Azure For Decision Makers

Develop expertise in Azure to plan, guide, and lead a streamlined modernization process Key Features Explore core Azure infrastructure technologies and solutions Achieve smooth app migration and modernization goals with cloud design Master Azure architecture and adopt it to scale your business globally Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBook Book DescriptionAzure for Decision Makers provides a comprehensive overview of the latest updates in cloud security, hybrid cloud and multi-cloud solutions, and cloud migration in Azure. This book is a must-have introduction to the Microsoft Azure cloud platform, demonstrating the substantial scope of digital transformation and innovation that can be achieved with Azure's capabilities. The first set of chapters will get you up to speed with Microsoft Azure's evolution before showing you how to integrate it into your existing IT infrastructure. Next, you’ll gain practical insights into application migration and modernization, focusing mainly on migration planning, implementation, and best practices. Throughout the book, you’ll get the information you need to spearhead a smooth migration and modernization process, detailing Azure infrastructure as a service (IaaS) deployment, infrastructure management, and key application architectures. The concluding chapters will help you to identify and incorporate best practices for cost optimization and management, Azure DevOps, and Azure automation. By the end of this book, you’ll have learned how to lead end-to-end Azure operations for your organization and effectively cost-optimize your processes ─ from the planning and cloud migration stage through to troubleshooting.What you will learn Find out how to optimize business costs with Azure Strategize the migration of applications to the cloud with Azure Smooth out the deployment and running of Azure infrastructure services Effectively define roles, responsibilities, and governance frameworks in DevOps Maximize the utility of Azure security fundamentals and best practices Adopt best practices to make the most of your Azure deployment Who this book is forAzure for Decision Makers is for business and IT decision makers who want to choose the right technology solutions for their businesses and optimize their management processes. It’ll help you develop expertise in operating and administering the Azure cloud. This book will also be useful for CIOs and CTOs looking to understand more about how IT can make their business infrastructure more efficient and easier to use, which will reduce friction within their organization. Knowledge of Azure is helpful, but not necessary to get the most out of this guide.

Get started with Azure Cognitive Services and its APIs that expose machine learning as a service. This book introduces the suite of Azure Cognitive Services and helps you take advantage of the proven machine learning algorithms that have been developed by experts and made available through Cognitive Services, easily integrating those algorithms into your own applications without having to develop the algorithms from scratch. The book also shows you how to use the algorithms provided by Cognitive Services to accelerate data analysis and development within your organization. The authors begin by introducing the tools and describing the steps needed to invoke libraries to analyze structured and unstructured text, speech, and pictures, and you will learn to create interactive chatbots using the Cognitive Services libraries. Each chapter contains the information you need to implement artificial intelligence (AI) via Azure Cognitive Services in your personal and professional projects. The book also covers ethical considerations that are becoming increasingly of concern when using AI to drive decision making. You will be introduced to tools such as FairLearn and InterpretML that can help you detect bias and understand the results your models are generating. What You Will Learn Invoke the Cognitive Services APIs from a variety of languages and apps Understand common design architectures for AI solutions in Azure Decrease discrimination and bias when creating an AI-driven solution Execute the examples within the book and learn how to extend those examples Implement best practices for leveraging the Vision, Speech, and Language parts of the suite Test Cognitive Services APIs via the Azure portal and using the Postman API tool Execute AI from low-code and no-code platforms like Logic Apps and Microsoft’s Power Platform Who This Book Is For Technical professionals who are interested in implementing artificial intelligence (AI) in pre-existing apps, expanding their value and skill sets, or learning more about AI for personal projects; for programmers working in languages such as C# and Python; and for those using low- and no-code platforms such as Microsoft Power Platform

