Channel Mechanics completes migration to cloud-based Windows Azure platform

Channel Mechanics, leader in channel enablement solutions, has announced the move of its application onto Windows Azure, the flexible cloud platform from Microsoft, designed to enable companies to build, deploy and manage applications faster and easier. This platform will enable Channel Mechanics to deliver cost-efficient Software as a Service (SaaS) which will help vendors focus their time and money on business growth rather than IT and system issues.

By moving its applications, such as the company's ChannelIT platform, from hosted and internal data centres to a remote data centre, Channel Mechanics is better placed to deliver more cost efficient SaaS solutions for vendors. This means that small companies that would not have previously been able to afford enterprise scale applications can also now have access to the powerful solutions from Channel Mechanics. From the new Windows Azure platform, Channel Mechanics solutions are available to its customers and their distributors wherever they are across the globe, even in the most remote locations.

Channel Mechanics originally developed its application on the Microsoft.Net platform, and the introduction of Windows Azure is a natural upgrade for the technology.

"We're really pleased to be utilising Windows Azure from Microsoft as it provides a host of new features and possibilities for our application," said Kenneth Fox, CTO at Channel Mechanics. "We can now provide our solution in a scalable way to solve the problems that many large vendors face when selling their products via distribution. The ethos behind our SaaS is to help vendors become more efficient, both financially and operationally, and for them to have more control over their channel, and Windows Azure really complements this."

Windows Azure is a self-service platform that includes a number of features, including ‘elastic resources', a capability enabling Channel Mechanics to quickly scale resources whenever needed. The platform is also available in any language, framework or code editor to build applications.

"We are delighted that Channel Mechanics has chosen to utilise the Windows Azure platform to offer an optimised service to its customers," said Martin Cullen, Director SMS&P Microsoft, Ireland. "Windows Azure provides an open and easy to use set of services to build and run any application in the cloud. It gives customers choice and flexibility to move existing applications or develop new ones using the language and platform of their choice which will in turn deliver the benefits businesses need today in order to innovate and grow their business.