Introduction
If you’re planning to build a career in cloud computing in 2025, Microsoft Azure should be at the top of your list. As companies continue migrating their workloads to the cloud, the demand for Azure skills is skyrocketing.
But with so many services available, where should you start?
In this article, I’ll walk you through the top 10 Azure services that you should focus on in 2025 — including real-world use cases, and why they matter in today’s job market.
Let’s get started! 🚀
1. Azure Virtual Machines (VMs)
What it is: Azure VMs allow you to run Windows or Linux virtual servers in the cloud.
Why learn it:
It’s the backbone of cloud infrastructure. Knowing how to create, manage, scale, and secure VMs is a must-have for any cloud or DevOps engineer.
Real-World Use Case: Hosting legacy applications, running backend services, or creating isolated development environments.
2. Azure App Service
What it is: A PaaS solution for hosting web applications, REST APIs, and mobile backends.
Why learn it:
You can deploy apps without managing servers, scale automatically, and integrate with CI/CD tools like GitHub Actions.
Real-World Use Case: Hosting a .NET web app or a Node.js backend with zero downtime.
3. Azure Blob Storage
What it is: A service to store massive amounts of unstructured data like images, videos, and backups.
Why learn it:
It’s cheap, fast, and critical for storing static websites, backups, logs, and more.
Real-World Use Case: Hosting a static website or storing user-uploaded content in a scalable way.
4. Azure Functions (Serverless)
What it is: Serverless compute — run your code without provisioning infrastructure.
Why learn it:
Great for automating tasks, background jobs, or event-driven applications. Plus, it’s cost-effective.
Real-World Use Case: Resize images after upload, send emails after form submission, or process IoT data.
5. Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)
What it is: Managed Kubernetes cluster in Azure.
Why learn it:
Container orchestration is the future. If you’re into microservices or DevOps, AKS is a must-have.
Real-World Use Case: Deploying scalable, containerized applications with automatic rollouts and monitoring.
6. Azure Logic Apps
What it is: No-code/low-code platform for building workflows and automations.
Why learn it:
Perfect for integrating apps, automating emails, or triggering actions across services like Outlook, Twitter, and SharePoint.
Real-World Use Case: Automatically archive email attachments to SharePoint or send notifications via Teams.
7. Azure Monitor & Log Analytics
What it is: Azure’s observability suite — logs, metrics, and diagnostics.
Why learn it:
Every cloud environment needs visibility. Learning this helps you troubleshoot, analyze, and optimize applications.
Real-World Use Case: Monitoring VM performance, setting up alerts, or analyzing user activity logs.
8. Azure Active Directory (Entra ID)
What it is: Microsoft’s identity and access management (IAM) platform.
Why learn it:
Security is everything. Azure AD is essential for authentication, SSO, MFA, and securing user access.
Real-World Use Case: Allowing employees to sign in using corporate credentials to all cloud services securely.
9. Azure DevOps
What it is: An end-to-end DevOps platform by Microsoft for building, testing, and deploying code.
Why learn it:
Covers CI/CD pipelines, Git Repos, Boards, Test Plans, and more — perfect for teams adopting DevOps.
Real-World Use Case: Building a CI/CD pipeline for a .NET or Java app using Azure Pipelines.
10. Azure Resource Manager (ARM) & Bicep
What it is: Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) solutions for deploying and managing Azure resources.
Why learn it:
Manual deployments don’t scale. Using Bicep or ARM templates makes your infrastructure repeatable and version-controlled.
Real-World Use Case: Automate the creation of an entire resource group — storage, VMs, networks — using a single Bicep file.
Bonus Tip: Pair Your Learning with AZ-104
If you’re studying for the AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator certification, mastering these services will give you a major edge.
📌 Conclusion
Learning Azure in 2025 is not just about passing a certification — it’s about understanding how cloud services solve real-world problems. These 10 services form the core of most cloud environments, and knowing how to use them will put you way ahead in the tech industry.
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