Introduction

 Microsoft Azure is a powerful tool that allows businesses to manage their cloud computing and storage accounts with great ease. With Microsoft Azure one can manage virtual machines, databases, storage, networking etcetera across multiple subscriptions and locations.

 Aptify release 7.0 provides Azure native support that allows the Aptify applications to run on Azure native constructs. This release enables Aptify to run all of the major application components using Azure platform as a service (PaaS) cloud computing model. Enabling Aptify with Azure PaaS will add the following cloud capabilities to the existing network.

 Azure Enablement activity will be carried out in phases. Release 7.0 introduces phase I activities that targets re-hosting of following Aptify application components:

Hosting SQL Database to Azure SQL Managed Instance

Release 7.0 enables clients to host Aptify database into cloud managed database offerings such as Azure Managed SQL Instance. See Migrating Aptify database on Azure SQL Managed Instance document to learn more about the topic.

Hosting Web Application to Azure App Service

Release 7.0 enables hosting of all the Web applications namely Aptify Web, e-Business 6, classic e-Business (CMS & Non-CMS) websites on Azure App Service.

Refer to documents Migrating e-Business Classic (Non-CMS) to Azure, Migrating e-Business Classic (CMS) to Azure, Migrating e-Business 7.0 to Azure App Service, and Migrating Aptify Web to Azure App Service to know more about the topic.

Moving Aptify Application Server Schedule Jobs to Azure Web Jobs

Release 7.0 enables moving Aptify Application Server schedule jobs to run as an Azure Web Jobs for managing the scheduled asynchronous jobs. <<document link>>

Hosting Desktop Application on Azure Virtual Machines

With Azure enablement in 7.0, it is possible to host Aptify Smart Client (Desktop) application on an Azure Virtual Machines and connect the client to the database hosted on Azure SQL Managed Instance. See Installing Aptify Smart Client (Desktop) application on Azure Virtual Machine for more details. 

Hosting SSRS Reports on Azure Virtual Machines

Release 7.0 enables Aptify SSRS Reporting services for Aptify Smart Client (Desktop) and Aptify web to be hosted on Azure Virtual machine.  Refer to Hosting SSRS Reports on Azure Virtual Machine for more details.

Deploying Crystal Reports on Azure Virtual Machines

Release 7.0 enables Aptify Crystal Reporting services for Aptify Smart Client (Desktop) and Aptify web to be hosted on different Azure Virtual machine.  Refer to Deploying Crystal Report on Client System for more details.

Moving Attachments on Azure BLOB storage

In Aptify, attachments are stored in database. As a part of Azure enablement initiative, users are able to configure Aptify to upload and download the attachments on Azure Blob storage. Refer to Configuring Aptify to Upload Attachments on BLOB storage document for more details. Release 7.0 provides a utility to migrate the existing attachments from database to BLOB storage. See document Migrating Aptify Attachments to Azure Blob Storage for more information. 

Authentication using Azure Active Directory

Release 7.0 uses Azure Active Directory as the authentication mechanism for users to access Aptify Web, once the applications are hosted on Azure. See document <<>> for more information. 

Setting Network, Security & Monitoring on Azure (Internal Document???)

As a part of Azure enablement initiative, this release provides directions to set Network Security Rule, Virtual Network, Dedicated subnet for each Azure PaaS services, Firewall, Key Vault, network security and monitoring, and App Insight.