Microsoft Azure Arc

What differentiates Microsoft Azure Arc from other similar products?

Based on hands-on use, Azure Arc offers true centralized management across on-premises, multi-cloud, and edge environments. All from the Azure Portal. Unlike other solutions that require separate interfaces, Azure Arc integrates deeply with Azure native tools like Defender for Cloud, Azure Policy, and Monitor, allowing us to apply unified governance, security baselines, and monitoring across our entire infrastructure. Its ability to onboard non-Azure machines and Kubernetes clusters and treat them as first-class Azure resources is a plus. We’ve seen improved compliance tracking, streamlined incident response, and reduced tool sprawl.

What is your favorite aspect of this product?

From direct experience managing hybrid environments, my favorite aspect of Microsoft Azure Arc is its seamless onboarding of non-Azure servers and Kubernetes clusters and the ability to manage them as first-class Azure resources. This functionality has completely transformed how we handle hybrid and multi-cloud infrastructure. With Azure Arc, we were able to onboard our on-premises Windows and Linux servers, as well as self hosted Kubernetes clusters, directly into the Azure control plane. Once onboarded, these resources appeared in the Azure Portal just like native Azure VMs and services, allowing us to assign Azure (RBAC).

What do you dislike most about this product?

What I dislike most about this product is the initial onboarding and agent deployment. This can be time consuming, especially in large or firewalled environments. Managing connectivity and installing agents across diverse systems without automation is challenging. Documentation for complex setups, like proxies or private networks is still somewhat fragmented, making troubleshooting harder. Kubernetes integration is powerful but has a steep learning curve, particularly when configuring GitOps and Defender for Cloud.

What recommendations would you give to someone considering this product?

Drawing from experience, I would recommend for someone considering this product to start with a small pilot on key hybrid workloads to validate network readiness and test policy, RBAC, and agent deployment (ideally using automation such as PowerShell DSC or Azure Automation). Ensure you have a clear governance model, meet all network prerequisites, and plan for compliance and monitoring. Azure Arc delivers strong value, but success depends on careful planning and alignment across teams. When done right, it unifies management across cloud, on-prem, and edge.

What differentiates Microsoft Azure Arc from other similar products?

Azure Arc treats on-premises and multi-cloud resources as first-class Azure citizens, enabling native use of services like Azure Monitor, Policy, Defender, and RBAC , something not all competitors offer with the same depth.

What is your favorite aspect of this product?

It provides a single pane of glass for managing Windows/Linux servers, Kubernetes clusters, databases, and applications .Whether they’re in AWS, GCP, on-prem, or edge

What do you dislike most about this product?

The pricing model can be confusing and layered, especially when combining Arc-enabled servers, Kubernetes, Defender plans, and data services.

What recommendations would you give to someone considering this product?

While onboarding basic features is easy, unlocking Arc's full potential (e.g., GitOps, custom policy management, data services) requires deep Azure knowledge and strong operational maturity, Be prepared for it

What differentiates Microsoft Azure Arc from other similar products?

Deep Integration with Microsoft Ecosystem Azure Arc works seamlessly with tools like Azure Policy, Azure Monitor, Azure Security Center (Defender), and Azure Active Directory. For organizations already using Microsoft 365, Defender, or Entra ID, this tight integration provides a smoother experience than third-party platforms.

What is your favorite aspect of this product?

My favorite aspect of this product is that, it extends Native Azure Services Anywhere Unlike other tools, Azure Arc allows you to deploy Azure services like Azure SQL Managed Instance and Azure App Services directly on your own infrastructure, even outside Azure. This is unique among cloud vendors. Essentially, it brings Azure's PaaS offerings to any infrastructure.

What do you dislike most about this product?

What I dislike most about this product is the initial setup complexity and learning curve, especially when you're working with a mix of legacy systems and non Azure environments. Although Azure Arc is a powerful and forward thinking platform, but this has been my biggest pain point.

What recommendations would you give to someone considering this product?

Practical recommendations based on my experience: 1) Assess Your Hybrid Needs First 2) Invest in Azure Fundamentals Training: Azure Arc relies heavily on core Azure services like Resource Manager, Policy, Monitor, and Defender. Having your team trained on those basics will make the Arc experience smoother.