DiData provides MS cloud offering

Dimension Data has inked a deal with Microsoft that will allow it to offer cloud services based on the software giant's platform.

Dimension Data will provide the cloud-based offerings in six regions globally, and SA will be the first country to go live. The deal will aid Dimension Data's push into the cloud.

The group, which was de-listed at the end of 2010 after being bought out by Japan-based NTT, will provide cloud services encompassing Microsoft SharePoint 2010, Exchange Server 2010 and Lync 2010 hosted in its managed private cloud environment.

Bradley Bunch, GM of Microsoft Solutions for the group's Middle East and Africa region, says Dimension Data and Microsoft have been working on the concept for almost a year, based on client demand.

Bunch explains Microsoft's Office 365, a public offering, is hosted in Europe, which created concerns over security and access costs, because of the distance involved. He adds there were legal jurisdictional concerns as well.

Dimension Data will host its own solutions built on Microsoft technology, says Bunch. The services will be available in SA in the third quarter of the year and will be expanded into another 10 countries before being rolled out further depending on demand.

Bunch says the offering is critical to Dimension Data as it provides its clients with a migration path for cloud computing.

Last December, the group said it would focus on building its cloud solutions and services portfolio, and global cloud infrastructure and platform over the next year. At the time, CEO Brett Dawson noted DiData's purchase of OpSource, in July 2011, and the formation of its cloud business unit were critical steps in accelerating its cloud computing strategy.

Bunch says the platform will also be available in west and east America, Europe, Asia and Australia. He says having NTT's backing is vital as the company would have struggled to make purchases such as OpSource without it. NTT paid R24.4 billion for DiData.

DiData will offer the products on its Managed Cloud Platform, which it launched in March. Bunch adds that it will add further cloud-based offerings shortly.

Organisations with existing investments in Microsoft technology can take advantage of the Licence Mobility through Software Assurance option to repurpose their SharePoint 2010, Exchange Server 2010 and Lync 2010 licences.