Cloud Computing


Office 2013 Coming March with Touch and Cloud Hooks

Microsoft's next-generation Office products will reach general availability in March, the company said.

Parallels Overhauls Platform, Launches APS 2.0 and Cloud Storage

Parallels on Tuesday unveiled an overhaul of its channel-focused platform for delivering cloud-based services to SMB customers.

Analysis: Microsoft To Shift Its Focus to Tablets and the Cloud

Echoing Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's declaration in October that Microsoft is now a "devices and services company," a newly published report indicates that Microsoft's product strategy for 2013 will be focused on tablets and cloud-enabled software.

Microsoft Cuts Windows Azure Prices for SQL Reporting Services

Microsoft lowered Windows Azure price decrease last week for its SQL Reporting Services, which is used for business intelligence-type applications.

Windows Azure Active Directory: Taking AD Deeper into the Cloud

Active Directory took its first step into the cloud with Office 365, but Microsoft is upping the ante with free access control in the forthcoming Windows Azure Active Directory.

Google Extends Windows Phone ActiveSync Support by Six Months

Windows Phone users will have until July 31 to access Google Apps features that use Microsoft's Exchange ActiveSync technology, according to Microsoft.

Microsoft Releases Next-Generation Office 365 Products (UPDATED)

Microsoft released the consumer, student and small-business editions of its next-generation Office 365 products on Tuesday.

VMware To Lay Off up to 900 Despite Positive Earnings Report

Despite reporting rising revenues in its latest earnings report, cloud and virtualization giant VMware announced on Monday that it would be implementing companywide layoffs.

Microsoft Offers Explanation for December Windows Azure Outage

Customers of Microsoft's Windows Azure Storage service who were affected by December's two-day disruption received a detailed apology and explanation from Microsoft on Wednesday.

Microsoft Releases System Center 2012 SP1, Delivers Azure Updates

Service Pack 1 (SP1) of System Center 2012 is now generally available, as well as a new Windows Intune service update release and Windows Azure improvements.

Gartner's 2013 Predictions: Windows 8 Will Lag, Enterprise Social Will Boom

December always seems to signal a deluge of predictions about what technology trends organizations should expect in the next year.

Google Cutting Some Exchange ActiveSync Features

Google is dropping some features in its software-as-a-service applications that are associated with Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, it announced last week.

Google No Longer Offering Business Apps Service for Free

Businesses signing up for Google Apps must now pay a fee, Google announced last week.

Microsoft Pushes 'Cloud-First' Approach with SharePoint 2013

Microsoft this month is releasing SharePoint 2013 to volume licensees, a move that sets the stage for partners to accelerate their customers' shift to the cloud.

Microsoft's 'Cloud OS' Era Means a Return to License Land

Microsoft threw another wrench in the effort to define cloud computing when it ushered in its Cloud OS era with Windows Server 2012. But for partners, the new definition means that for once, they won't have to change as much as they thought.

Windows 8 and Office 2013 Bring Skydrive to the Fore

The release of Windows 8 and the launch of Office 2013 early next year promise to play a key role in bringing cloud computing to the mainstream.

Microsoft Partner Rolls Out Dynamics Cloud for Government

Plano, Texas-based Microsoft hosting partner Layered Tech launched a cloud-based Microsoft Dynamics offering for U.S. government agencies earlier this month.

Microsoft Finalizes StorSimple Acquisition

Microsoft completed its acquisition of StorSimple, a provider of of cloud-integrated storage (CIS) appliances, on Thursday, one month after announcing the deal.

AT&T Begins Selling Office 365 to SMBs

Telecommunications giant AT&T is now offering Microsoft's Office 365 cloud productivity suite to small and midsize businesses (SMBs).

Microsoft Showcases SharePoint 2013, Aims To 'Supercharge' Enterprise Social Networking

Just as the launch of Windows 8 last month was Microsoft's effort to "reimagine" Windows, the company is taking a similar tack with SharePoint 2013.