21Vianet Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:VNET) ("21Vianet" or the "Company"), a
leading carrier-neutral Internet data center services provider in
China, today announced that the Company and Microsoft Corp.
(“Microsoft”) have agreed to extend their partnership to provide
world-class public cloud services to Chinese customers.
Combining Microsoft’s global technological
leadership and 21Vianet’s outstanding local operations, Microsoft
Azure and Office 365 operated by 21Vianet have achieved an
unanticipated and robust three-digit growth for nearly four
consecutive years in China, successfully providing Azure public
cloud services to more than 100,000 Chinese enterprise customers,
and attracting over 1,300 cloud partners and over 100,000 active
Azure DevOps developers; meanwhile 1.2 million Chinese enterprise
users and 20 million educational users currently conduct their
daily work using Office 365. This breakthrough cooperation model
pioneered by Microsoft and 21Vianet has been recognized as an
effective and successful method for a legal and compliant operation
of international cloud services in China.
Josh Chen, 21Vianet Founder and Chairman said,
“The fruitful collaboration between 21Vianet and Microsoft to
introduce Azure and Office 365 to China has been well proven by our
business success over the last four years. 21Vianet has been
recognized as a reliable local operator with whom to run network,
data center, and cloud services. Together with Microsoft, we are
providing world-leading, qualified, trustworthy, and intelligent
cloud services to Chinese customers. With our agreement now
extended, we will continue to invest more in providing
ever-evolving cloud services to our mutual customers.”
Alain Crozier, Microsoft Corporate Vice
President, Chairman and CEO of Greater China Region, said, “Digital
transformation powered by technological innovation is unveiling
significant opportunities for businesses in every industry. China,
with its clear strategy of innovation-driven development, possesses
unique strengths that will allow it to win with the new industrial
revolution. With years of successful operations behind us, we are
confident of our strong partnership with 21Vianet and of the unique
business model we have created. We believe in the long-term
potential of the China market, which is why we want to reconfirm
our commitment and are extending our agreement with 21Vianet.”
Announced in 2013 and officially launched in
March 2014, Microsoft Azure operated by 21Vianet is the first
international public cloud service generally available in the China
market. Customers and partners range from established Chinese
brands such as Haier, Lenovo, and
Huawei to emerging powerhouses such as smartphone
manufacturer Xiaomi, bike-share company
Mobike, automobile manufacturer
BYD, world-leading sporting goods company
Amer Sports and Arcplus Data &
Innovation Technology, an integrated solutions provider
for construction engineering industry.
Office 365 operated by 21Vianet was launched in
China in April 2014 and now ranks # 1 in China’s SaaS market.
Huawei, Tencent, and Pactera currently use Office 365 operated by
21Vianet to empower their employees and optimize their daily
business operations.
Since its establishment in 2013, 21Vianet’s
cloud operation and maintenance group for Azure and Office 365 in
China has grown from dozens of people to one of the largest
professional cloud operation and maintenance teams in China, and
more than half of the current staff members are senior engineers.
With user satisfaction over 98%, Microsoft Azure and Office 365
operated by 21Vianet have been widely recognized in the industry
and have received 10 trusted cloud certifications, including cloud
hosts, cloud storage, databases, cloud engines, network load
balancing, enterprise-class e-mail, file sharing, online meeting,
cloud backup and hybrid cloud, making 21Vianet the cloud service
provider with the most trusted cloud certifications in China. In
2017, Microsoft Azure operated by 21Vianet, passed the industry's
first "Hybrid Cloud Solution Assessment" and was awarded the only
"Trusted Cloud Technology Innovation Award-Hybrid Cloud Award" by
the Trusted Cloud Conference. In accordance with the latest
regulatory requirement on cloud services, 21Vianet, as the
operator, obtained the newly required Internet Resource
Collaboration Service (IRCS) license in August 2017, which ensures
the compliance of its cloud services in China.
With a growth mindset and strong confidence in
the China market, 21Vianet and Microsoft are in the process of
expanding their capacity. As Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced
at the Microsoft Tech Summit 2017 in November, Microsoft Azure
operated by 21Vianet will triple its capacity in China in the
beginning of 2018. Azure’s enlarged capacity will provide increased
flexibility and wider access to cutting-edge Azure cloud services.
It will also make it easier for multinational companies to meet the
needs of Chinese customers through the scale, power, and secure
infrastructure of the Azure cloud.
For more information, please visit the official
site of 21Vianet Blue Cloud: https://en.21vbluecloud.com.
About 21Vianet
21Vianet Group, Inc. is a leading
carrier-neutral Internet data center services provider
in China. 21Vianet provides hosting and related services,
cloud services, and business VPN services, improving the
reliability, security and speed of its customers' Internet
infrastructure. Customers may locate their servers and networking
equipment in 21Vianet's data centers and connect
to China's Internet backbone through 21Vianet's extensive
fiber optic network. 21Vianet operates in more than 30 cities
throughout China, servicing a diversified and loyal base of
more than 4,000 hosting enterprise customers that span numerous
industries ranging from Internet companies to government entities
and blue-chip enterprises to small- to mid-sized enterprises.
About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) enables
digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an
intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every
organization on the planet to achieve more.
Safe Harbor Statement
This announcement contains forward-looking
statements. These forward-looking statements are made under the
"safe harbor" provisions of the U.S.Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified
by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future,"
"intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements.
Among other things, quotations from management in this announcement
as well as 21Vianet's strategic and operational plans contain
forward-looking statements. 21Vianet may also make written or oral
forward-looking statements in its reports filed with, or furnished
to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual
reports to shareholders, in press releases and other written
materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or
employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical
facts, including statements about 21Vianet's beliefs and
expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of
factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those
contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not
limited to the following: 21Vianet's goals and strategies;
21Vianet's expansion plans; the expected growth of the data center
services market; expectations regarding demand for, and market
acceptance of, 21Vianet's services; 21Vianet's expectations
regarding keeping and strengthening its relationships with
customers; 21Vianet's plans to invest in research and development
to enhance its solution and service offerings; and general economic
and business conditions in the regions where 21Vianet provides
solutions and services. Further information regarding these and
other risks is included in 21Vianet's reports filed with, or
furnished to, the Securities and Exchange Commission. All
information provided in this press release and in the attachments
is as of the date of this press release, and 21Vianet undertakes no
duty to update such information, except as required under
applicable law.
Investor Relations
Contacts:
21Vianet Group, Inc. Calvin
Jiang+86 10 8456 2121IR@21Vianet.com
ICR, Inc. Jack Wang+1 (646)
405-4922IR@21Vianet.com
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