News

Skytap Launches Azure Migration Service for IBM-Based Apps

A new service from Microsoft partner Skytap aims to smooth the way for organizations to move on-premises applications based on IBM Power processors to Microsoft Azure datacenters.

The Skytap on Azure service became generally available on Thursday, according to announcements by both Microsoft and Skytap, which is a partner on both Microsoft Azure and IBM Cloud services. Currently, the service is available just in the East U.S. Azure region, but Microsoft has plans to expand the service to other Azure regions "across Europe, the United States, and Asia Pacific."

The service supports running x86 workloads alongside IBM workloads (AIX, IBM i and Linux on IBM POWER), bringing the ability to tap various Azure services, according to a Skytap on Azure summary document.

The Skytap on Azure service is designed to support software developers and enterprises with their so-called "business-critical" applications. It's for dev/test and disaster recovery scenarios. It's possible to use the Skytap on Azure service in "hybrid" computing environments, combining Microsoft's cloud services with workloads housed in an organization's datacenters.

Here's Skytap's illustration of that hybrid scenario, where an Azure Dedicated subscription is indicated:

[Click on image for larger view.] Skytap for Azure service, combining on-premises datacenters with Microsoft Azure services. (Source: Skytap's Web page)

Organizations making the move to using Skytap on Azure get access to "Azure native services such as Blob Storage, Azure NetApp Files, or Azure Virtual Machines," Microsoft's announcement explained. Production environments also have the option to use Microsoft's ExpressRoute service for high-bandwidth private Internet connections.

The Skytap for Azure service is currently available from the Azure Marketplace, where it's described as offering "consumption-based pricing, on-demand access to compute and storage resources, self-service provisioning, and extensibility through RESTful APIs."

About the Author

Kurt Mackie is senior news producer for 1105 Media's Converge360 group.

Featured

  • Microsoft Offers Support Extensions for Exchange 2016 and 2019

    Microsoft has introduced a paid Extended Security Update (ESU) program for on-premises Exchange Server 2016 and 2019, offering a crucial safety cushion as both versions near their Oct. 14, 2025 end-of-support date.

  • An image of planes flying around a globe

    2025 Microsoft Conference Calendar: For Partners, IT Pros and Developers

    Here's your guide to all the IT training sessions, partner meet-ups and annual Microsoft conferences you won't want to miss.

  • Notebook

    Microsoft Centers AI, Security and Partner Dogfooding at MCAPS

    Microsoft's second annual MCAPS for Partners event took place Tuesday, delivering a volley of updates and directives for its partners for fiscal 2026.

  • Microsoft Layoffs: AI Is the Obvious Elephant in the Room

    As Microsoft doubles down on an $80 billion bet on AI this fiscal year, its workforce reductions are drawing scrutiny over whether AI's ascent is quietly reshaping its human capital strategy, even as official messaging avoids drawing a direct line.

Most   Popular