Adding to the announcements stemming from its Fusion 2000 Conference last week, Microsoft has also teamed up with Electronic Data Systems Corporation (EDS).
Under this partnership, EDS launched last week an on-demand hosting service for Microsoft and its Microsoft-based products. This will allow businesses to rent Microsoft apps on a per user, per month basis.
According to Microsoft , this offering will be part of its newly announced, subscription-based licensing program (see related ASP-News story, Microsoft Outlines its ASP Licensing Model,July 15th, 2000).
“We see out Microsoft on-demand capabilities as a major step along the path of viewing software as a service,” John Wilkerson, president, EDS Indirect Market Channels.
He continued to say that the Exchange 2000 product introduces a new level of functionality for the knowledge worker. “It is a critical element of a robust set of productivity and business applications,” he said.
The launch of the hosting service classifies EDS as a Microsoft ASP, making the service available to business customers of EDS and its wholesale channel partners.
Ian Rogoff, vice president, partner group and enterprise services, Microsoft, believes that the combined forces of EDS’ expertise in managed services operations and the company’s new Windows DNA 2000 platform will jumpstart the ability of its mutual partners to provide a hosted solution to their customers.
“EDS’ on-demand services will enable software developers and partners to quickly start offering highly reliable and available software as a subscription service,” he said.
The EDS service includes app hosting services that allow customers and channel partners to deliver their own Windows 2000-based software to end users and also delivers a full range of Microsoft and partner apps in an on-demand model.
