Azure Integration
Usually chosen because you are already a Microsoft organisation.
What is azure?
Azure integration means building on or connecting to Microsoft Azure, typically chosen because an organisation already runs Microsoft elsewhere, which makes existing licensing and identity the practical starting point.
Azure is rarely chosen on technical merit alone. It is chosen because the organisation already runs Microsoft 365, already has an identity directory, and already has a commercial relationship with Microsoft. Those are reasonable reasons.
The identity part is the genuine advantage. Using your existing directory for access to cloud resources removes a whole category of user management that other platforms require you to solve separately.
The licensing part is where assumptions go wrong. Organisations expect existing agreements to cover more than they do, and the arrangement that made Azure attractive is worth confirming rather than assuming.
What we check before designing
Duara builds on Azure from Nairobi, usually for organisations already running Microsoft elsewhere.
We check what your existing agreement actually covers before designing around it. The assumption that being a Microsoft organisation makes Azure cheaper is sometimes right and frequently approximate, and confirming it is a short conversation with a large consequence.
Who this is for
- You already run Microsoft 365
- Identity is managed in a Microsoft directory
- You want cloud without separate user management
- An existing agreement may cover cloud spend
Industries we serve
- Financial services
- Manufacturing
- Professional services
- Public sector
- Education
- Large corporates
Problems this solves
These are the practical realities of building on the platform your organisation is already committed to.
- Licensing assumed rather than checked. An existing Microsoft agreement is expected to cover more than it does, and the discovery arrives with an invoice.
- Identity advantage unused. The directory that could handle access is left aside and user management is solved again separately.
- Cost growing without an owner. Resources are created for projects that ended, and the subscription bill grows with nobody responsible for it.
- Complexity that outlives the team. An architecture nobody remaining understands, which happens faster than expected in small teams.
What we deliver
Confirming what your licensing genuinely covers, using your existing directory for access, keeping architecture within what your team can operate, and estimating cost before building.
Your licensing position confirmed rather than assumed
Access built on your existing directory
An architecture your team can operate
Monthly cost estimated before building
Resources with clear ownership
Documentation aimed at your IT team
Features
- Licensing confirmed first. The assumption that being a Microsoft organisation makes Azure cheaper is sometimes right and frequently approximate.
- Identity reused, not rebuilt. Your existing directory handles access, which removes a whole category of user management other platforms make you solve.
- Built for your team to run. An architecture nobody remaining understands is a problem that arrives faster than expected in a small team.
- Cost estimated upfront. Monthly running cost before the build rather than after, so the figure informs the design.
- Ownership assigned. Every resource has somebody responsible, since unowned infrastructure is how subscription bills grow quietly.
Benefits
- No licensing surprises. Confirming coverage upfront prevents the discovery that arrives with an invoice.
- User management stays in one place. Reusing your directory means staff joining and leaving is handled once rather than twice.
- Systems survive staff changes. An architecture your team understands keeps working when one person moves on.
- Predictable spend. Estimated cost and assigned ownership together stop the subscription growing without anybody noticing.
Technologies we use
- Directory based access. Using your existing Microsoft identity for cloud resource access rather than a separate user system.
- Licensing assessment. Establishing what your existing agreement genuinely covers before design assumes it.
- Architecture sizing. Choosing a design your own team can operate rather than one requiring specialist knowledge you lack.
- Cost estimation. Modelling monthly spend before building rather than reporting it afterwards.
- Hybrid connection. Linking on premise systems to Azure where you run both, which is common in established organisations.
The identity integration is the strongest genuine reason to choose Azure over alternatives. Everything else is broadly comparable, and being able to manage cloud access from the directory you already run is a real operational saving.
How the process works, step by step
Azure work usually takes three to eight weeks depending on scope, starting with the licensing and identity position.
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Step 1
Free position review
We establish what your Microsoft agreement covers and what your directory already handles.
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Step 2
Identity approach decided
How access will work, since reusing your directory is the main practical advantage of this platform.
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Step 3
Cost modelled
Monthly spend estimated before building so the figure shapes the design rather than following it.
