For every developer who has been waiting with bated breath for Microsoft to spell out its cloud-computing strategy, the day has finally arrived.
During a keynote speech on Monday at the Microsoft Professional Developers Conference 2008, Ray Ozzie, Microsoft’s chief software architect, announced Windows Azure. Azure is Microsoft’s cloud-based service foundation underlying its Azure Services Platform.
Ozzie highlighted Windows Azure’s role in delivering a software-plus-services approach to computing. As he describes it, the Azure Services Platform is Microsoft’s move to help developers build the next generation of applications that will span from the cloud to the enterprise data center and deliver compelling new experiences across the PC, Web and phone. He called it a turning point for Microsoft and the development community.
Game-Changing Tech
“We have introduced a game-changing set of technologies that will bring new opportunities to Web developers and business developers alike,” Ozzie said. “The Azure Services Platform, built from the ground up to be consistent with Microsoft’s commitment to openness and interoperability, promises to transform the way businesses operate and how consumers access their information and experience the Web.”
Most important, Ozzie said, Azure gives Microsoft’s customers the power of choice to deploy applications via 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.
Ozzie went on to describe how the Windows Azure platform combines cloud-based developer capabilities with storage, computational and networking infrastructure services, all hosted on servers operating within Microsoft’s global data-center network.
This, Ozzie explained, gives developers the ability to deploy applications in the cloud or on-premises, and enables experiences across a broad range of business and consumer scenarios. Ozzie also stressed the ability to tap into existing skills, tools and technologies, such as the Microsoft .NET Framework and Visual Studio.
Competitive Pressures
Given competition…