Streamline your complex processes and optimize your organization's operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and customer experience by unlocking the potential of Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services and OpenAI Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBook Key Features Minimize costs and maximize operations by automating mundane activities using AI tools Ideate solutions using real-world examples for manufacturing process improvement with AI Master TCO and ROI analysis for implementing AI solutions, automating operations, and ideating innovative manufacturing solutions with real-world examples Book Description Azure Cognitive Services and OpenAI are a set of pre-built artificial intelligence (AI) solution APIs that can be leveraged from existing applications, allowing customers to take advantage of Microsoft's award-winning Vision, Speech, Text, Decision, and GPT-4 AI capabilities. With Practical Guide to Azure Cognitive Services, you'll work through industry-specific examples of implementations to get a head-start in your production journey. You'll begin with an overview of the categorization of Azure Cognitive Services and the benefits of embracing AI solutions for practical business applications. After that, you'll explore the benefits of using Azure Cognitive Services to optimize efficiency and improve predictive capabilities. Then, you'll learn how to leverage Vision capabilities for quality control, Form Recognizer to streamline supply chain nuances, language understanding to improve customer service, and Cognitive Search for next-generation knowledge-mining solutions. By the end of this book, you'll be able to implement various Cognitive Services solutions that will help you enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve the customer experience at your organization. You'll also be well equipped to automate mundane tasks by reaping the full potential of OpenAI. What you will learn Master cost-effective deployment of Azure Cognitive Services Develop proven solutions from an architecture and development standpoint Understand how Cognitive Services are deployed and customized Evaluate various uses of Cognitive Services with different mediums Disseminate Azure costs for Cognitive Services workloads smoothly Deploy next-generation Knowledge Mining solutions with Cognitive Search Explore the current and future journey of OpenAI Understand the value proposition of different AI projects Who this book is for This book is for data scientists, technology leaders, and software engineers looking to implement Azure Cognitive Services with the help of sample use cases derived from success stories. Experience with Python as well as an overall understanding of the Azure Portal with related services such as Azure Data Lake Storage and Azure Functions will help you make the most of this book.

Leverage the cloud to optimize costs, improve security, and seamlessly scale your business operations Key Features Achieve your operational goals with Azure infrastructure Optimize costs with serverless event-driven solutions through Azure cloud patterns Boost productivity with Azure architecture’s flexibility and scalability Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free PDF eBook Book DescriptionAzure Integration Guide for Business is essential for decision makers planning to transform their business with Microsoft Azure. The Microsoft Azure cloud platform can improve the availability, scalability, and cost-efficiency of any business. The guidance in this book will help decision makers gain valuable insights into proactively managing their applications and infrastructure. You'll learn to apply best practices in Azure Virtual Network and Azure Storage design, ensuring an efficient and secure cloud infrastructure. You'll also discover how to automate Azure through Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and leverage various Azure services to support OLTP applications. Next, you’ll explore how to implement Azure offerings for event-driven architectural solutions and serverless applications. Additionally, you’ll gain in-depth knowledge on how to develop an automated, secure, and scalable solutions. Core elements of the Azure ecosystem will be discussed in the final chapters of the book, such as big data solutions, cost governance, and best practices to help you optimize your business. By the end of this book, you’ll understand what a well-architected Azure solution looks like and how to lead your organization toward a tailored Azure solution that meets your business needs.What you will learn Optimize the performance and costs with Azure Select an effective, scalable, and flexible solution that aligns with your needs Harness the power of containers to drive your application development and deployment Create big data solutions with the best Azure tools, platforms, and resources Explore the benefits of automation for enhanced productivity Improve the availability and effectiveness of monitoring with Azure Who this book is forThis book is for business decision makers looking to benefit from the flexibility, scalability, and optimized costs offered by Microsoft Azure to scale their businesses. Basic knowledge of Azure is recommended to get the most out of this book.

Build a modern data warehouse on Microsoft's Azure Platform that is flexible, adaptable, and fast—fast to snap together, reconfigure, and fast at delivering results to drive good decision making in your business. Gone are the days when data warehousing projects were lumbering dinosaur-style projects that took forever, drained budgets, and produced business intelligence (BI) just in time to tell you what to do 10 years ago. This book will show you how to assemble a data warehouse solution like a jigsaw puzzle by connecting specific Azure technologies that address your own needs and bring value to your business. You will see how to implement a range of architectural patterns using batches, events, and streams for both data lake technology and SQL databases. You will discover how to manage metadata and automation to accelerate the development of your warehouse while establishing resilience at every level. And you will know how to feed downstream analytic solutions such as Power BI and Azure Analysis Services to empower data-driven decision making that drives your business forward toward a pattern of success. This book teaches you how to employ the Azure platform in a strategy to dramatically improve implementation speed and flexibility of data warehousing systems. You will know how to make correct decisions in design, architecture, and infrastructure such as choosing which type of SQL engine (from at least three options) best meets the needs of your organization. You also will learn about ETL/ELT structure and the vast number of accelerators and patterns that can be used to aid implementation and ensure resilience. Data warehouse developers and architects will find this book a tremendous resource for moving their skills into the future through cloud-based implementations. What You Will LearnChoose the appropriate Azure SQL engine for implementing a given data warehouse Develop smart, reusable ETL/ELT processes that are resilient and easily maintained Automate mundane development tasks through tools such as PowerShell Ensure consistency of data by creating and enforcing data contracts Explore streaming and event-driven architectures for data ingestionCreate advanced staging layers using Azure Data Lake Gen 2 to feed your data warehouse Who This Book Is For Data warehouse or ETL/ELT developers who wish to implement a data warehouse project in the Azure cloud, and developers currently working in on-premise environments who want to move to the cloud, and for developers with Azure experience looking to tighten up their implementation and consolidate their knowledge

