Microsoft Adding Persistent Virtual Machines to Windows Azure Enabling Customers to Host Linux, SharePoint and SQL Server

I was excited to read Mary Jo Foley post about how, “Microsoft is preparing to launch a new persistent virtual machine feature on its Azure cloud platform, enabling customers to host Linux, SharePoint and SQL Server there,” on her All About Microsoft blog on ZDNet.  Why is this a bid deal?  Mary explains elegantly when she writes, “The new persistent VM support also will allow customers to run SQL Server or SharePoint Server in VMs, as well. And it will enable customers to more easily move existing apps to the Azure platform.”

We are excited to see this new functionality come to Azure and help our customers leverage the platform to provide them with a secure, well-managed, and dynamic IT infrastructure that helps reduce overall IT costs, better use IT resources, and make IT a strategic asset for the business.