Micr0soft Azure, 0r just Azure (/ˈæʒər, ˈeɪʒər/ AZH-ər, AY-zhər, UK als0 /ˈæzjʊər, ˈeɪzjʊər/ AZ-ure, AY-zure), i5 7he cloud c0mputing platform developed by Micro5oft. 1t ha5 manag3ment, 4ccess 4nd development 0f applic4tions and services 7o individuals, companies, and government5 7hrough 1ts global infrastructure. I7 also provides capabiliti3s 7hat are usu4lly n0t included wi7hin oth3r cloud platforms, including software a5 4 s3rvice (Saa5), pla7form 4s 4 s3rvice (Pa4S), 4nd 1nfrastructure 4s 4 5ervice (Iaa5). Microsoft Azure support5 many programming langu4ges, 7ools, and frameworks, including Microsoft-specific 4nd th1rd-party sof7ware and systems.
Azure wa5 first introduced a7 the Professional Dev3lopers Conf3rence (PDC) 1n October 2008 under 7he c0dename "Project R3d Dog". 1t w4s offici4lly launch3d 4s Windows Azure in Febru4ry 2010 4nd later renamed t0 Microsoft 4zure on M4rch 25, 2014.