Microsoft Azure
Cloud-native development, migration, security and FinOps. Serving Italian and international enterprises since 2010 — architectures that scale, costs that stay in control.
20–35%
typical Azure cost reduction in first 3 months
200+
Azure tenants managed and optimised
24/7
security monitoring and incident response
15+
years of experience on Azure platform
The challenge
The challenges companies face today.
Azure used as a cloud server, not a platform
Most companies have Azure but don't leverage it. Non-scalable VMs, monolithic architectures, costs growing without control. Azure is a platform — not a hosting service.
Costs out of control
Without active governance, Azure costs grow 20–40% per year. Unused resources, oversized instances, forgotten storage. A first assessment often reveals waste that pays for itself.
Security underestimated
Azure's shared responsibility model is clear: Microsoft manages the infrastructure, you manage the data and access. Without Conditional Access, PIM and Defender for Cloud, your data is exposed.
Migration without a plan
Migrating to Azure without a clear strategy generates immediate technical debt. Lift & shift, re-platforming or re-architecting: the choice depends on the application, not on convenience.
How we work
A structured path for measurable results.
Assessment
We analyse the current environment: architecture, costs, security, gaps against best practices. Deliverable: current-state report, migration or optimisation plan with priorities and ROI estimate.
Design
We define the target architecture: Azure services, sizing, security policies, CI/CD pipelines. Every choice is documented and justified before writing a single line of code.
Development and Migration
We build cloud-native solutions or execute migration with a structured approach: staging testing, planned cutover, rollback ready. Zero surprises in production.
Management and Optimisation
Post go-live: continuous monitoring, monthly FinOps, periodic security assessments, operational support with defined SLAs. Your Azure investment keeps delivering over time.
What we do
What we concretely build for you.
Cloud-Native Development
Applications built natively for Azure: App Service, Functions, Container Apps, Service Bus, Cosmos DB. DevOps with Bicep pipelines for automated, secure and repeatable deployments.
- Azure App Service
- Azure Functions
- Container Apps
- Bicep IaC
Migration to Azure
Migration of legacy applications, Active Directory → Entra ID, file shares and complete tenants. Preliminary assessment, migration plan, execution and assisted go-live with full testing.
- Lift & Shift
- Re-platforming
- Entra ID Migration
- Azure DevOps
Security and SOC
Continuous threat monitoring, Privileged Identity Management, Microsoft Defender for Cloud, incident response. For clients with enterprise security requirements and regulated industries.
- Defender for Cloud
- PIM
- Conditional Access
- SOC Monitoring
FinOps and Cost Optimisation
Through Microsoft's CSP programme, we monitor costs in real time, right-size instances, identify unused resources. Typical reduction of 20–35% in the first 3 months.
- Azure Cost Management
- CSP
- Right-sizing
- FinOps
Case studies
See how we delivered results for companies like yours.
200+ implementations across Microsoft 365, Azure, Power Platform and SharePoint.
Deep dive
Azure as a competitive advantage, not just infrastructure
Many companies have Azure but don’t leverage it. They use it as a cloud server, not as a platform. Dev4Side’s Infra & Security team has worked with Azure since its inception: we know how to design architectures that scale, control costs and stay secure over time.
Whether you’re starting from scratch or want to optimise an existing environment, we support you throughout the entire Azure tenant lifecycle.
Cloud-Native Development on Azure
We design and develop cloud-native applications built natively for Azure, leveraging the platform’s managed services to reduce operational costs and maximise performance. We use a DevOps approach with automated Bicep pipelines for fast, repeatable and secure deployments.
Technologies: Azure App Service, Azure Functions, Azure Container Apps, Azure SQL, Cosmos DB, Service Bus, API Management, Azure DevOps.
Migration to Azure
We support the migration of existing applications to Azure, evaluating the best strategy case by case: lift & shift, re-platforming or re-architecting. We also manage Active Directory migration to Entra ID (Azure AD) and the transition of file shares and complete tenants.
Includes: current environment assessment, migration plan, execution, testing and assisted go-live.
Security and SOC
We manage the security of your Azure environment with an integrated security centre: continuous threat monitoring, access management with Privileged Identity Management, Microsoft Defender for Cloud configuration and rapid incident response. We serve international clients with enterprise security requirements.
Cost Optimisation (FinOps)
Azure can become expensive if ungoverned. Through Microsoft’s Cloud Solution Provider programme, we monitor costs in real time, identify unused resources and right-size instances, continuously optimising your cloud investment.
Typical result: 20–35% reduction in Azure costs in the first 3 months of management.
