The cloud market might be a relatively young and emerging one but definitely has oodles of cash in flow. The multi-billion dollar hybrid market has big names associated with it. Some of the ones being Microsoft, Google, AT&T and Go Daddy. Microsoft (MSFT), for one, is the one name that is becoming a strong force in this sphere. It has the distinction of being one of the very few IT companies that has earned millions from this technology by combining it with its enterprise business.
The analysts are predicting 2014 to be a brilliant year for Microsoft. The tech-giant is promising to give Amazon’s AWS public cloud service a stiff competition.
Microsoft has remained agile when it comes to enterprise business. They have kept on the momentum by developing tools that reduce the amount of effort required to leverage cloud infrastructure for storage, development and infrastructure.
The new management team at Microsoft has given many an investor new hope from the company. The company has set out on a new path and has given fresh vibes of positivity. It is looking to be a company focused on the development of an unprecedented cloud platform across form factors (and multiple clouds) that would enable new levels of IT agility: the cloud as a seamless extension of the device and the data center.
Azure was developed and taken mainstream under Ballmer’s tutelage. With his stepping down it is now left to his successor Nadella to make most of the platform. Though Satya is relatively new in the shoes of the CEO, he has years of experience on him within the company and is expected to channelize resources properly. I wouldn’t agree with some critics who have disdained the company saying it is headed nowhere. All that the incumbent team at Microsoft needs is some time. The company has a history of dominance in the IT industry and whenever people have lost faith, it has bounced back and quite strongly so.
According to Microsoft, Azure is now adding more than 1,000 customers per day (no revenue data offered), and Azure is doubling capacity every six to nine months.
A very customer centric company, Microsoft has been brilliant when it comes to figures. The company has dominated the enterprise business with Office being one of its kinds. We can also not forget how strongly the company performs in the gaming segment. It’s true that Sony’s PS has crazy number of fans the world over but Microsoft’s Xbox has its fair share of followers too. The company is looking to reach new heights in cloud computing business giving Amazon's AWS a run for its money.
A brilliant performance to end the last year and an expected current fiscal, things seem to be great for Microsoft. The stocks have performed well for some time now. Microsoft’s Office has been the key player. With deals to develop Office suite for iPads and the launch of Xbox one mean that the company has a lot of scope for investment. A correct approach to understanding the areas that the company needs to work on is the only thing left to be done. With that in place there’d be no stopping Microsoft.
