Cloud services for Microsoft now available through Di-Data

The cloud services for Microsoft is a private cloud offering comprising managed Microsoft SharePoint 2010, Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 and Microsoft Lync 2010 hosted in a managed private cloud environment. The group plans to offer the service in Australia, India and an additional eight countries, expanding availability based on client demand.

Dimension Data's new offering is part of the group's cloud services strategy announced earlier this year. Based on Microsoft's productivity solutions, cloud services for Microsoft provides a private, single-tenant cloud environment hosted within Dimension Data's managed cloud platform (MCP).

"Dimension Data has really demonstrated the ability to understand Microsoft cloud technologies and is poised to drive further business opportunity in today's cloud era," said Mteto Nyati, managing director at Microsoft SA. "This offering merely enhances its proven ability to implement solutions that solve today's customers' business challenges using cloud services."

Reduction in cost

By leveraging the offering, enterprises will realise the productivity benefits of Microsoft's unified communications and collaboration suite, while reducing the cost and risk of managing underlying infrastructure and applications. Dimension Data's approach provides a customisable and secure managed private cloud solution that maintains data sovereignty and control.

"Hosting this offering on our Johannesburg-based MCP enables Dimension Data to offer enterprises across the Middle East and Africa region the ability to kick start their journey to the cloud with the security, compliance and customisation they require," says Bradley Bunch, GM of Microsoft Solutions at Dimension Data. "By offering our clients managed productivity solutions in a private cloud environment, we are removing the barriers that previously inhibited some organisations from placing key business services in the cloud."

Maximising existing investments in technology is a key consideration for enterprises in their transition to the cloud. Organisations with existing investments in Microsoft technology can take advantage of the licence mobility through software assurance option to re-purpose their SharePoint 2010, Exchange Server 2010 and Lync 2010 licences. Dimension Data will take advantage of this licensing option so that clients can move to the cloud on their own schedule, without waiting for existing agreements to expire or purchasing duplicate licences.

Maintaining control

Dimension Data's cloud services for Microsoft allow clients to maintain the control they need to perform routine tasks through a self-service portal that automates provisioning, orchestration and management of the applications and underlying infrastructure. The service leverages the group's CloudControl cloud management system and Microsoft System Centre. With Microsoft expertise and the highest levels of Microsoft certification, Dimension Data also provides systems integration and data migration services.

Dimension Data's cloud services are delivered on the company's MCP, a fully-managed cloud delivery platform. Hosted within a Dimension Data or client data centre, the MCP comprises cloud infrastructure (servers, storage, networking, virtualisation and operating system software) and Dimension Data CloudControl, a cloud management system that provides operational control and automation of cloud resource provisioning, orchestration, administration and billing.

The MCP can be accessed via a web-based user interface or REST-based application interface, enabling integration of the platform with third-party cloud or enterprise system management software. Private MCPs can be deployed in client data centres across more than 51 countries. Dimension Data's public cloud services can be accessed globally via Dimension Data Public MCPs in San Jose, CA and Ashburn, VA, United States; Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Sydney, Australia and Johannesburg, South Africa.