IRVING, Texas, April 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- BT and
Microsoft announced today a global agreement to provide customers
with high performance and more secure connectivity to Microsoft
Azure, Microsoft's public cloud platform, with Microsoft Azure
ExpressRoute.
Customers will be able to take advantage of the flexibility and
agility offered by cloud resources, with the assurance of a
dedicated, more secure connection to their data and
applications.
Azure ExpressRoute allows customers to bypass the public
Internet when connecting to Azure through a private connection
based on BT's IP Connect VPN service. As a result, enterprise
customers have a seamless, hybrid IT environment encompassing their
corporate networks, data centers and the Azure cloud platform. BT's
IP Connect VPN service, which is available in 198 countries and
territories, integrates the Azure infrastructure directly with the
wide area networks of customers. Customers will benefit from lower
latency, more predictable performance and enhanced security for
Azure workloads.
The service is due to go live in summer 2014 in Europe through direct network connectivity to
Microsoft Azure data centers in Dublin and Amsterdam. This will be followed by
connections in Asia, then by
additional locations around the world.
Luis Alvarez, CEO, BT Global
Services, said "IT departments everywhere face the same challenge;
Cloud offers them the benefits of flexibility and lower costs, but
security and reliability of access to data and applications remain
main barriers to adoption. We will help customers build on their
hybrid cloud strategies by bringing together BT's expertise and
global network with the Azure platform. They will benefit from a
globally consistent, more secure and reliable solution, helping
them innovate and compete in the global market."
Jean-Philippe Courtois,
President, Microsoft International, said "Microsoft and BT have an
established history of delivering cloud solutions that meet the
evolving needs of business across many industries. Today's
announcement is yet another example of the two companies joining
forces to help customers embrace cloud on their terms, by providing
a more secure and reliable way to take advantage of the speed,
flexibility and scale of hybrid solutions."
This new agreement builds on a long established relationship
between the companies. In 2013 BT was awarded Office 365
Syndication Growth Partner of the Year. BT was also among the very
first globally to provide Lync as a private cloud service.
Notes to Editors
BT operates a global network infrastructure with the ability to
provide services for its customers in 198 countries and
territories. BT takes a total network approach, global and local,
integrating connectivity seamlessly to deliver improved business
performance for its customers.
BT's powerful mix of highly available and reliable international
network services such as IP Connect, Ethernet Connect, Internet
Connect and Managed LAN combined with its applications performance
management (Connect Applications) brings large organizations
together with their employees, customers and the world.
About BT
BT is one of the world's leading providers of communications
services and solutions, serving customers in more than 170
countries. Its principal activities include the provision of
networked IT services globally; local, national and international
telecommunications services to its customers for use at home, at
work and on the move; broadband, TV and internet products and
services; and converged fixed/mobile products and services. BT
consists principally of five lines of business: BT Global Services,
BT Business, BT Consumer, BT Wholesale and Openreach.
For the year ended 31 March 2013,
BT Group's reported revenue was £18,103m with reported profit
before taxation of £2,315m.
British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary
of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets
of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in
London and New York.
For more information, visit www.btplc.com
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide
leader in software, services and solutions that help people and
businesses realize their full potential.
SOURCE BT