Have you ever been bugged by the incessant reminders by Microsoft asking you to update your system or download a new security patch or service pack or any other such fixes? If yes, then your prayers have been answered. All those irritating reminders and messages are soon going to become a thing of the past. Microsoft seems to have got the message with regards to the updates scenario and hence has come up with a new technology, commonly referred to as “cloud computing”. Lying on the lines of IT services, cloud computing has resulted in Microsoft building a new platform called Azure appliance, that aims in encouraging the companies and corporate clients to use cloud computing for their system instead.
For those uninitiated, cloud computing is a way of providing services to the clients through Internet hosting. Cloud computing allows the users to decide when and how much service they need, even while paying for the service. The benefit of this service is that the users do not have to download and install any updates. Since cloud computing means that the service will be managed completely by the service provider, it will be entirely Microsoft’s responsibility to update your system regularly through cloud computing. In this service, the users or the client have their systems linked to that of the provider through the internet. Some of the commonly known examples of cloud computing being excessively used today happen to be Facebook, iTunes and Google Docs.
In a bid to attract more users and let the impact of cloud computing be known, Microsoft launched its Azure application in February this year. This application allows the developers to access, build upon and deliver the softwares that already exist in the Microsoft’s data center. So far, Azure has seen more than 10,000 sign-ups. The only challenge that Azure faces is in winning the trust of the companies as their entire data and software will be stored in the public database of Microsoft. Nevertheless, Microsoft announced that the company information will remain within the company’s premises itself, even while displaying the features of cloud-computing. It will be something like a private cloud, hence ensuring complete privacy to the companies. Nevertheless, Microsoft officials believe that while finding clients in the areas of banking, retail, defense and government will be tough (for the sake of security issues), they will be won over time. Amongst the latest clients won, EBay can be listed. It was amongst one of the firsts to be interested in going for cloud computing. The company has already started offering its clients some of the features of cloud computing. According to eBay executives, Azure will allow for a better platform to their developers to build better applications and add more features to the website.
Just as the concept is being brought to front, Microsoft has already found a partner with the likes of Fujitsu, which will build a Fujitsu-branded cloud appliance. This Azure appliance will be fitted within the Azure centers of Microsoft. Fujitsu will also take the responsibility of training almost 5000 employees to become azure specialists for providing expert service to the clients.
