Delivering mission-critical workloads on Microsoft Azure

Fujitsu and Microsoft are accelerating the delivery of Microsoft Azure cloud for organisations with a new global systems integrator partnership. This enables organisations to seamlessly take the next step in their digital transformation – by shifting mission critical workloads in hybrid IT estates to a cloud-based one-stop delivery model, increasing innovation, improving flexibility and guaranteeing superior financial performance.

According to leading research company Gartner, the worldwide public cloud services market is predicted to show continued strong growth in 2019, having already expanded by an estimated 21 percent in 2018 to reach a total of $175.8 billion¹. This underlines that most organisations have already taken the first step towards cloud-based delivery – and are now grappling with the challenges of managing sprawling hybrid IT estates, while aspiring to realise the cost and agility advantages of cloud-based systems.

The new agreement between Fujitsu and Microsoft enables customers to establish robust foundations for their core systems, leveraging Fujitsu’s deep experience in integrating and managing complex hybrid IT estates, combined with access to Microsoft’s market-leading hyperscale public cloud platform Azure. This enables organisations to take advantage of the compelling economics and greater agility enabled by a cloud-based delivery model for core workloads.

The partnership accelerates the delivery of robust, consistent cloud infrastructure and paves the way for next-generation cloud-native applications, based on Azure’s market-leading capabilities for Infrastructure-as-a-Service, Platform-as-a-Service as well as Artificial Intelligence, Analytics and the Internet of Things. Fujitsu’s industry expertise and system integration skills give customers the choice and capability to both migrate existing core workloads to the cloud with confidence and also to ensure that next generation mission-critical applications are created natively in the cloud.

By establishing Azure-based cloud platforms for mission-critical workloads, organisations are enabled to better compete against disruptive new market entrants. Cloud-native applications are more agile and speed up digital innovation for core business areas including modern workplace, business applications, infrastructure, analytics and artificial intelligence.

PRIMEFLEX for Microsoft Azure Stack provides frictionless cloud migration

Also announced today, Fujitsu PRIMEFLEX for Microsoft Azure Stack provides a powerful solution for enterprises that want to take full advantage of the public cloud but need to keep some mission-critical IT under their own roof due to data sovereignty, compliance or connectivity requirements. The new integrated system unlocks the agility, cost control and fast-paced innovation of cloud computing, even when selected workloads remain on-premises. The provision of one-stop Azure-consistent services and features across both cloud and on-premises enables the creation of advanced hybrid solutions that balance both on-premises and cloud in seamless harmony.

Customers have been deploying Azure solutions with great success. AdvanSix, based in the United States, is one such example. Jackie Grunwald, Vice President and CIO at AdvanSix, says: “With Fujitsu, we found a collaborative partner with insight, skills, and commitment. The team enabled digital transformation for our application platforms including our transition to SAP HANA on Microsoft Azure and optimisation of the interfaces among our key systems and business partners. Fujitsu’s cloud enabled services are significantly enhanced by the new Microsoft GSI partnership, giving AdvanSix a future-proof, flexible and scalable business platform as we continue to invest in business innovation.”

Gavriella Schuster, CVP for One Commercial Partner at Microsoft, states: “Microsoft Azure provides the freedom to choose where customers develop and deploy their apps. The consistency and reliability of Azure is a key strength, making it an ideal  fit with Fujitsu’s global leadership in orchestrating multi-cloud hybrid IT estates. Fujitsu’s combination of consulting, managed services and infrastructure capabilities, provides customers with complete, end-to-end digital transformation support. This partnership underlines Azure’s global cloud leadership and enhances the unique ability of Fujitsu to help customers accelerate their transformation journeys.”

Hidenori Furuta, SEVP, Head of Digital Services at Fujitsu Limited, comments: “Most organisations have already started to migrate their core workloads to the cloud as a key part of achieving digital transformation and to succeed in the digital world. This new partnership with Microsoft is a milestone, since we architect, build and manage the hybrid IT-based solutions for our customers’ future mission critical systems. We are building on extensive experience in working closely with Microsoft to ensure that our shared customers gain maximum advantage from the seamless integration of market-leading cloud, as they continue their digital transformation journeys.”