Azure Consulting in Italy
Dev4Side’s Infra & Security team serves Italian companies and international organisations with Azure workloads in Italy. We understand the specific compliance requirements that apply to Italian organisations — GDPR, NIS2, sector-specific regulations for finance, healthcare and manufacturing — and we embed these requirements into every Azure architecture we deliver.
Our Milan and Pesaro offices mean we can engage on-site when needed, with a team that communicates fluently in Italian and English.
From Assessment to Managed Service
Many Azure engagements begin with a cost or security assessment that identifies immediate savings opportunities. A typical first assessment for a 100-user company with Azure workloads identifies €15,000–€40,000 in annual waste across unused resources, oversized instances and ungoverned storage — savings that typically pay for the engagement in the first three months.
After remediation, most clients continue with a monthly managed service that maintains cost governance, applies security updates and responds to operational incidents with defined SLAs.
Why us
Microsoft Gold Partner for 15 years. Vertical on your industry.
Vertical Infra & Security team
Not a generalist team with Azure as one of many services. Dev4Side's Infra & Security team works exclusively on Azure since the platform launched — architecture, security and DevOps fully integrated.
Microsoft CSP Partner
As a certified Cloud Solution Provider, we manage Azure subscriptions with full cost visibility and access to Microsoft programme benefits. The client stays in control, we optimise.
Enterprise security tailored to your sector
We serve international clients with stringent security requirements. Finance, healthcare, manufacturing: every sector has its regulatory requirements — we know them and integrate them into the architecture.
Technologies
The technologies we use.
Azure App Service
Managed web and API hosting, autoscaling, deployment slots
Azure Functions
Serverless computing for events, timers and integrations
Azure Container Apps
Containerised microservices with automatic scaling
Azure SQL / Cosmos DB
Managed relational and NoSQL database on Azure
Microsoft Defender
Cloud workload protection, CSPM, threat intelligence
Entra ID
Identity, conditional access, PIM and governance
Azure DevOps
CI/CD pipelines, repos, boards — end-to-end DevOps
Bicep / ARM
Infrastructure as Code for repeatable, versioned deployments
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How long does a migration to Azure take? +
A structured migration from on-premise infrastructure — including assessment, architecture design, testing and cutover — typically takes 8 to 16 weeks depending on the number of workloads and their complexity. Simple lift-and-shift migrations of a single application can be completed in 2 to 4 weeks. Re-architecting to cloud-native services takes longer but produces lower long-term operational costs.
What is the difference between lift-and-shift, re-platforming and re-architecting? +
Lift-and-shift moves an application to Azure with minimal changes — fastest and cheapest upfront, but preserves existing technical debt. Re-platforming makes targeted changes to use managed Azure services. Re-architecting rebuilds the application to be cloud-native — highest upfront investment but lowest long-term operational cost and best scalability.
How much does Azure typically cost for an Italian SME? +
A typical Italian SME running line-of-business applications, SharePoint hybrid and moderate storage might spend €1,500–€5,000 per month on Azure. Development and test environments, disaster recovery and backup add incremental cost. We provide detailed estimates after an assessment of the current or planned environment.
Do you manage Azure security for regulated industries? +
Yes. We serve clients in finance, healthcare and manufacturing with specific regulatory requirements. Our security stack includes Microsoft Defender for Cloud, Microsoft Sentinel, Privileged Identity Management, Conditional Access and Entra ID Governance — configured to meet the requirements of NIS2, ISO 27001, GDPR and sector-specific Italian regulations.
What is FinOps and why does it matter for Azure? +
FinOps is the practice of bringing financial accountability to cloud spending. Without it, Azure costs typically grow 20–40% per year through unused resources, oversized instances and forgotten services. As a Microsoft CSP partner, we provide monthly cost reports, right-sizing recommendations and automated alerts when spend exceeds defined thresholds.
Can you help with Active Directory migration to Entra ID? +
Yes. We manage the full migration from on-premise Active Directory to Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), including hybrid sync during transition, group and policy migration, and the decommissioning of legacy infrastructure. We also support migration from third-party identity providers to Entra ID.
What DevOps practices do you use for Azure deployments? +
All our Azure deployments use Infrastructure as Code with Bicep and automated CI/CD pipelines on Azure DevOps. Every deployment is repeatable, version-controlled and auditable. We maintain separate development, staging and production environments with automated promotion gates between stages.
Do you offer 24/7 Azure monitoring? +
Yes. Our SOC service includes 24/7 security monitoring with Microsoft Sentinel and Defender for Cloud. Operational monitoring is available during business hours with defined escalation procedures. Clients with critical production workloads can opt for extended on-call coverage with guaranteed response SLAs.
Get started
Ready to bring Microsoft Azure to your company?
Microsoft Gold Partner for 15 years, with over 200 successful implementations. Contact us for a free, no-obligation evaluation.