Azure services
General
Microsoft Azure is a cloud platform that offers a wide range of services such as artificial intelligence (machine learning, speech or image recognition, other cognitive services, OpenAI, Genomics), High Performance Computing or Big Data. Azure Services are Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) offerings that allow you to build your own services and applications. As a rule, Azure services are not end-user services themselves.
Cloud services can be deployed quickly, they are easily scaled according to the amount of use and very high performance is available. Cloud services do not involve fixed costs; you pay only for the resources you use. Azure service data can be kept in the EU and information security is good.
Start self-studying the Azure basics at Azure Fundamentals. For more information about Azure services, see Microsoft’s websites Academic Research and Azure Documentation.
How to start using Azure services
Normal full Azure service (for staff)
To start using Azure, submit a request using the Azure services form. You will be contacted about creating and configuring the service as needed.
MSDN Platforms (for staff and students)
Costs in the standard Azure service intended for production use cannot be strictly capped. Only alarms can be set for the costs, which is naturally a risk to the management of the cost centre. However, there is an alternative way to use the Azure services without the risk of excessive costs: a monthly subscription "MSDN Platforms". With it, you get an Azure balance of 100 USD per month. Once that balance is exhausted, Azure services are suspended, and no additional charges accrue. At the beginning of the next month's period, your balance will be topped up by 100 USD, and you can continue to use the Azure services. The price of the service is 130 EUR per month, and the cost is allocated to the cost centre.
NOTE: The MSDN Platforms service is outside of the information system security management of the higher education community. Therefore, it may only be used to test Azure services with fictitious data, not processing any work-related data and especially no personal data.
If you want to subscribe to MSDN Platforms, send an email to the owner of the cost centre with the title "Azure MSDN Platforms subscription", include the number of the cost centre in the message, request approval for the subscription, and forward the response message to IT Helpdesk. The service will be available to you as a new subscription, within which you will be able to use all Azure services.
Microsoft Azure Dev Tools for Teaching (for students)
You can access Azure services worth 100 USD through the program "Microsoft Azure Dev Tools for Teaching". You can subscribe to the service yourself. No costs or work will arise for the university. Once the free balance has been used, you can continue using Azure services by paying with your own credit card. You can renew your subscription to the program in 12 months, giving you a balance of 100 USD again. For instructions, see Microsoft Azure Dev Tools for Teaching.
Using Azure services
In the normal Azure service, IT Services maintains a high level of security and that is why access to Azure resource group or subscription is activated only when needed. You must activate your access every time you need access to an Azure resource group or subscription. The activation is valid for 9 hours, after which the activation must be renewed. Activate access as follows: In the Azure portal, type pim in the search box, click Azure AD Privileged Identity Management in the search results, then click My roles – Azure resources and Activate for the required resource. For the following times, you can make a bookmark from My Roles page in your browser. This kind of activation is not needed in the MSDN Platforms service nor in the Microsoft Azure Dev Tools for Teaching service.
Monitor costs regularly with Azure Cost Management tools. Set a budget and alerts. There is no spending cap that automatically stops resources when a budget limit is reached. Charges will continue to accrue until the resources are stopped or deleted.
Ensure the security of your resources and optimise costs by regularly reviewing Azure Advisor’s recommendations.
Follow Microsoft’s Azure documentation as services evolve rapidly.
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