Microsoft will acquire StorSimple Inc., a cloud-integrated storage (CiS) provider, according to an announcement released earlier today. With this acquisition, Microsoft will amp up its Azure platform while gaining ground on competitors like Rackspace and Amazon. The terms of the deal have not yet been disclosed.
Says Michael Park, corporate vice president of Microsoft’s Server and Tools Division:
“Customers faced with explosive growth in data are looking to the cloud to help them store, manage and archive that data. But, to be effective, cloud storage needs to integrate with IT’s current investments. StorSimple’s approach helps customers seamlessly integrate on-premises storage with cloud storage through intelligent automation and management.”
StorSimple works by offering enterprises a service that combines physical data storage, recovery and backups with cloud integration. The above statement hints at this being an integral part of Microsoft’s plan in acquiring StorSimple, allowing it to target enterprises that are still using traditional storage methods. With something like StorSimple, an enterprise’s current storage system can be connected with a cloud service, giving the best of both worlds.
This isn’t the first time Microsoft and StorSimple have worked together, however. Back in 2010, StorSimple announced an optimized line of hybrid storage tailored to Microsoft file servers and applications. Said StorSimple’s CEO Ursheet Parikh, “Most StorSimple customers are mainstream IT organizations that have chosen Windows Azure as their primary cloud. We are excited to continue to work with Microsoft and bring the combined benefits of StorSimple and Windows Azure to customers around the world.”
