Schneider Electric selects Microsoft Windows Azure as preferred cloud platform

Schneider Electric has announced the selection of Microsoft Windows Azure as a preferred cloud provider for the company’s StruxureWare software applications and suites.

Beginning with StruxureWare Resource Advisor and StruxureWare Energy Operations, the energy management specialist claims Windows Azure helps improve the performance of customer processes and operations.

“We selected Microsoft Windows Azure to accelerate the development of our software solutions, reduce costs and increase the reliability and security of our global offers," says Pascal Brosset, CTO, Schneider Electric.

"We’re excited to further our relationship with Microsoft to jointly innovate in the domain of energy efficiency solutions and provide better value to our customers."

Windows Azure expands Schneider Electric’s ability to rapidly deploy public, private and hybrid cloud solutions.

StruxureWare software customers can achieve gains in speed of processing, providing instant access to the online, web accessible software.

Schneider Electric software developers benefit from Windows Azure’s pay-as-you-go structure, allowing resources to be switched on and off, as needed, to further reduce costs.

This functionality promotes systems integration by providing a flexible systems architecture based on open standards and protocols, while also enhancing portability.

Windows Azure is already in use in Schneider Electric’s Orbit, a mobile field data collection solution for ArcFM.

Orbit uses Windows Azure technology to provide scalability in adding users without affecting load on enterprise systems.

It also provides task management data storage to deliver backup, availability and security, while minimising the burden of establishing and maintaining capital infrastructure.

“Windows Azure’s scalable global infrastructure, flexibility and cost effectiveness offer customers and partners compelling value as they move to the cloud,” says Vibhor Kapoor, Director, Product Marketing, Windows Azure.

“By naming Windows Azure the preferred cloud platform for StruxureWare, Schneider Electric is helping its customers save money and gain efficiency.”

The Windows Azure platform is being rolled out globally to support Schneider Electric StruxureWare cloud-based software offerings.