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Step 4
Built to be operated
An architecture within what your team can run, since specialist dependency is a cost you keep paying.
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Step 5
Ownership assigned
Every resource has somebody responsible, which is what stops unowned infrastructure accumulating.
Quality assurance and how we work
The commitments attached to building on a platform tied to your existing agreements.
- We confirm licensing rather than assuming it. The belief that an existing Microsoft agreement covers cloud spend is sometimes right and frequently approximate.
- We use your existing directory. Rebuilding user management when you already have a directory is work you should not pay for twice.
- We build what your team can operate. An architecture requiring specialist knowledge you do not have is a dependency rather than an asset.
- We estimate cost before building. The monthly figure should shape the design, which means producing it first rather than reporting it later.
- We work in your subscription. Your cloud account, your resources, your control, rather than anything held inside a supplier arrangement.
Frequently asked questions about azure
Why do organisations choose Azure?
Usually because they already run Microsoft. Existing identity and an existing commercial relationship are legitimate reasons rather than technical ones.
Does our Microsoft agreement cover Azure?
Sometimes, and frequently only approximately. It is a short conversation with a large consequence, so we confirm rather than assume.
What is the real advantage over other clouds?
Identity. Managing cloud access from the directory you already run removes a whole category of user management other platforms make you solve separately.
Is Azure cheaper for Microsoft organisations?
Sometimes, and it depends on your specific agreement. Assuming it without checking is how the invoice becomes a surprise.
Can it connect to our on premise systems?
Yes, and hybrid arrangements are common in established organisations, which is often a reason Azure was chosen in the first place.
Will our IT team be able to run it?
That is a design constraint rather than an afterthought. An architecture requiring knowledge you do not have is a dependency rather than an asset.
Do you estimate monthly cost?
Yes, before building, so the figure shapes the design rather than being reported after the first invoice.
How do we stop the bill growing?
Ownership. Every resource having somebody responsible is what prevents infrastructure from finished projects accumulating.
Is there an Azure region in Kenya?
No, so workloads run from other regions and latency is a design input, acceptable for most business applications.
How long does Azure work take?
Three to eight weeks depending on scope, starting with the licensing and identity position rather than the architecture.
Does it suit AI workloads?
Yes, and Microsoft AI services integrate closely with the rest of the platform, which is a genuine convenience for organisations already committed.
What about managed identities?
We use them where available, since removing stored credentials removes a category of security problem entirely.
Whose subscription do you work in?
Yours. Your account, your resources, your control, rather than anything held inside a supplier arrangement.
Can we move off Azure later?
Simpler designs move more easily. Heavy use of platform specific services makes leaving harder, which is worth weighing at the start.
Does it work with Microsoft 365 data?
Yes, and organisations running both frequently want them connected, though the permission scoping question applies as it does anywhere.
Where will regulated data physically sit?
Worth checking against your obligations before choosing a region, particularly for regulated data, and we raise it early.
Do we need an Azure specialist on staff?
For a simple architecture usually not, which is one of the arguments for keeping the design within what your team knows.
Can it scale with demand?
Yes, and cost scales with it, which is why the estimate covers expected volume rather than current volume alone.
Who can access our subscription?
Identities you authorise through your own directory, revocable by your administrators at any point.
What does Azure work cost?
Scope determines the build, quoted alongside estimated monthly spend so both figures are visible before you commit.
Glossary of terms
Azure terms in plain language.
- Directory
- Your Microsoft identity system, which can control cloud access without a separate user database.
- Subscription
- Your Azure billing container, where unowned resources accumulate if nobody is responsible.
- Hybrid
- Running on premise systems and cloud together, common in established organisations.
- Enterprise agreement
- A Microsoft commercial arrangement, whose cloud coverage is worth confirming rather than assuming.
- Resource group
- A grouping of related resources, useful for assigning ownership and tracking cost.
- Managed identity
- A way for services to authenticate without stored credentials, which removes a category of secret handling.
Related services in Integrations
Talk to us about azure
Ask whoever manages your Microsoft agreement what it covers for cloud. The answer is often different from what people assume.
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