Microsoft staking its future on cloud computing

By Claudine Beaumont, Technology Editor Published: 11:12AM GMT 05 March 2010

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Steve Ballmer, Microsoft"s arch executive, pronounced his association was "betting" on clouded cover computing Photo: AP

Around 70 per cent of Microsoft employees are operative on cloud-related projects, and that figure will reach 90 per cent inside of a year, Mr Ballmer told an assembly at the University of Washington. He pronounced that he was "betting the company" on a move towards cloud-based program and services, and that there was "so majority unrealised potential" in this sector.

"The clouded cover fuels Microsoft, and Microsoft fuels the crowd," he said. "We"re all in."

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Cloud computing the thought that software, files and services are not scored equally to an particular computer, but are in actuality permitted everywhere, on any machine, around the internet is a have a difference of augmenting significance for record companies.

Microsoft, that has traditionally warranted majority of the income from the handling systems and computer software, is penetrating to find ways of bettering this indication for the internet age. The association has launched Windows Azure, a height for developers to emanate cloud-based applications and services, and has additionally combined online versions of renouned programs, such as Word and PowerPoint.

Mr Ballmer pronounced that nonetheless browsers lay at the heart of clouded cover services, the inclination used to entrance these services unequivocally mattered. "The clouded cover wants intelligent devices," he said, observant that the new Windows Phone 7 Series mobile handling complement was written with the clouded cover in mind, compared to prior versions of Windows Mobile, that were built for "voice and the bequest world".

After his debate at the University of Washington, he sent an email to Microsoft staff reaffirming his joining to the clouded cover initiative.

"Other companies have tangible the clouded cover in a narrow, one-dimensional way," he wrote. "Although these companies yield a little engaging components, Microsoft is singly delivering on a far-reaching range of clouded cover capabilities that move increasingly some-more worth to the customers.

"This perspective fuels the investments opposite the complete company, from datacenters to clouded cover height technologies to cloud-based growth collection and applications. Today, scarcely each one of the products has, or is developing, facilities or services that await the cloud. As I pronounced today, when it comes to the cloud, we are all in. We are all in opposite each product line we have and opposite each dimension of the cloud.

"Of course, there is some-more work to do. We have clever competitors. We need to be (and are) peaceful to shift the commercial operation models to take worth of the cloud. We contingency move at "cloud speed", generally in the consumer offerings. And we need to be transparent clear about the worth we yield to all the customers.

"We have an huge event in front of us. We have good products and services in the marketplace currently and a range of new ones on their way.

All of the products have the clouded cover better, and the clouded cover creates the products better."