs and everything is deployed through Bicep or Terraform pipelines rather than manual portal changes.

  • Management groups and subscriptions per environment.
  • Azure Policy for guardrails and tagging.
  • Entra ID groups with least-privilege roles.
  • Private endpoints for databases and storage.
  • Infrastructure as code for every resource.

Managing Azure costs

Azure costs grow quietly through oversized virtual machines, idle development resources and premium tiers chosen by default. Visibility comes first: tag resources by owner and project, set budgets with alerts in Cost Management and review Azure Advisor recommendations regularly. Then apply the right pricing models to steady workloads.

Architecture changes often save more than discounts. Moving scheduled jobs to Functions, scaling App Service plans automatically, using serverless database tiers for intermittent workloads and shutting down non-production environments at night all reduce spend without affecting users. Reviewing the largest cost items monthly keeps savings from eroding as new projects launch.

  • Reservations and savings plans for steady workloads.
  • Azure Hybrid Benefit for eligible existing licenses.
  • Dev and test pricing for non-production subscriptions.
  • Autoscaling and scheduled shutdown of idle resources.
  • Budgets, alerts and monthly cost reviews.

How Azure projects run

$ git log --graph --oneline main..delivery

  1. 96ba6f9

    feat: estate review

    We inventory applications, databases, identity setup and existing Azure usage.

  2. 50203e4

    feat: landing zone design

    Subscriptions, networking, policies and security baselines planned before workloads move.

  3. ec9443d

    feat: build or migrate

    Applications built or moved in waves, each tested before cutover.

  4. 3244059

    feat: validate and go live

    Performance, failover and access checks, then planned switchover.

  5. 481675e

    merge: run and improve

    Monitoring, patching and cost optimisation through a support plan.

What teams build with Azure

  • Lifting .NET applications to App Service

    An enterprise moves its ASP.NET applications from aging on-premises servers to Azure App Service with deployment slots, managed certificates and autoscaling, reducing maintenance while keeping its existing development workflow and tools.

  • Teams-integrated internal app

    Employees request approvals, check status and receive alerts inside Microsoft Teams from an Azure-hosted application that uses Entra ID single sign-on and Microsoft Graph, without having to learn yet another tool.

  • AI assistant over company documents

    Staff ask questions about policies and procedures stored in SharePoint, and an assistant built with Azure OpenAI and Azure AI Search answers with citations while respecting each user's document permissions.

  • IoT monitoring with Azure IoT Hub

    Sensors on industrial equipment send telemetry to Azure IoT Hub, data is processed and stored for dashboards and alerts, and maintenance teams receive notifications when readings move outside safe ranges.

  • Analytics on Azure with Power BI

    Sales, finance and operations data is consolidated in Azure data services and modeled for Power BI, giving managers trusted dashboards with row-level security instead of conflicting spreadsheets emailed around every month.

Where Azure sits in your stack

The tools we pair it with, layer by layer. Select a layer to see what it is responsible for.

Technologies often used with Azure

All 32 technologies

More in Cloud & Web3

Azure development FAQs

Something else on your mind? Ask a consultant and get a reply within one business day.

When is Azure the best choice?

Azure is usually best when you already use Microsoft 365, Active Directory, SQL Server or .NET, or when enterprise agreements reduce costs. Cloud-native startups may prefer AWS, and analytics-heavy teams may prefer Google Cloud.

What affects Azure development cost?

Application complexity, migration scope, number of environments, identity requirements, compliance and automation depth drive effort. Azure consumption is billed separately, and we estimate it during design. A fixed quote follows a free consultation.

Can you migrate our on-premise .NET apps?

Yes. We assess each app, then rehost, replatform to App Service or containers, or refactor where the benefit justifies it, with tested cutover plans.

How do you secure Azure environments?

We use Entra ID with MFA, role-based access, managed identities, Key Vault, private endpoints, Defender recommendations and activity logging.

Can you add AI features using Azure?

Yes. We build features and agents on Azure OpenAI models in Microsoft Foundry and Azure AI services, keeping data inside your tenant with private networking and usage controls.

What is Azure Hybrid Benefit?

Azure Hybrid Benefit lets organizations with eligible Windows Server and SQL Server licenses, typically covered by Software Assurance or qualifying subscriptions, apply them to Azure resources and pay a reduced rate. For Microsoft-heavy workloads it can significantly lower the cost of running in Azure.

Can Azure host Linux, Java and open-source technologies?

Yes. A large share of Azure workloads run on Linux, and Azure supports Java, Python, Node.js, Go, PostgreSQL, MySQL, Kubernetes and many open-source tools as first-class options. Microsoft-centric identity and management work across all of them.

We work with clients across the USA, UK, Australia, UAE, New Zealand and India.

Where we work

Tell us what you're building.

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