Microsoft Buys Cycle Computing to Accelerate Cloud Migration

Written by Edward Gately
August 16, 2017

Cycle Computing's software works with public cloud providers like AWS, Google and Microsoft Azure, as well as with internal and private cloud environments.

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Microsoft has acquired Cycle Computing, a cloud-computing orchestration vendor serving Global 2000 manufacturing firms, and top life insurance, pharma and biotech, media and entertainment, financial services and hedge funds, startups and government agencies.

Microsoft’s Jason Zander

The acquisition will help make it easier for customers to use High-Performance Computing (HPC) and other Big Computing capabilities in the cloud, said Jason Zander, corporate vice president of Microsoft Azure, in his blog. Financial details of the deal weren’t disclosed.

“The cloud is quickly changing the world of Big Compute, giving customers the on-demand power and infrastructure necessary to run massive workloads at scale without the overhead,” he said. “Combining the most specialized Big Compute infrastructure available in the public cloud with Cycle Computing’s technology and years of experience with the world’s largest supercomputers, we open up many new possibilities. Most importantly, Cycle Computing will help customers accelerate their movement to the cloud, and make it easy to take advantage of the most performant and compliant infrastructure available in the public cloud today.”

Jason Stowe, Cycle Computing’s CEO, said in his blog that “we see amazing opportunities in joining forces with Microsoft.”

“Its global cloud footprint and unique hybrid offering is built with enterprises in mind, and its Big Compute/HPC team has already delivered pivotal technologies such as InfiniBand and next generation GPUs,” he said. “The Cycle team can’t wait to combine CycleCloud’s technology for managing Linux and Windows compute and data workloads, with Microsoft Azure’s Big Compute infrastructure roadmap and global market reach.”

Cycle Computing’s software works with public cloud providers like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform and Azure, as well as with internal and private cloud environments. Its software has been used to deploy virtual clusters and storage, and run genomics, machine learning, simulation and scientific computation workflows.