Bekker's Blog

Blog archive

Putting the Microsoft-Amazon Cloud Deathmatch on Hold for Partner Profit

Put the terms Microsoft, Amazon and cloud computing together, and the word "deathmatch" comes to mind.

After all, Amazon Web Services (AWS) is in direct competition with the Microsoft Azure cloud computing platform. The approaches and capabilities are different, but the intent of the two companies to provide computing infrastructure in the cloud is similar.

Which is why I did a double take when I got an invitation today from the Microsoft Partner Network for the Feb. 28 webinar, "Getting Started with Microsoft Windows on Amazon Web Services." I was a little nervous about allowing my e-mail client to download the content, but it came through OK, and the link went to a legitimate MPN events page.

Deathmatch

The webinar is presented by AWS in partnership with Microsoft U.S. Partner Hosting & Cloud Services. It's intended for channel partners and promises to show MSPs, ISVs and VARs how to "take advantage of your existing Microsoft investments and skill set to run Windows Server applications such as Microsoft SharePoint Server, Microsoft Exchange Server, and SQL Server" on AWS without incurring additional Microsoft licensing costs.

As is so often the case with all things Microsoft, the hype of platform battles rarely stands up to the more nuanced reality that where there's money to be made in partnering, Microsoft is usually game, no matter how unlikely the bedfellow may be.

I suppose, it's not surprising, as Amazon has been offering Windows hosted servers on AWS for years, clearly with Microsoft's blessing. Both benefit from this latest iteration of coopetition as Microsoft makes sure its software is relevant on the leading cloud platform while Amazon is able to ensure it serves the pent-up demands of its existing and prospective enterprise customer base.

See Also:

Posted by Scott Bekker on February 15, 2012


Featured

  • Microsoft Appoints Althoff as New CEO for Commercial Business

    Microsoft CEO and chairman Satya Nadella on Wednesday announced the promotion of Judson Althoff to CEO of the company's commercial business, presenting the move as a response to the dramatic industrywide shifts caused by AI.

  • Broadcom Revamps VMware Partner Program Again

    Broadcom recently announced a significant update regarding its VMware Cloud Service Provider (VCSP) program, coinciding with the release of VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) 9.0, a key component in Broadcom’s private cloud strategy.

  • Closeup of the new Copilot keyboard key

    Microsoft Updates Copilot To Add Context-Sensitive Agents to Teams, SharePoint

    Microsoft has rolled out a new public preview for collaborative "always on" agents in Microsoft 365 Copilot, bringing enhanced, context-aware tools into Teams channels, meetings, SharePoint sites, Planner workstreams and Viva Engage communities.

  • Windows 365 Cloud Apps Now Available for Public Preview

    Microsoft announced this week that Windows 365 Cloud Apps are now available for public preview. This aims to allow IT administrators to stream individual Windows applications from the cloud, removing the need to assign Cloud PCs to every user.