Microsoft & CCL partner to launch the NZ Azure cloud region

Microsoft has announced CCL as the first at-scale cloud launch partner for its New Zealand hyperscale cloud region. CCL, a provider of IT and hybrid cloud services within Spark Business Group, becomes the first New Zealand partner to migrate customers to Microsoft's New Zealand North cloud region on a large scale. This includes Scales Corporation, a leader in proteins and agribusiness, as the first client for the migration.

CCL will employ its tools and frameworks to facilitate the seamless migration of data and workloads. The collaboration with Microsoft will also extend to building specialist digital skills to enhance New Zealand's cloud talent pool, which is deemed essential for leveraging the full potential of hyperscale cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) in the country.

"We've seen huge interest from customers in leading end-to-end cloud services, hyperscale cloud, and AI, and this signalled a significant opportunity to partner together and provide customers more choice to choose the best cloud platform and services to meet their needs," stated Richard Adams, CEO of CCL. "Our clients will be able to benefit from Microsoft's world-class cloud infrastructure right here in New Zealand, while receiving the local support and extensive cloud expertise that CCL is known for. We look forward to helping businesses navigate their digital transformation journeys with confidence, not only by making the right technology decisions today but also planning for tomorrow," he added.

Scales Corporation, recognised for its contributions to New Zealand's primary export sector, will transition to the New Zealand North cloud region as part of its strategy to improve resiliency and cost optimisation. According to Aaron Magon, Group CIO at Scales Corporation, "Scales Corporation will transition over time to the New Zealand North cloud region as we continue to enhance our cloud-native capabilities to improve resiliency and optimise costs. This underscores our commitment to leveraging advanced technology for business growth and superior customer service on the international stage."

Magon also highlighted the importance of collaborating with CCL for the transition. "As we mature our cloud strategy, we value a partner like CCL to ensure our applications and data are secure, accessible, flexible, and still regionally close to our people and needs of our processing capabilities," he said.

Vanessa Sorenson, Managing Director of Microsoft New Zealand, expressed her optimism about the partnership and the recent developments. "This truly is the year of delivery. We're more than excited to be opening our New Zealand North cloud region here in 2024, and partnering with CCL will massively accelerate the number of organisations who can hit the ground running as soon as we open," she said. Sorenson also emphasized the potential for local innovation with the introduction of generative AI. "CCL's expertise in hybrid cloud solutions and deep understanding of the New Zealand market make them the ideal partner to help our customers get the best from hyperscale, while also helping them achieve their sustainability goals faster," she noted.

CCL, part of Spark Business Group, has a nationwide team of cloud experts who provide support ranging from strategy and architecture to security, migration, and modernisation.