Collaboration will combine the firms’ solutions and move many Nokia products to Azure
Elly Yates-Roberts |
Microsoft and Nokia have partnered to accelerate Industry 4.0 for enterprise customers and communications service providers (CSPs). Their collaboration with combine their solutions and move many of Nokia’s product to the Microsoft Azure cloud.
The combined offering aims to accelerate digital transformation for enterprises by offering Azure internet of things (IoT) solutions that customers can leverage in, for example, digital factories, smart cities, warehouses, healthcare settings, and transportation hubs.
“Bringing together Microsoft’s expertise in intelligent cloud solutions and Nokia’s strength in building business and mission-critical networks will unlock new connectivity and automation scenarios,” said Jason Zander, executive vice president of Microsoft Azure. “We’re excited about the opportunities this will create for our joint customers across industries.”
One of the fruits of the collaboration is the Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC), an industrial-grade private wireless broadband solution with on-premises Azure elements. It will enable a range of industrial automation solutions that require more reliable connectivity, efficient coverage and better mobility, for example connected smart machines on manufacturing floors.
Nokia’s Nuage SD-WAN 2.0 solution now enables service providers to offer integration with Microsoft Azure Virtual WAN for branch to cloud connectivity. As such, enterprises can have faster access to cloud applications, integrated security and reduced risk.
The companies are also integrating Nokia’s Worldwide IoT Network Grid (WING) with Azure IoT Central to simplify the onboarding, deployment, management and servicing of IoT solutions for CSPs.
Microsoft will also host Nokia’s Analytics, Virtualization and Automation (AVA) cognitive services solutions on Azure, enabling CSPs to move their data to the cloud to reduce costs and prepare operations for 5G.
“We are thrilled to unite Nokia’s mission-critical networks with Microsoft’s cloud solutions,” said Kathrin Buvac, president of Nokia Enterprise. “Together, we will accelerate the digital transformation journey towards Industry 4.0, driving economic growth and productivity for both enterprises and service providers.”