Microsoft has announced the acquisition of Connecticut-based Cycle Computing to help provide easier access to high performance computing (HPC) in Azure.

Cycle has been in business since 2005 and provides orchestration software running both off the primary public cloud providers as well as in private cloud environments. Its core tenet is that ‘greater access to compute enables people to ask bigger questions, faster answers and a better world’, in the company’s own words.

According to the company, its products will manage one billion core hours this year, growing 2.7 times every 12 months, and help companies who spend up to $100 million annually on cloud infrastructure.

“We see amazing opportunities in joining forces with Microsoft,” Jason Stowe, Cycle Computing CEO wrote in a blog post. “Its global cloud footprint and unique hybrid offering is built with enterprises in mind, and its Big Compute/HPC team has already delivered pivotal technologies such as InfiniBand and next generation GPUs.

“The Cycle team can’t wait to combine CycleCloud’s technology for managing Linux and Windows compute and data workloads, with Microsoft Azure’s Big Compute infrastructure roadmap and global market reach,” Stowe added.

For Microsoft, the move fits in with its pushes towards artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT) and deep learning, of which it says it has seen ‘explosive’ growth on Azure.

“Cycle Computing will help customers accelerate their movement to the cloud, and make it easy to take advantage of the most performant and compliant infrastructure available in the public cloud today,” added Jason Zander, corporate vice president at Microsoft Azure in a blog post.