Microsoft Opens Up Office 365 Beta

Microsoft has opened up the beta version of Office 365, so that anyone can try out its cloud-based Office package.

Office 365 was officially unveiled last October, and it essentially combines Microsoft Office 2010, SharePoint Online, Exchange Online and Lync Online into a unified cloud platform.

It is Microsoft’s response to the challenge posed to its traditional desktop offerings from the likes of Salesforce.com and Google Docs.

Embracing The Cloud

Steve Ballmer, earlier in 2010, had clearly signalled Microsoft’s intent to embrace the cloud, and a major component of this strategy involves offering a variety of cloud-based IT services to corporations.

Until now however, Microsoft’s Office 365 beta has only been available to a small number of businesses, but now Microsoft has opened it to anyone who wants to try it. The public beta is available in 38 countries and 17 languages.

The cloud package will be officially launched later this year.

“We’ve been in the cloud for years supporting large enterprises such as Shell and DuPont, but Office 365 takes that same technology power and delivers it to small businesses,” said Kirk Koenigsbauer, corporate VP Microsoft Office Division. “More than 70 percent of the people who signed up for the limited beta were small businesses, so it clearly strikes a chord.”

Two option are on offer, depending on the size of organisation using it. The first caters to smaller businesses with 25 staff or less. The cost is $6 (£4) per person per month and includes Office Web Apps, Exchange Online, SharePoint Online and Lync Online. For larger businesses, they will have to choose between four different plans that cost anyway between $10 (£7) to $27 (£19) per person, per month.

An Office App Store

Microsoft also said that it is opening an application and services storefront for the suite called Office 365 Marketplace. This is essentially designed to  supplement Office 365 by providing businesses with apps and services, hosted by Microsoft partners. It currently has approximately 100 applications and 400 professional services from developers and channel partners.

Redmond also said that it was launching a competition for small businesses. Dubbed the “Office 365: Ready for Work” contest where qualifying businesses can share their stories on Microsoft’s Office 365 Facebook page. Five winners will be determined by community voting, and stand to receive Office 365 free for a year, as well as $50,000 (£25,000) in advertising and business services, and a Microsoft executive for a day – who will work at the winner’s business or charity of choice.

There has been a lot of debate and hype about the adoption of cloud-based services, but many feel that the cloud does actually provide smaller businesses with a head start. And IDC found last year that the uptake of cloud computing services was driving new spending on server hardware.

Meanwhile IT research firm Techaisle found that the adoption rate of cloud computing is mirroring the rate that SMBs consider going down the outsourcing route.