Choosing compute is a recurring AZ-305 decision. The spectrum runs from full control to fully managed: Virtual Machines (IaaS) → App Service and Container Apps → AKS (orchestration) → Functions (event-driven serverless).

Pick based on control needs, operational overhead, scaling model and licensing. Lift-and-shift legacy apps suit VMs; new microservices suit containers; bursty, event-triggered logic suits Functions. Azure Batch handles large parallel HPC jobs. For managed web apps and APIs, App Service adds deployment slots for zero-downtime swaps, autoscale, VNet integration or an App Service Environment (ASE) for isolation, and pairs with API Management to publish, secure and throttle APIs.

Right-fit rule: prefer the most managed option that still meets the requirement — it minimises ops cost and aligns with Operational Excellence. Release web apps to a staging slot and swap for instant rollback.

🖥️ VMs🌐 App Service📦 Containers⚡ Functions🚪 API Mgmt

🏛️ Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305)