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1How Managed Service Providers Are Driving Microsoft Azure Adoption
Cloud platform as a service Microsoft Azure is growing fast, according to a new survey from cloud services company NetEnrich. In its survey of more than 80 IT professionals who work for large and midmarket enterprises, NetEnrich found that many companies are running at least a part of their computing infrastructure on Azure, and some are relying on Azure to support mission-critical solutions. Those companies have found Azure provides cost savings and business-continuity featuress. Furthermore, business operation managers have discovered that Azure frees up time and resources that the IT department can use to work on other important business initiatives. The NetEnrich study helps explain why Microsoft reported that Azure generated $6.9 billion in its second fiscal quarter. NetEnrich estimates the service’s usage will explode in the coming years.
2Gauging Azure’s Popularity
3Valuing the MSP
Enterprises are not adopting Azure without help. NetEnrich reported that 67 of respondents plan to deploy Azure within the next year with help from managed service providers (MSPs). They will either transfer their businesses applications to Azure or manage their cloud and on-premises environments through the cloud with help from MSPs.
4Smaller Consultants Are Also Winning Cloud Migration Business
5Why Companies Work with MSPs
NetEnrich found that 72 percent of IT professionals work with MSPs for Azure to manage their security, backups and disaster-recovery planning. Nearly two-thirds rely on MSPs for Azure to handle discovery and inventory of IT resources, and 59 percent rely on their channel partners for cost assessment and ROI.
6How Business Are Using Azure
7Businesses Have Some Concerns About Azure
8Analyzing Azure Purchases
Azure-related purchases will kick into high gear in the next year. In fact, 35 percent of IT professionals say they plan to buy tools that will help them move to Azure. Another 35 percent plan to buy “cloud analysis and optimization tools” as part of their Azure deployment, and 28 percent of companies say they will rely on cloud-monitoring tools for their Azure rollout.
9Upcoming Azure Benefits
10Cost-Savings Is Top Azure Benefit
11Office 365 Has an Important Role
The NetEnrich survey revealed that Office 365 integration into Azure is critical. In fact, 79 percent of respondents say the ability for Azure to “interconnect” with Office 365 and Enterprise Mobility Suite is “extremely important.”