Embracing Innovation for a Smarter Future
Organisations today are encouraged to adopt innovative IT solutions that extend beyond traditional infrastructure—provided they are cost-effective, scalable, and aligned with long-term objectives. For some businesses, a full transition to the cloud may not be feasible due to legacy systems, or policies, while others may prefer a gradual, controlled approach to cloud adoption to mitigate risk and maintain operational continuity.
To support these strategies, Codify suggests Azure Local, formally known as Azure HCI—a hybrid cloud solution that modernises IT environments while ensuring security, efficiency, and scalability.
What is Azure Local?
It’s easy to say that Azure Local is just a recipe of Windows Server, Hyper-V, Windows Storage Spaces and configuration to replicate data between cluster nodes. Azure Local is more than this —it’s a comprehensive hybrid cloud solution that seamlessly integrates on-premises infrastructure with cloud-based services. You’re building your own Azure Region to deploy workloads too and leverage the scale of the cloud services such as:
- Backup your VMs and Storage to Azure to keep your backups safe across different major cities and untouchable from cyber threat actors
- Replicate critical VMs to Azure for Disaster Recovery
- Maintain a single pane of glass with Azure’s management tools to ensure you are compliant with cyber security requirements and patch Windows and Linux VMs.
While the hardware serves as a solid foundation, the true strength of Azure Local lies in its seamless cloud integration. In today’s dynamic IT landscape, organisations can no longer afford a “set-and-forget” approach. Effective management of Azure Local enables a streamlined, evergreen approach across both on-premises and cloud environments, ensuring timely OS updates, proactive security patching, and ongoing alignment with the latest innovations and best practices. This proactive strategy provides organisations with a resilient, secure, and future-ready foundation for their workloads.
A Strategic IT Transformation
Replacing legacy infrastructure is just the first step in a broader transformation journey. With hardware support purchased in 2025 extending until 2030 (and potentially 2032), organisations need to look beyond a like for like replacement. Whilst we can try, it is impossible to predict how much compute and storage we will need in 5-7 years. In the later years, you will inevitably be making compromises—do you reduce backup retention to increase user storage as capacity runs low?
Additionally, the software you want to run today versus tomorrow likely looks very different. Consider the rapid rise of Linux: in 2014, just 20% of Azure workloads ran on Linux; by 2021, that figure was close to half, and last year, it exceeded 60%. Looking ahead, will your next-generation applications require specialised hardware? The growing demand for Nvidia GPUs to power local AI models is a prime example. Even if that seems distant, the rise of low-power, high-efficiency CPUs—now standard in the latest Mac and Windows laptops—signals a shift in computing that could influence future IT decisions.
As businesses shift from traditional server management to cloud integration, they unlock capabilities such as data-driven decision-making and unified digital identities, enhancing service delivery and user experience.
Enabling a Cloud Transformation Journey
Codify are already supporting a wide range of organisations on their cloud transformation journeys. Azure Local serves as a key enabler for critical initiatives, including:
Bringing Data Together
Azure Local provides the foundation for moving to a fully managed SQL Managed Instance, allowing organisations to continue supporting existing applications while simplifying database administration. Benefits include:
- Reduced operational complexity through managed services
- Automated updates and maintenance handled by Microsoft
- Improved disaster recovery and high availability
- Cost savings through SQL licence consolidation and optimisation
Integrating Cloud Services
Azure Local enables organisations to develop and host container-based applications within a fully managed Kubernetes environment, providing:
- Seamless integration with other cloud platforms
- Scalable and efficient service delivery
- Future-proofing for emerging digital initiatives
Beyond these immediate benefits, establishing an Azure environment now ensures organisations can scale into the cloud as demand arises, providing a flexible and future-ready IT strategy.
Codify’s Managed Azure – Beyond Break-Fix Support
To ensure the long-term success of this investment, Codify offers Managed Azure—a continuous expert support service for Azure Local implementations and future cloud initiatives. Our managed service extends far beyond traditional break-fix support, providing unlimited assistance across all Azure services.
Key Benefits of Codify’s Managed Azure
Beyond maintaining Azure Local, Codify supports organisations in implementing SQL Managed Instance, allowing the consolidation of SQL environments. This transition delivers key operational benefits:
- Eliminating SQL upgrade projects as Microsoft handles updates and maintenance
- Enhancing disaster recovery (DR) capabilities for improved resilience
- Reducing costs through optimised SQL licensing and consolidation
Expanding Digital Identity and Access Management
Looking ahead, organisations may choose to expand their identity and access management capabilities with Microsoft Entra ID. This enables external authentication, allowing users to securely access services using third-party login providers such as Facebook or Google. Potential use cases include:
- Seamless booking form access for services
- Effortless request submissions for organisational needs
A Secure, Future-Ready IT Strategy
By partnering with Codify for Managed Azure, organisations can focus on delivering modern, cloud-first services while ensuring their IT environments remain secure, efficient, and future-proof. Our proactive management approach ensures continuous improvements, expert guidance, and strategic alignment with the latest Azure capabilities.
Need guidance on future-proofing your IT infrastructure? Schedule a chat with our experts today!