While many businesses may be discovering the benefits of Azure cloud computing software, they may not fully understand the importance of an Azure Health Check and how it can benefit their organization.  

What is a Microsoft Azure Health Check
A Microsoft Azure Health Check is an analysis of an organization's IT environment. During a Health Check, an Azure specialist reviews your cloud adoption to identify areas that need to be improved and ensure your environment is optimized, backed up, and secure.

These checks aim to provide a 360-degree view into potential opportunities to optimize your Azure environment. Ultimately, a Health Check saves you time, money and optimizes the efficiency of your IT environment.

Azure Health Checks should be performed every 6 months on a standard Azure estate. This is particularly the case after self-migration of resources to Azure, after creating or changing your Azure environment, and before signing any compliance agreements.

Who Needs it?

• Your existing Azure infrastructure/network has grown organically.
• Your developers regularly create Test, UAT and Production devices in Azure.
• You want to better understand your Azure consumption costs.
• Your Azure infrastructure hasn’t been reviewed for best practice in the last 5 years.
• You’ve recently migrated to Azure and want to check your foundation is correct.

Signs you need an Azure Health Check

Azure Health Checks are great for organizations who simply do not have the time to give their cloud computing operations the time and management they deserve. Without a health check, businesses risk running their cloud operations in a state of unknown and compromise the efficiency and security of their business.

If you can identify with any of the following criteria, it is likely your business is long over-due for a health check.

• You suspect you are paying too much for your Azure environment.
• Your infrastructure lacks adequate virus protection.
• You are wasting resources on improper virtual machine sizing.
• You use IaaS resources through ASM ... which are being retired in 2023.
• You struggle with completing regular back-ups, patching or monitoring.
• Your business operations could be more efficient and streamlined.

Benefits of a Microsoft Azure Health Check?
Microsoft Azure Health Checks ensure your company is receiving optimal performance from your Azure software. Here are some of the most important benefits.

Optimized Migration & Growth
A Health Check will help you unlock the true potential of the cloud and help you optimize and modernize your applications and workflows. The benefits of Microsoft Azure for your business can be monumental, but only if your program is working to its optimal potential.

Improved Security
A security breach can be detrimental to your company. If customers do not feel as though their details are safe, they will take their business elsewhere. An Azure Health Check can help your business mitigate security risks and identify critical security oversights and vulnerabilities. 

Cost reduction
Optimizing Azure infrastructure will supercharge the efficiency of your business, and enable you to make cost-effective choices. For example, an Azure Health Check can identify SQL databases and VMs that are underutilized and can be adjusted to reduce costs. 

Ensure compliance
A Health Check can ensure your organization is using Azure cloud technology in line with best practices and ensure you're compliant with relevant rules and regulations. Should the Health Check uncover compliance issues, it will present actionable recommendations that explain where your governance stands are compared to industry compliance - and what actions you need to take to ensure compliance.

Make well-informed decisions
A Health Check will allow you to make well-informed decisions that have a clear impact on the growth and success of your business. A Health Check can help you to decide which advanced Azure services could benefit your business, such as DevOps, AI and IoT. The right Health Check will not only help you embrace digital tools, but will also ensure you choose the right tools.

What's Next?
Currently, Microsoft Azure is used by more than 230,000 companies worldwide. 

At AMTRA, we offer Azure Health Check services that can give you invaluable insight into your Azure structure and identify potential opportunities and limitations within your Azure environment.

After a Health Check, we will provide you with a detailed report that outlines the key areas of your cloud environment that need to be improved for Azure optimization and cost-saving. Download our product overview sheet to learn more.