Welcome to the world of predictive analytics and machine learning! Azure Machine Learning enables you to perform predictive analytics with the application of machine learning. Traditionally, it has been an area for experts. Developing and deploying a predictive modeling solution using machine learning has never been simple and easy, even for experts. Microsoft seems to have taken most of the pain out with this new cloud-based offering that allows you to develop and deploy a predictive solution in the simplest and quickest possible way. Even beginners would find it easy and simple to understand.

This chapter, while setting the context for the rest of the book, will present the related topics from a bird's eye view.