Microsoft and Oracle expand collaboration to enhance cloud services globally

Microsoft Corp. and Oracle have announced a significant expansion of their collaborative efforts to cater to the increasing global demand for Oracle Database@Azure services. This expansion will see Oracle Database@Azure extending its presence to five additional regions, making the service available in a total of 15 regions worldwide. This strategic move underscores the companies’ mutual commitment to facilitating seamless workload migrations to the cloud, leveraging the strengths of both Oracle’s database services and Microsoft’s comprehensive cloud offerings, including Azure AI.

The deal’s significance lies in its potential to revolutionize how enterprises employ Oracle database services by integrating OCI hardware within Azure datacenters. For the first time, customers in Europe and other new regions will have local access to these services, empowering them with the tools necessary for business innovation and cloud migration. According to Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President of Azure Infrastructure Product and Design, Erin Chapple, this expansion is a testament to the ongoing commitment between Microsoft and Oracle to streamline cloud migration processes for their customers.

Oracle’s Senior Vice President of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, Karan Batta, emphasized the decision’s motivation by the substantial global customer demand for Oracle Database@Azure. The expansion is set to address the needs of Global 500 companies across various sectors, including financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, and more, demonstrating the critical role of multicloud deployments in meeting customer needs.

Oracle Database@Azure is now available in the Microsoft Azure Germany West Central region in Frankfurt, marking its debut in Europe. With plans for further expansion, the service will soon be available in regions including Australia East, Brazil South, Canada Central, and several others. This broadened availability aims to accommodate the surge in customer demand anticipated for the year.

Customers stand to gain from a range of benefits offered by Oracle Database@Azure, such as flexible migration options, high performance, scale, availability, and compatibility with existing Oracle and Microsoft technologies. The service promises a simplified, secure, and efficient cloud migration pathway, alongside unified customer experience and support from both Oracle and Microsoft. Additionally, the partnership allows customers to leverage their existing licenses and discounts, further simplifying the transition to the cloud.

Holger Mueller, Vice President and Principal Analyst at Constellation Research, praised the Microsoft-Oracle partnership as an innovative solution to the challenges faced by enterprises in cloud migration. By allowing Oracle services to be delivered through Azure’s console, the partnership provides a unique opportunity for enterprises to move their mission-critical workloads to the cloud without the burdens of integration costs and risks.

The expansion of Oracle Database@Azure to new regions represents a milestone in the collaboration between Microsoft Corp. and Oracle. It not only addresses the burgeoning demand for cloud services but also sets a new standard for enterprise cloud migrations. By combining the strengths of both companies, this initiative is poised to unlock new possibilities for business innovation and cloud computing across the globe.