Microsoft latest to head into the sky: New cloud solution announced

Posted Nov 17th 2009 4:40PM by Tom Johansmeyer
Filed under: Internet, Google (GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT), Cisco Systems (CSCO), Amazon.com (AMZN), EMC Corp (EMC), Technology

Amazon, Inc. (AMZN) is in the clouds. So are Google, Inc. (GOOG), EMC (EMC) and Cisco (CSCO). Now, Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) is joining them, having announced on Tuesday its new Windows Azure cloud computing system. The new product will be released on January 1, 2010 -- a new solution for a new year.

Azure will deliver an online platform for the software development set to build their own mousetraps and provide plenty of storage space for users. Testing began a year ago, and full live version will be celebrated next year. For the first month, Azure will be free. The charges start in February.

The move came at a critical time for the dominant player in the operating system market. Microsoft has lagged behind the likes of Amazon and Google in the cloud computing space. Microsoft has been expected to take a lead role in the cloud computing space, but it's been slow to enter. Now that it's about to get on the scoreboard, the market may begin to change ... that always happens when Microsoft shows up.

Tags: amazon, amazon.com, amzn, Cisco, Cisco Systems, cloud, cloud computing, csco, emc, EMC Corp., emc corporation, featured, Microsoft, MSFT, windows, windows azure