Global MSP and cloud hosting company Dimension Data has chosen sides in the increasingly competitive cloud platform wars. The company has announced a new private cloud service based on Microsoft’s Cloud Platform, enabling customers to develop and host Microsoft applications in the service provider’s dedicated cloud environment.
The decision is significant as service providers are scrambling left and right to support one or more of the major cloud IaaS platforms, with Amazon Web Services (AWS) retaining the lion’s share of the market. Dimension Data is expanding on its existing partnership with Microsoft and entrenched Microsoft customer database with the new private CaaS offering.
The solution supports the Microsoft Cloud Platform, built on Windows Server 2012 R2 with Hyper-V as well as System Center 2012 R2 and Windows Azure Pack. It is made to support both Windows and Linux-based networks for running business and web applications as well as providing support for software development and testing and virtual desktops.
The MSP is providing a number of value-added components that capitalize on its status as a Microsoft Certified Gold partner and Microsoft Cloud OS Network partner. Dimension Data is offering systems integration, data migration and a variety of public and private cloud services, all designed to help businesses migrate application environments to the cloud.
The partnership is ultimately designed to address customers’ needs for a dedicated cloud environment that meets security and compliance mandates, according to Pete Menadue, general manager for Microsoft Solutions at Dimension Data. He added that the collaboration enables customers to reduce their operational risks and costs while also extending the life of their legacy applications.
"This collaboration enables customers to bridge their on-premise investments with cloud-based deployments to innovate faster, deliver new services and capabilities, improve productivity, and lower costs," added Brian Hillger, director, product marketing, Cloud and Enterprise, Microsoft.
The Private CaaS with Hyper-V solution may be deployed in client data centers or in Dimension Data’s 10 Managed Cloud Platform locations throughout the world. These include Santa Clara, CA, Ashburn, VA, Amsterdam, London, Sydney, Melbourne, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Johannesburg.
Edited by
Maurice Nagle
