Azure Hybrids Gain Fujitsu Backing

The battle for cloud partners continues with Microsoft winning the hand of Fujitsu, which is using Microsoft's Windows Azure to power its new Fujitsu Hybrid Cloud Services.

Fujitsu is doing far more than just loading Azure and SQL cloud services onto servers in its datacenter. It is making more of a services and consulting play, hoping to help IT build clouds that rest in the on-premise datacenter and span out to the external cloud. On the private side, Fujitsu is offering to help IT build and install internal Azure programs that run on Windows servers.

Some in IT see a hybrid cloud as the way to go long term. For others, the hybrid approach is a bridge as they eventually move all major operations off-site. "This will enable customers to have a good, solid model for integrating with their on-premises apps," said Fujitsu alliance director Jeff Stucker. "Even if they are going to move a majority of their workloads into the cloud over time, they need something that's going to tie it all together while they are in that process. It's a real nuts and bolts type of solution."

Fujitsu also says it can help migrate older apps, including those built for mainframes and minicomputers (like the AS/400) to the cloud, be it private, public or a bit of both.

Who is your cloud partner and how is it working out? You tell me at [email protected].

Posted by Doug Barney on 11/29/2011 at 12:47 PM