Microsoft brings commercial ‘cloud’ offering to RP

The local subsidiary of software-maker Microsoft formally hopped on the “cloud computing" trend on Monday when it introduced in the local market the Windows Azure Platform, its version of cloud-based offerings. Cloud computing is a new model in the technology world in which an IT system, whether software or hardware or both, are run or accessed from the Internet, commonly referred to as the cloud. Thus, a company does not need to purchase, say, an accounting software and a server – they can just be “rented" on a per-use basis from a cloud computing provider. Before Microsoft announced Azure in 2008, many thought it was unthinkable for the US-based company, the main purveyor of traditional software, to go into cloud computing. But, with the technology getting a lot of buzz and adoption from the IT community, the software giant had no recourse but to join the fun. John Bessey, managing director of Microsoft Philippines, said Windows Azure works across a variety of platforms, including PCs, phones, and the Web, giving customers choice and flexibility in developing and deploying applications. Bessey said local ISVs (independent software vendors) have just started work on Azure and so there are no applications available yet. He said, however, that Microsoft is betting on ISVs to get Azure off the ground. According to Bessey, the Windows Azure platform features automated service management and pay-as-you-go pricing backed by service-level agreements and support. The Microsoft executive said the formal launch of Azure platform completes the company’s “commercial cloud services" in the country which started six months ago. Being a neophyte on cloud computing, Bessey said question its capabilities. “But I’d say we have the experience, technical innovation, developer and partner ecosystem, enterprise class services and breadth of offerings, and familiar technology. David Chapell, managing partner of IT consultancy firm David Chapell and Associates, said cloud computing could be employed deployed in a variety of instances, such as when a company deploys applications with variable load like online ticketing or applications with a short or unpredictable lifetime like an application created for a marketing campaign. “It would be crazy for people to think that all applications will all be done in the cloud. But it would be also be crazy to think no applications will be done on the cloud," said Chapell, who flew into the country upon the invitation of Microsoft. “There are applications that are suitable for the cloud and there are those that are not." During the launch, Microsoft also announced the availability of Visual Studio 2010, the latest version of its developer tools and platform. Among the enhancements in Visual Studio 2010 are Windows Presentation Foundation, which supports the use of multiple monitors so that developers can work in a flexible environment. -- Melvin G. Calimag, GMANews.TV