Microsoft has unveiled the new business and partner model for its Windows Azure platform. It includes a cloud services operating system, a web-based relational database in Microsoft SQL Azure, and connectivity and interoperability with .NET Services.
Microsoft said that it will offer Windows Azure, SQL Azure and .NET Services for purchase through a consumption-based pricing model to allow partners and customers to pay only for the services that they consume. It also announced the pricing for the model that uses few meters to track overall usage and allows for predictable payments.
Microsoft claims that the Windows Azure platform delivers a rich development experience, automated service management and pay-as-you-go pricing – all backed by service-level agreements and support.
The service-level agreement would cover service uptime, connectivity, and data availability for Windows Azure, SQL Azure, and .NET Services.
As an added benefit of MSDN Premium, Microsoft also announced that it will provide subscribers with resources to develop and test their cloud-based applications.
Bob Muglia, president of the Server and Tools Business at Microsoft, said: What’s unique about the Windows Azure platform is that Microsoft manages the complexity, which allows partners to focus on what matters most for their business – building innovative services solutions and driving new revenue. This can drive down total cost of ownership by up to 60% for certain workloads during a three-year period.
Windows Azure, SQL Azure and .NET Services will be commercially launched at the Professional Developers Conference 2009.
