As organisations around the world accelerate their digital transformation, the need for hybrid cloud solutions that combine data sovereignty, cybersecurity, and cloud scalability is more critical than ever. At Velocity Technology Group, we help businesses unlock the full potential of Azure Local—Microsoft’s next-generation hybrid infrastructure platform that brings Azure cloud services directly to your data centre.

What Is Azure Local?

Azure Local is Microsoft’s hybrid cloud infrastructure solution, built on Azure Stack HCI and enhanced with Azure Arc. It delivers Azure-consistent services on-premises, enabling organisations to run cloud-native workloads locally while maintaining full integration with the Microsoft Azure ecosystem.

This is a game-changer for industries such as healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, and the public sector, where data residency, low latency, and regulatory compliance are essential.

How Azure Local Integrates with Microsoft Azure

Azure Local is a cloud-connected, locally hosted extension of Azure. It integrates seamlessly with Azure services through:

• Azure Arc: Manage on-premises and cloud resources through a unified control plane using Azure Resource Manager, Azure Policy, and Microsoft Defender for Cloud.
• Azure Monitor: Gain real-time visibility into performance and health across hybrid environments.
• Microsoft Defender for Cloud: Enable threat detection and response across local and cloud workloads.
• Cloud Services: Access updates, telemetry, backup, and billing while keeping workloads and sensitive data local.

This hybrid model ensures cloud agility with on-premises control—ideal for organisations with strict compliance or performance requirements.

Security by Design: Azure Local Security Playbook

The Azure Local Security Book outlines Microsoft’s zero trust security model for hybrid infrastructure. Key features include:

🔐 Hardware-Based Security

• Built on Secured-core servers to protect against firmware-level threats.
• Hardware root of trust ensures a secure foundation for all workloads.

⚙️ Security Baselines and Hardening

• Over 300 security settings enabled by default.
• Legacy protocols like SMB 1.0 and TLS < 1.2 are disabled out of the box.

🔄 Continuous Compliance Monitoring

• Automated drift detection and remediation every 90 minutes.
• Ensures consistent alignment with security and compliance policies.

🛡️ Integrated Threat Protection

• Native integration with Microsoft Defender for Cloud.
• Unified threat detection and response across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.

Top Use Cases for Azure Local

🏥 Healthcare IT Infrastructure

• Host patient data locally to meet global health data regulations.
• Run AI diagnostics and imaging workloads at the edge for faster results.

💳 Financial Services Compliance

• Maintain compliant infrastructure with local data residency.
• Deploy fraud detection and risk analytics with low-latency performance.

🏛️ Public Sector and Government

• Support secure workloads for government agencies and municipalities.
• Ensure operational continuity with local failover and disaster recovery.

🏭 Manufacturing and Industrial IoT

• Run edge computing and real-time analytics on the factory floor.
• Securely connect legacy systems to Azure for modernisation.

🧑‍💼 Remote and Hybrid Workforces

• Deliver secure, high-performance access to local and cloud resources.
• Use Azure Virtual Desktop with local infrastructure for optimal performance.

Why Azure Local Is Essential for Hybrid Cloud Success

Azure Local empowers organisations to:

• Modernise legacy infrastructure without full cloud migration
• Ensure compliance with global data protection laws
• Reduce latency for mission-critical applications
• Strengthen cybersecurity with built-in, automated protection
• Simplify hybrid IT management with Azure-native tools

At Velocity Technology Group, we specialise in designing and deploying secure hybrid cloud solutionsusing Azure Local. Whether you're in healthcare, finance, manufacturing, or the public sector, we can help you build a resilient, compliant, and future-ready IT environment.

Replacing VMware with Azure Local

With rising costs, licensing changes, and strategic uncertainty around VMware, many organisations are actively seeking alternatives. Azure Local offers a compelling, cost-effective replacement for VMware infrastructure, especially for businesses looking to modernise their hybrid environments.

✅ VMware Replacement Benefits with Azure Local

• Cost Efficiency: Azure Local provides a predictable subscription-based model, reducing CapEx and avoiding VMware’s complex licensing tiers.
• Cloud-Native Integration: Unlike VMware, Azure Local is natively integrated with the Azure ecosystem, enabling seamless access to cloud services, security, and automation.
• Simplified Management: Use familiar tools like Windows Admin Center, Azure Arc, and Azure Resource Manager to manage virtual machines, containers, and workloads.
• Security and Compliance: Azure Local includes built-in security baselines, zero trust architecture, and continuous compliance monitoring—features that require add-ons in VMware environments.
• Future-Proof Infrastructure: Azure Local supports modern workloads including Kubernetes, AI/ML, and edge computing, making it ideal for digital-first enterprises.

🔄 Migration Path from VMware to Azure Local

• Lift-and-shift existing VMs using Azure Migrate
• Replatform legacy apps to containers or Azure services
• Integrate with Azure Arc for unified governance and policy enforcement
• Optimise workloads with Azure Monitor and Defender for Cloud

Whether you're running VMware vSphere, vSAN, or NSX, Azure Local offers a secure, scalable, and cloud-aligned alternative that simplifies operations and reduces total cost of ownership.

Ready to explore Azure Local for your hybrid cloud strategy?

Let’s talk about how VTG can help you build a secure, scalable, and compliant infrastructure...right where your data lives. 

info@thevtg.com or contact your Account Executive.