Azure Key Vault

What Azure Key Vault is

Azure Key Vault is a cloud service for handling keys, secrets, and certificates through the web. Its two plans differ in how they protect keys: Standard uses software-protected keys, while Premium uses HSM-protected keys. Both plans include secret operations and certificate operations. The service also supports secret rotation, key audit logs, and audit logs. For deployment workflows, it can inject secrets into CI/CD, and it integrates with Kubernetes. These capabilities suit teams that need to manage application credentials or cryptographic keys in a cloud environment and make them available to deployment pipelines. Azure Key Vault is sold on a paid basis, with no free plan. The listed deployment model is cloud, and web is its listed platform. No prices are given for either Standard or Premium, so the plan distinction available here is based on key protection rather than a stated price difference. Teams comparing the plans can use the protection method as the central choice: software-protected keys in Standard or HSM-protected keys in Premium.

Who it suits

Azure Key Vault suits teams managing application secrets, keys, and certificates in cloud environments. It is also relevant to teams using CI/CD workflows or Kubernetes, since it supports secret injection and Kubernetes integration.

Getting started

1. Visit the Azure Key Vault website.
2. Use the web-based service.
3. Choose Standard for software-protected keys or Premium for HSM-protected keys.

Verdict

Choose Azure Key Vault if your team needs cloud-based management of keys, secrets, or certificates, particularly with secret rotation or CI/CD injection. Compare Standard's software-protected keys with Premium's HSM-protected keys; teams seeking a free plan should look elsewhere.