Atos, VMware, EMC form cloud alliance

Consulting firm Atos has launched a new cloud computing service company called Canopy to provide customers with a "one-stop shop" for cloud services that will take advantage of technology from EMC and VMWare, V3.co.uk reports.

Canopy will offer customers a range of enterprise services, which will include both cross-industry and industry-specific business applications, the firm said.

Since both companies already sell into the same vertical channels, that is where they will start building up the alliance's business, Boston Business Journal says.

Canopy will be based in Europe and, as the primary shareholder in the new company, Atos will name its CEO. No details were released about what stake in the company EMC will hold, but the release did state that “EMC and VMware also intend to invest alongside Atos” in Canopy.

In a statement, Joe Tucci, chairman and CEO of EMC, said: “'EMC looks forward to working even more closely with Atos, accelerating this shared vision and making the benefits of cloud computing a reality for enterprise customers in key targeted industries.”

The services will include features such as an enterprise application store as part of a software as a service model, powered by technologies from EMC and VMware, TechEye.net notes.

An enterprise platform as a service will also be on offer, as will consulting services.

Shareholders' agreement should be reached in the second quarter of this year.