How to Choose the Best Microsoft Azure Support Plan for You?

This article will walk you through the Azure support options available, weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each, and assist you in determining the best course of action for your company.

What Microsoft Azure Support Do You Have?

Avoid making the common mistake of assuming that just because you invested in the cloud, full Azure support will be included.

Your cloud service provider and source of virtual IT infrastructure is Microsoft. Azure's cloud computing platform serves as an example of that.

Because of the cloud's infrastructure-as-a-service model, Microsoft is merely providing you with a subscription to its technology. In addition to that, everything else is carried out, including your acquisition of complete support to guarantee that everything works as it should.

When to Review Your Cloud Support Situation

If you are in any of the following situations, it would be wise to review and reassess your current Azure support plan if you are unsure that it is adequate or if you are unaware of what support you actually have in place:

• If you're not happy with the cloud support service you currently have

• If your expenses have exceeded your expectations or are out of control

• If your costs in an unfamiliar OpEx model are too unpredictable,

• If a partner implemented your cloud for you but didn't provide ongoing support

• If Microsoft's updates to the Azure platform are giving you trouble

• If your internal team accepted the assignment without the required expertise

• If one of your internal staff members who handles cloud support is leaving the company

• If your company is expanding and your cloud support is struggling to keep up.

So from whom should you obtain cloud support?

The best cloud support option will be specific to your business because no two businesses are alike.

It's crucial to conduct a thorough analysis of your IT infrastructure, how it's being used, and which options are practical given your financial constraints. After that, you can decide with knowledge that will protect you moving forward.

We'll assist you in weighing your options and provide some pointers for what you require in the section that follows.

Your cloud systems should be supported in a way that minimizes risk and gives you complete assurance. You'll comprehend the most effective way to bring that about by the time this article is finished.

What Azure Support Options Are There?

You have a variety of Azure support options to pick from. It's possible that you already have a formal agreement in place with one of these:

Getting Azure Support from Microsoft Directly

For its cloud users, Microsoft does provide some free Azure support.

This primarily serves as a safety net for you as you begin to use the cloud. However, beneath the surface, it only offers you the bare minimum of value.

The majority of this is provided via a variety of online resources, including forums, wikis, documentation, and impersonal interactions with a (often very busy) help desk.

Microsoft also provides cloud support services based on a ticketing system for troubleshooting your case if you have a live cloud deployment.

There is a more comprehensive cloud support service available if you are an enterprise-level customer, but it is very expensive and typically only available to organizations of a certain size.

There are four tiers to the Azure support plans:

Basic Developer Standard Professional Direct Enterprise - restricted service with entry requirements

Working with a Partner

The most popular choice is this one. Since Microsoft does encourage you to use its technology partners within the cloud ecosystem, you may already have a partner in place to support your Azure cloud environment.

These organizations, which offer a range of services and support options, come in all sizes and shapes. In essence, partners exist to keep Microsoft from having to interact too closely with its clients.

Microsoft matches you with businesses at the right level for the size of your organization or your cloud investment through its partner programme for Azure support.

SMALL SPECIALIST CONSULTANTS OR PARTNERS

These are typically small teams of a few people or one-man bands.

When you collaborate with a partner like this, you're essentially using them to expand your IT team by adding a person who is always on call. However, because they will always be committed to other clients as well, with only a limited amount of time available, their dependability will be constrained.

Additionally, these partners won't be able to scale the services. Therefore, if your business starts to grow and your cloud systems need to grow along with it, there may be issues with the level of support your partner can provide.

MEDIUM-SIZED PARTNERS

The teams that make up the mid-tier partners will frequently concentrate on different specialties or particular cloud-related areas.

For instance, some partners might have teams that are solely dedicated to working with Microsoft products like Dynamics CRM or SharePoint.

Make sure you're getting the appropriate knowledge to satisfy the unique needs of your cloud infrastructure.

It's also important to be aware that medium-sized partners typically work on a project- or consultancy-basis, with support coming from a dedicated team that has been assigned to you.

Compared to the support provided directly by Microsoft, this is preferable.

LARGE-SCALE PARTNERS

The bigger Azure support partners typically collaborate closely with Microsoft. They might even be the direct reseller from whom you bought your cloud.

They'll likely follow Microsoft's procedures and best practices, and they'll have plenty of resources at their disposal to provide you with thorough support.

However, some of these partners are so big and have so many customers that you'll encounter issues that are similar to those you encounter when working directly with Microsoft.

It's also possible that these big businesses will focus on their core competencies before enlisting smaller, more specialized partners to offer supplementary services under their own brands.