Azure is a cloud environment that can host virtual servers with custom specifications and configurations. Office 365 is just one cloud-based service that takes care of the things businesses care about most. Office suite purchases are single-payment purchases intended for use on one computer. Office suites include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote, but do not give access to cloud storage, Office Online, or any Office 365 products. These applications are not updated automatically, so companies must repurchase the latest Office version when it becomes available. Office 365 provides Exchange hosting, can replace file servers, enhances communication and collaboration, and comes with several cloud-based applications. Office 365 plans are paid for through an annual subscription. Each license allows five installations of Office to avoid versioning conflicts.
These plans give businesses access to the desktop and web versions of Office applications, as well as cloud-based storage and services such as Exchange Online, SharePoint, and Skype for Business. With Office 365, a company will always have the latest version of Office regularly updated with new features and experiences. Generally, businesses are drawn to Office 365 for Exchange Online, an email solution that doesn’t require companies to host their own servers. However, many organizations don’t utilize Office 365’s other apps to help their companies work smarter—for instance, SharePoint enables remote access to your company’s files and eliminates the need for large amounts of onsite storage. Skype for Business facilitates group communication and collaboration
