Huawei and Microsoft are expanding their cloud strategies by signing a strategic memorandum of understanding on cloud services.
Basically, the deal will see Microsoft applications released on the Huawei Cloud and the two will also start to work on “in-depth cooperation” on the public cloud.
The goal is said to be to provide the “optimal experience of cloud services for enterprises” and to help them implement digital transformation, which isn’t exactly ground-breaking, but it does highlight the growing importance of partnerships between the major cloud players.
Huawei obviously provides Microsoft with a route into the market in China, which Huawei and Alibaba are two of the strongest players.
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Alain Crozier, CEO of Microsoft China said, “The fourth industrial revolution, driven by technology innovation, is creating opportunities for customers to achieve more across
nearly every industry. As a global leader in enterprise IT, Huawei is a strategic partner for Microsoft in the mission to empower organizations as they transform.
“Our increased collaboration will drive innovation as we build a seamless platform to benefit customers through industry-leading technology. Together, we are confident that we will lead, and win, in the era of digital transformation by focusing on what our customers need.”
The two companies do already work with each other, with Huawei’s Cloud providing Windows Server and RDS for SQL Server, but it will now be increasing the number of products it offers from Microsoft.
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Zheng Yelai, President of Huawei’s Cloud BU and IT Product Line, said in the MoU signing ceremony, “Adhering to a customer-centered philosophy, Huawei is dedicated to enabling and promoting the development of a smart society.
“As a world-leading provider of software, services, and solutions, Microsoft has played an important part in the enterprise market all along. HUAWEI CLOUD looks forward to cooperating with Microsoft to build an open and win-win ecosystem. The signing of this MoU marks the start of strategic cooperation between the two companies.”
