OpenText, a worldwide leader in enterprise content management, recently announced that it has extended its existing agreement with Microsoft to include business process management (BPM) solutions as well as added support for Microsoft’s cloud computing efforts. More precisely, OpenText’s Business Process Solutions Group will work on developing a host of process management and case management solutions to function on Microsoft’s Windows Azure cloud platform.
OpenText identified a strong demand amongst organizations for solutions that build upon the already sturdy Microsoft platform that includes such heavily used products as Dynamics, Office, Lync, SharePoint, SQL Server and more. This led the company to focus on developing complementary solutions for the Microsoft platform, and an eventual partnership with the software giant. OpenText’s dedication to Microsoft began over three years ago when it added support for Windows Azure with solutions for archiving and records management. Last year, its OpenText M3 modeling suite became Azure-ready.
With the latest agreement in place, OpenText customers will be able to deploy applications on-premise, on the cloud, or in a hybrid mix of on-premise and cloud to fit their unique needs. Beyond simply offering cloud deployment, OpenText and Microsoft also promise to collaborate on applications set to server specific industries, such as the public sector, utilities, and financial services, to name a few.
Walid Abu-Habda, corporate VP of Developer and Platform Evangelism for Microsoft, spoke of the new agreement with OpenText to include Azure support: “We are excited to see Windows Azure incorporated into OpenText's Business Process Solutions. Together, Microsoft and OpenText are committed to helping businesses drive process efficiency and scalable service solutions. This announcement underscores the shared commitment of Microsoft and OpenText to the continuing innovation that the cloud has to offer.”
James Latham, OpenText’s chief marketing officer, added: “This is another example of how OpenText and Microsoft are continuously tightening and strengthening our relationship for the benefit of our joint customers. The Windows Azure cloud opens up a number of interesting new application possibilities while also giving customers more deployment options that will lead to greater efficiency, simplified deployments and lower operating costs.”
With a portfolio of products that includes solutions for document capture, faxing, business process management, and much more, OpenText has become successful in supporting over 100 million users spread across 114 countries. Listed as a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, OpenText has also garnered recognition in the form of the 2011 ISV/Software Industry Partner of the Year award, as well as other Microsoft partner awards.
Geminare Partners with Microsoft to Deliver RaaS Solution Suite to Azure Cloud
Geminare, a leader in the Recovery as a Service (RaaS) market and creator of the renowned Cloud CORE Platform, announced a new partnership with Microsoft that will bring its RaaS solution suite to the software giant’s Windows Azure cloud.
Geminare’s partnership with Microsoft is set to begin this year when the company launches Cloud Storage Assurance, a service that specializes in email and file archiving. Geminare’s RaaS suite will be listed on the Windows Azure Marketplace as a highlighted offering to give partners the ability to supply their customers with RaaS solutions backed by the trusted Windows Azure cloud. Thanks to its Cloud CORE platform’s extensive set of features, Geminare allows its partners to ease their transition into the RaaS market.
Walid Abu-Habda, corporate VP of Developer and Platform Evangelism at Microsoft, commented on the Geminare alliance in the press release: “To serve our mutual customers, strategic leaders in emerging markets are creating innovative solutions on Windows Azure. One such leader is Geminare, which is widely acknowledged as a leader in the RaaS market. Its rich portfolio, coupled with the strengths and reach of Windows Azure, represents enormous potential for customers and is a welcome addition to the Windows Azure partner community. We are proud to have this alliance with Geminare.”
Joshua Geist, CEO of Geminare, said: “Geminare is ecstatic to have been chosen by Microsoft for Recovery as a Service enablement on the Windows Azure cloud. There is no better cloud provider than Microsoft to optimize the power of RaaS through its comprehensive cloud strategy, massive partner network and best-in-class technology and market experience.”
The Geminare/Microsoft partnership comes at a good time, as Gartner Research predicts that 30 percent of midsize companies will adopt RaaS by 2014, compared to the current statistic of just 1 percent. John Morency, VP of Gartner Research, discussed the benefits of Geminare’s new alliance with Microsoft: “RaaS has been hailed as a 'killer' app for DR in the Cloud, but the true 'killer' app stems from rapidly enabling the global partner community to provide RaaS solutions to their customers, easily and efficiently. The Geminare and Microsoft Strategic Alliance does just that. Geminare's RaaS portfolio delivered from the Windows Azure cloud eliminates the barriers to entry to the emerging RaaS market for resellers worldwide, setting the stage for the explosive growth we project.”
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