SAP To Certify Key Apps On Microsoft Azure

SAP and Microsoft have said they plan to expand their partnership in the cloud, with key SAP software scheduled to be certified on Microsoft’s Azure cloud infrastructure service by the end of the second quarter.

The two companies said on Monday they will build on their existing partnershp with certification of SAP’s ERP, Business Suite, Business All-in-One, Mobile Platform, Adaptive Server Enterprise database and the developer version of the Hana in-memory platform for Azure.

Cloud, mobile access

The deal is intended to increase SAP customers’ access to SAP software via the cloud and Microsoft-powered mobile devices, the companies said. SAP has been shifting increasingly toward a cloud delivery model, and said this will result in layoffs this year.

SAP’s Cloud Appliance Library will allow users to quickly launch preconfigured SAP tools onto Azure, the companies said. The companies said they will work together on supporting cloud-based customers. SAP said more software is on the way toward certification on Azure, and the company is expected to give more details at its June Sapphire conference.

The arrangement doesn’t currently include SAP’s Business One, which competes with Microsoft’s Dynamics ERP, or the enterprise version of Hana.

SAP and Microsoft also announced the availability of a feature that allows Microsoft Excel to connect to SAP’s business intelligence platform and software, and said they are working on improved interoperability between SAP and Microsoft software via a new version of the SAP Gateway product. SAP also said it plans to make its mobile applications support Microsoft’s Windows and Windows Phone 8.1.

Oracle, BT on Azure

Oracle in February moved to certify its software for Azure, while BT last month launched a secure and reliable connection to Azure public cloud platform, called Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute.

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