Microsoft India has launched the Windows Azure Platform, a cloud computing services platform hosted on Microsoft’s data centers. This brings the complete cloud computing package to India across all three service layer – Infrastructure, Platform and Software Applications.
Now more than 50 partners including HCL Technologies, Wings Info, Cerebrate and CDC Software are developing commercial applications and solutions on the Windows Azure platform. Wings Info has developed a SaaS based accounting package and SCM solution for SMBs, while CDC Software has developed a complaint management and enterprise feedback system. Similarly, HCL Technologies has developed a management application [developed on Windows Azure] to help customers manage data on the cloud. Customers have access to over three thousand applications on the Azure platform.
Over the past two years, Microsoft has launched several products and solutions in India across other layers as part of its cloud strategy for enterprises. These include hosted Dynamics, Office Web Apps, Microsoft Online Services (comprising Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Office Communications Online, and Office Live meeting), Windows Server, SystemCentre and the Dynamic Data Centre Toolkit
“This completes our cloud stack,” said Rajan Anandan, Managing Director, Microsoft India. “All of our popular products are already cloud-ready, and we have a clear future roadmap to provide anytime, anywhere access across diverse devices spanning computer, mobile and the Internet”
Cost efficiencies are being seen as one of the key benefits of the cloud computing paradigm. According to Microsoft, companies have reported anywhere between 16-49 per cent reduction in their total spend on information technology and related services over a three year period after migrating to cloud computing. Microsoft’s estimates reveal that with the Windows Azure Platform, customers and partners can realize a reduction in Total Cost of Operations (TCO) of key workloads by up to 30 to 40 percent over a three year period.
The release has evoked several positive responses. "SMBs in India are looking for low cost solutions without the hassle of running an in-house infrastructure. Windows Azure is not only a reliable and scalable platform for customers to access online services, but it also enables us to create feature-rich applications for different devices and a large set of users without worrying about IT infrastructure," said Ajay Gandhi, MD Wings Infonet. Gaurav Mantri, Founder CEO of Cerebrate Software said, “The ease of application development including the advantage of interoperability with other platforms and programming languages gives us a plethora of opportunities to deploy applications for a large user set. Further, customers are able to store the data on Azure and manage it with ease and convenience that in turn significantly reduces IT costs for them. We see immense potential for Azure and cloud based services among Indian enterprises in the coming months.”