Microsoft Aims to Launch Azure Stack by Mid-2017
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Dell, HPE and Lenovo will deliver pre-configured Azure Stack integrated systems to help speed implementation of Azure in data centers. Microsoft said it will “prioritize delivering Azure Stack to customers via these systems at launch, which is expected in mid-2017.”
The integrated systems combine software, hardware, support and services in one solution, according to Microsoft. Azure Stack was announced initially at Ignite Conference last year, and launched in technical preview in February, pitched as a way for partners to “get the power of cloud services, yet maintain control of your datacenter for true hybrid cloud agility.”
“Partners and a rich ecosystem are critical to delivering on the promise of Azure Stack,” Mark Jewett, Senior Director Product Marketing, Cloud Platform Marketing said. “Here at WPC, it is exciting to see how the industry is responding to customer interest and contributing to the promise of Azure Stack.”
“Our ultimate goal is to facilitate the creation of an expanding inventory of applications and solutions that customers and partners can use invest in and build with the confidence their investments will work in any Azure or Azure Stack cloud,” he said.
Microsoft said it is already engaged with software companies on Azure Stack, including Bitnami, Chef, Docker, Mesosphere, Red Hat, SaltStack, and SUSE on bringing their applications from Azure to other data centers through Azure stack.
“As the provider of over 100 open source server applications for Microsoft Azure, Bitnami has worked closely with Microsoft to ensure that software development and deployment in the cloud is easy, secure, and kept up-to-date,” Erica Brescia, COO of Bitnami said in a statement. “We look forward to extending the Bitnami application catalog to data centers running Microsoft Azure Stack, which will allow DevOps teams to use the exact same application packages in both public and private clouds, giving a consistent experience and maximum flexibility.”
