There are many good reasons to use Azure functions. Often, when you are taking into account different variables to choose the right services for your architecture, it may be extremely difficult. This is especially with the wide offering of Azure.
As a data professional, from a long list of reasons to use AF, these are 3 main characteristics that I consider when using Azure Functions and not an IaaS or On-Premises Systems (cost-effective out of scope!).
Table of Contents
Specific Tasks
To begin, you definitely cannot see Azure Functions as a whole like a C# or Java Visual Studio project. Azure Functions allow you to execute specific tasks.
Think about it as a relationship of 1-to-1 where each Azure Functions will execute one task. Refreshing the Azure Analysis Services tabular model or using cognitive services are good examples (more examples).
Besides this, you are already able to use the traditional Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code to have version control and a friendly environment for developing Azure functions. However, there is still a long way to go.
Lack of Infrastructure
In a scenario where you don’t have or you won’t have any infrastructure available for your solution, AF provides all the benefits of a Platform as a Service (PaaS) product.
Create, Use and Delete
Are you looking for a temporary solution? Azure allows you to create the function that you need for a short period of time and delete it after you finish.
Final Thoughts
Would you replace any of these reasons? Leave a comment below.
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