Microsoft has unveiled
Windows
Azure, its
cloud computing platform, which will provide users with
storage, networking and computational power, via servers operating
within Microsoft's global datacentre network.
Speaking at the Microsoft
Professional Developer's Conference, Ray Ozzie, Microsoft chief
software architect, said the company would help developers build
the next generation of applications that are able to span from the
cloud to the enterprise datacentre. "The Azure Services Platform
gives our customers the power of choice to deploy applications in
cloud-based internet services or through on-premises servers, or to
combine them in any way that makes the most sense for the needs of
their business."
Steve Ballmer revealed Microsoft's plans for cloud computing
last month when he was in London.
To support its hosted services, Microsoft has opened datacentres
in Quincy, Washington and San Antonio. It also plans to build
additional datacentres in Chicago and Dublin, Ireland.
Microsoft said the Azure Services Platform would provide
developers with a way to create applications using the familiar
.net framework and Visual Studio, along with other commercial
development tools and open source products. The Azure Services
Platform uses internet standards such as HTTP, representational
state transfer (REST), WS-* and Atom Publishing Protocol
(AtomPub).
Azure Services Platform |
|---|
|
Windows Azure for service hosting and management, low-level
scalable storage, computation and networking Microsoft SQL services offering database services and
reporting Microsoft .net services which are service-based implementations
of .net framework concepts such as workflow and access control Live services allow users to store, share and synchronise
documents, photos, files and information across their PCs, phones,
PC applications and websites Microsoft SharePoint services and Microsoft Dynamics CRM
services for business content, collaboration and rapid solution
development in the cloud |