Apr 30, 2021
Cloud infrastructure services spending grew 35% to $41,8-billion in the first quarter of 2021.
The trend of using cloud services for data analytics and machine learning, data center consolidation, application migration, cloud native development and service delivery continued at pace.
Overall, customer spending exceeded $40-billion a quarter for the first time in Q1, with total expenditure nearly $11-billion higher than in Q1 2020 and nearly $2-billion more than in Q4 2020, according to Canalys data.
The acceleration of digital transformation over the last 12 months, with organisations adapting to new working practices, customer engagement, and business process and supply chain dynamics, has elevated demand for these services.
Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform sales soared as the tech giant’s total revenue hit a record US$41.7 billion for its most recent quarter, up 19 percent from a year ago.
The No. 2 cloud provider reported Azure sales were up 50 percent year over year as the COVID-19 pandemic continued to force organizations into digital transformation mode.
“We are building Azure to address organizations‘ needs in a multi-cloud, multi-edge world,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in a Tuesday call with analysts.
Microsoft’s commercial cloud which includes Office 365 Commercial, Azure, LinkedIn’s commercial business, Dynamics 365 and other commercial cloud properties generated US$17.7 billion in revenue for the quarter, up 33 percent year over year.
UK government signs new three-year Memorandum of Understanding with Microsoft
April 21, 2021 | Microsoft reporter
The UK government has signed a new three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Microsoft to enable public sector organisations to continue to unlock the benefits of cloud computing and business applications.
The new MOU, entitled the Digital Transformation Arrangement 2021 (DTA21), allows all eligible public sector organisations to benefit from discounts and beneficial terms for Microsoft 365, Azure as well as associated Support and Consulting services, and for the first time â Dynamics 365 and Power Platform cloud services.
DTA21 renews the existing DTA MOU as a three-year agreement starting on May 1, 2021, and runs until April 2024. It brings together Microsoft 365, which includes Modern Workplace offerings such as Teams, the current Azure Pricing Arrangement (APA) and expands into new areas such as Business Applications.
Lawyers, say hello to the Digital Transformation Agreement 2021
Richard Speed Wed 21 Apr 2021 // 10:30 UTC Share
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Microsoft has signed a fresh Memorandum of Understanding with the UK government to sell cloud services and biz apps at pre-agreed discounts amid accusations it is stifling the resale of excess on-premises software licences in the public sector.
The MOU, specifically known as the Digital Transformation Agreement 2021 (DTA21), is a three-year contract that runs from 1 May. It covers Microsoft 365, which includes products such as Teams, the current Azure Pricing Arrangement, as well as expanding for the first time into new areas such as Dynamics 365, Power Platform and other Business Applications.