Fujitsu and Microsoft Corp have teamed up in a new worldwide cloud computing partnership that enables Fujitsu to deploy the Windows Azure platform appliance in Fujitsu datacenters.

Fujitsu will deliver a comprehensive set of new cloud services and solutions, including system integration, cloud migration and managed services, to customers and independent software vendors (ISVs).

Fujitsu will also run its own applications on the Windows Azure platform appliance.

The new Fujitsu cloud services and solutions based on the Windows Azure platform will be available first in Fujitsu’s datacenters in Japan, starting at the Fujitsu Tatebayashi System Center by the end of 2010, to be followed by other locations around the world, a statement said.

In addition to the appliance, Fujitsu will be providing services on the Windows Azure platform to customers on a global basis, it added.

Microsoft is investing deeply to enable the transformation of cloud computing, while the Windows Azure platform appliance will add to Fujitsu’s cloud portfolio by supporting three modes of cloud consumption identified by Fujitsu — infrastructure as a service, applications as a service and activity as a service.

Activity as a service allows customers to subscribe to business services, specified in business rather than technology terms, and it represents a significant shift in the way the IT industry creates value, with the emergence of new business models to create new services.

As a result of the expanded partnership between Fujitsu and Microsoft, customers will be able to easily address new business scenarios that require rapid scaling of applications and obtain services that are predictable and immediately consumable.

“Fujitsu has a vision of a prosperous, human-centric, intelligent, networked society, and this strategic global partnership with Microsoft is a major step forward in being able to realize this,” said Kazuo Ishida, corporate senior executive vice president, responsible for ICT Services Business, Fujitsu.

“Through this alliance, we are providing our customers with a new array of possibilities in cloud computing. Our partnership with Microsoft truly reflects Fujitsu’s cloud strategy and will no doubt break new ground in contributing to the creation of an IT-networked society,” Ishida added.

“We believe the introduction of the Windows Azure platform appliance marks an important industry milestone in the transformation to cloud computing,” said Bob Muglia, president of server and tools business at Microsoft.

“By extending the power of our cloud platform to customer and service provider datacenters like Fujitsu, we are paving the way for more customers to fully realize the business benefits of the cloud,” he added.

In addition to deploying the Windows Azure platform appliance in Fujitsu’s datacenters, the partnership also involves both companies, combining their strengths to develop a Fujitsu branded Windows Azure platform appliance, which customers will be able to purchase and deploy in their own datacenters, using Fujitsu’s hardware technology.

Fujitsu will also train more than 5,000 consultants and developers to work with customers and ISVs to consult, develop and integrate new and existing applications on the Windows Azure platform. In addition, Fujitsu and Microsoft will develop sales and marketing activities to further promote the new cloud services. – TradeArabia News Service