What is Azure SignalR Service?
Azure SignalR Service is a fully managed service for real-time communication via websockets. The service enables bidirectional communication between server and clients without managing your own websocket infrastructure. It automatically scales to millions of concurrent connections.
SignalR abstracts various transport protocols (websockets, Server-Sent Events, Long Polling) and automatically selects the best available option. Integration with ASP.NET Core SignalR is seamless: existing SignalR code works with minimal changes.
Core Features
- Automatic scaling to millions of concurrent connections
- Serverless mode for Azure Functions integration
- Upstream support for event routing to backend services
- Built-in authentication with Azure AD and JWT
- Geo-replication for global availability
Typical Use Cases
- Live dashboards with real-time data updates (e.g., stock prices, IoT monitoring)
- Chat applications and collaboration tools
- Gaming backends for multiplayer games with low latency
Benefits
- No websocket infrastructure to manage yourself
- Reduced latency through global edge presence
- Cost-effective compared to self-hosted solutions
- Native integration with Azure Functions for serverless architectures
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Azure SignalR Service cost?
Free Tier: 20 concurrent connections, 20,000 messages/day free. Standard Tier: approximately 45 EUR/unit/month (1,000 connections per unit). Serverless Mode: pay-per-message pricing.
What is the difference between SignalR Service and Web PubSub?
SignalR Service is optimized for ASP.NET SignalR with a hub-based programming model. Web PubSub is protocol-agnostic (native websockets) and supports any client without SignalR SDK.
Can I use SignalR Service serverless?
Yes, Serverless Mode enables integration with Azure Functions. No permanently running servers required. Ideal for event-driven scenarios.
How does SignalR Service scale?
Automatically by adding units. Each unit supports 1,000 concurrent connections. Scaling occurs without downtime.
Integration with innFactory
As a Microsoft Solutions Partner, innFactory supports you in implementing real-time applications with Azure SignalR Service.
Contact us for a non-binding consultation on real-time architectures with Azure.
