Days of Our Windows Lives
If you've paid attention to recent moves by Microsoft, it's natural to wonder who's driving the hybrid model? As we reported last Tuesday, Windows Azure and the Windows Server and Solutions Groups were combined in a new Server and Cloud division. Under the new org chart, the SCD is part of the Server and Tools Business, led by Microsoft President Bob Muglia.
"Putting [Azure] in with the server products is appropriate and better than a separate entity because one of the assets that Microsoft has in cloud is the ability to weave the strengths of its current on-premises product-line into the nascent Azure and create an integrated strategy, which can potentially differentiate Microsoft from pure-play cloud entrants," observed Al Hilwa, program director, Application Development Software, IDC, in an email.
In a RedDevNews article this week about the SCD, Directions on Microsoft's Rob Sanfilippo commented:
"Azure has been in more of an incubatory state and has thus been able to change direction quickly, such as with the redesign of SQL Azure database (formerly SQL Data Services) to move from an entity-based model to a transaction-supporting relational database. In its new group, Azure may have less leeway to make quick innovations like that."
And what about moving the Azure team out from under Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie, considered by many to be the frontman for Windows Azure? The dev team is now part of the SCD headed by Amitabh Srivastava, a senior VP who reports to Muglia.
"I don't think Ozzie will be much less busy as he has the full architecture agenda for Microsoft and his work is really cut out for him in terms of the various transitions that Microsoft faces towards a web-centric/light client world, the shift from PC to mobile devices as well as infusing cloud aspects into other parts of Microsoft in a more systematic basis," said Hilwa.
Microsoft asserts that Ray Ozzie's role on Azure had not changed. But an article today on
xconomy examines some of the machinations that have occurred recently in Redmond, implying that the hardball politics in the executive suites at Microsoft may not be Ozzie's strong suit:
"One former Microsoft executive told me that this re-org comes on the heels of Ozzie losing a power struggle over Windows Live to Steven Sinofsky, president of the Windows Division, earlier this year."
Hilwa sees the new Server and Cloud division as a move to serious productization and monetization. "From an application development perspective, it is a transition probably on the scale of the shift to .NET about 8 or 9 years ago," he said.
Do you agree with Hilwa? Express your take on recent Azure developments below or drop me a line at krichards@1105media.com
Posted by Kathleen Richards on 12/15/2009 at 11:31 AM