Microsoft sees cloud computing as its new business model, wants 6 percent growth this fiscal year

Cloud computing services was stated by Microsoft Romania as one of the three main priorities it will pursue during the 2011 fiscal year (July 2010- June 2011).

“All necessary conditions are met for a large scale adoption of cloud computing services in general, and those which are offered by Microsoft in particular,” said Calin Tatomir. He explained that clients prefer these services for their economic value and for the flexibility which allows software to be consumed as a service. For Microsoft and our partners, it is an irrevocable transformation with immediate implications in the business model. The Microsoft GM emphasized several times during the meeting with journalists that cloud computing does not represent just another aspect of Microsoft’s strategy, but a new model of business that it will adopt from now on.

To cloud computing services that are available in Romania- Microsoft Online Services (Business Productivity Online Standard Suite) for companies, Windows Azure Platform for developers of applications, Live@edu for educational institutions, Windows Live for consumers will be added in the fiscal year 2011 other two: CRM Online and Windows Intune.

Microsoft Romania has returned on growth due to launches of new products. “If we are talking about the period between July- September in the fiscal year 2009/2010, we cannot talk about growth, because we are reporting ourselves to the similar period of 2008/2009 when the financial crisis had not come into play. However, since December until July, we registered a growth of 3 percent compared to the previous year,” said Tatomir.

Microsoft has launched Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2 and Hyper-V Server 2008 R2, Office 2010 (in English), Sharepoint Server 2010, Exchange Server 2010, Microsoft Online Services and SQL Server 2008 R2.

In September, Microsoft launched Office 2010 (in Romanian) and Internet Explorer 9 beta.

In the future, Microsoft has planned to launch Windows Phone 7, Lync Server 2010 (the next generation of Office Communications Server), Windows Live Essentials, Windows 7 Service Pack 1, Dynamics CRM 2011, Dynamics Nav 2009 R2, Dynamics Ax for Retail, Windows Intune and updates of System Center and Microsoft Online Services.

The company aims to grow its business in the financial year 2011 by 6 percent overall, anticipating that in the second half of this fiscal year it will see an accelerated growth of 15 percent.