Understand how blockchain works and explore a variety of strategies to implement it in your organization effectively Key FeaturesBecome familiar with business challenges faced by companies when using blockchainDiscover how companies implement blockchain to monetize and secure their dataStudy real-world examples to understand blockchain and its use in organizationsBook Description In addition to cryptocurrencies, blockchain-based apps are being developed in different industries such as banking, supply chain, and healthcare to achieve digital transformation and enhance user experience. Blockchain is not only about Bitcoin or cryptocurrencies, but also about different technologies such as peer-to-peer networks, consensus mechanisms, and cryptography. These technologies together help sustain trustless environments in which digital value can be transferred between individuals without intermediaries. This book will help you understand the basics of blockchain such as consensus protocols, decentralized applications, and tokenization. You'll focus on how blockchain is used today in different industries and the technological challenges faced while implementing a blockchain strategy. The book also enables you, as a decision maker, to understand blockchain from a technical perspective and evaluate its applicability in your business. Finally, you'll get to grips with blockchain frameworks such as Hyperledger and Quorum and their usability. By the end of this book, you'll have learned about the current use cases of blockchain and be able to implement a blockchain strategy on your own. What you will learnBecome well-versed with how blockchain worksUnderstand the difference between blockchain and BitcoinLearn how blockchain is being used in different industry verticals such as finance and retailDelve into the technological and organizational challenges of implementing blockchainExplore the possibilities that blockchain can unlock for decision makersChoose a blockchain framework best suited for your projects from options such as Ethereum and Hyperledger FabricWho this book is for This book is for CXOs, business professionals, organization leaders, decision makers, technology enthusiasts, and managers who wish to understand how blockchain is implemented in different organizations, its impact, and how it can be customized according to business needs. Prior experience with blockchain is not required.

Take a deep dive into the concepts of machine learning as they apply to contemporary business and management. You will learn how machine learning techniques are used to solve fundamental and complex problems in society and industry. Machine Learning for Decision Makers serves as an excellent resource for establishing the relationship of machine learning with IoT, big data, and cognitive and cloud computing to give you an overview of how these modern areas of computing relate to each other. This book introduces a collection of the most important concepts of machine learning and sets them in context with other vital technologies that decision makers need to know about. These concepts span the process from envisioning the problem to applying machine-learning techniques to your particular situation. This discussion also provides an insight to help deploy the results to improve decision-making. The book uses case studies and jargon busting to help you grasp the theory of machine learning quickly. You'll soon gain the big picture of machine learning and how it fits with other cutting-edge IT services. This knowledge will give you confidence in your decisions for the future of your business. What You Will Learn Discover the machine learning, big data, and cloud and cognitive computing technology stack Gain insights into machine learning concepts and practices Understand business and enterprise decision-making using machine learning Absorb machine-learning best practices Who This Book Is For Managers tasked with making key decisions who want to learn how and when machine learning and related technologies can help them.

Discover and apply the Azure platform's most powerful data solutions Cloud technologies are advancing at an accelerating pace, supplanting traditional relational and data warehouse storage solutions with novel, high-value alternatives. Now, three pioneering Azure Data consultants offer an expert introduction to the relational, non-relational, and data warehouse solutions offered by the Azure platform. Drawing on their extensive experience helping organizations get more value from the Microsoft Data Platform, the authors guide you through decision-making, implementation, operations, security, and more. Throughout, step-by-step tutorials and hands-on exercises prepare you to succeed, even if you have no cloud data experience. Three leading experts in Microsoft Azure Data Solutions show how to: Master essential concepts of data storage and processing in cloud environments Handle the changing responsibilities of data engineers moving to the cloud Get started with Azure data storage accounts and other data facilities Walk through implementing relational and non-relational data stores in Azure Secure data using the least-permissions principle, Azure Active Directory, role-based access control, and other methods Develop efficient Azure batch processing and streaming solutions Monitor Azure SQL databases, blob storage, data lakes, Azure Synapse Analytics, and Cosmos DB Optimize Azure data solutions by solving problems with storage, management, and service interactions About This Book For data engineers, systems engineers, IT managers, developers, database administrators, cloud architects, and other IT professionals Requires little or no knowledge about Azure tools and services for data analysis