PLM and Microsoft Azure Cloud In A Box

How do you move to the cloud? This is one of topics I’m discussing on my blog for the last year. The last time, I took a swing towards public cloud. Navigate to my PLM vendors, large manufacturers and public cloud article for more information. However, not everybody will move to public cloud. At least not very soon.

For those who is looking for alternatives, especially within private cloud zone, the last update from Microsoft can be a very good news. Navigate to the Business Insider blog – Microsoft’s Satya Nadella Just Fired A Shot At HP And IBM. Microsoft turns to Dell to create a new computer server. Here is the passage which provides more info:

The new computer is called the “Microsoft Cloud Platform System” and it will be a mini-version of Microsoft’s cloud, Azure, that enterprises can install in their own data centers. By using this server, enterprises can easily move applications from their own private data center to Microsoft’s cloud and back again. (In geek speak, this is called “hybrid computing”.)

Some more details came from CMSWire blog earlier today – Take a Seat Google, Amazon: Microsoft’s Cloud Wins the Day. So what is that Microsoft Azure Cloud in A Box. Here is the definition of a “Box”:

...new Azure-like appliance that Enterprises can deploy in their own data centers. It has been designed specifically to handle big data workloads (32 cores, 450 gigabytes of RAM and 6.5 terabytes of local solid-state drive storage). Officially named the Microsoft Cloud Platform System (CPS), powered by Dell it is, in essence, an “Azure consistent cloud in a box” with pre-integrated hardware from Dell and software from Microsoft.

I captured the following architecture shot from WinITPro article:

It made me think about what is the potential impact and opportunity for PLM vendors. For most of them, alignment with Microsoft can be very beneficial. In the case Microsoft will do hard work and promote their Cloud Platform System to CIOs of large enterprise companies, PLM can be the icing on the cake. So, on the surface it all looks good. Especially, for PLM vendors especially fully aligned Microsoft software stack. I guess Microsoft partnership programs can provide some additional benefits too.

The issue I’d like to question is related to data layer. Most of large PLM deployments today are running on top of Oracle database. Oracle has their own cloud plans – Oracle cloud PaaS will provide a magic button for PLM. The availability of Oracle DB as part of Azure Cloud Platform can be questionable and become an issue to move PLM systems to Azure.

[Update 20-NOV-2014] – thanks Simon Floyd from Microsoft about providing an update about Azure and Oracle compatibility. Here is the link that will help you to learn how to run Oracle on Azure.

What is my conclusion? The devil is in the details. This is the best way to describe the status of cloud PLM software architecture today. PLM vendors are developing their own cloud strategies. Manufacturing companies are looking for the easiest path to the cloud. We will see some interesting moves from both sides. A good time for PLM architects and tech advisers. Just my thoughts…

Best, Oleg