Microsoft has recently paired with a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, T-Systems, in offering Azure cloud services to Germany. This announcement comes after news of major expansion into the United Kingdom. Two data centers will be located in Magdeburg and Frankfurt. They will start delivering Azure, Office 365, and Dynamics CRM Online to Germany during the second half of 2016.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has commented “Our new datacenter regions in Germany, operated in partnership with Deutsche Telekom, will not only spur local innovation and growth, but offer customers choice and trust in how their data is handled and where it is stored.” T –System will have control of customer access stored on cloud servers. In order for Microsoft to access information stored on the servers, it will have to obtain permission from either customers or T-Systems. Once permission is granted, T-Systems will supervise the activity. Alex Stüger, area vice president for Microsoft Germany, has stated that: “this will help us meet growing demand for Microsoft cloud services in Germany, and across Europe, by providing an innovative, scalable and consistent cloud computing platform combined with a German data trustee model.”
In addition to Stüger’s comments, CEO of Deutsche Telekom, Timotheus Höttges, has stated, “Microsoft is pioneering a new, unique solution for customers in Germany and Europe. Now, customers who want local control of their data combined with Microsoft’s cloud services have a new option, and I anticipate it will be rapidly adopted.”
The company is also investing in cloud security. The centers will contain features such as biometric scanning, smart cards and other physical access controls while data will be protected by cure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security (SSL/TLS) encryption based on German certificates and multifactor authentication. To ensure data stays within Germany, a private network will be utilized to share data between regions. Doug Hauger, general manager of Microsoft National Cloud Programs has recently written in a blog post, “”These new regions will adhere to the same service and quality standards of all Microsoft Cloud regions. In addition, the services will feature the same industry-leading levels of security, privacy and control, compliance, and transparency that define the Microsoft trusted cloud. Microsoft is committed to innovating to meet the needs of its customers, and understands that customers and partners will only choose technology they trust.”
The post Microsoft Plans to Expand into Germany with Help from T-Systems appeared first on Cloud News Daily.