Parallels, a hosting and cloud services enablement leader, today announced its partners have grown their Microsoft Hosted Exchange seats by 47 percent year-over-year, demonstrating that service providers can get to the cloud and grow with Parallels combination of software, ecosystem and expertise. Parallels Automation is now enabling the delivery of Microsoft-hosted applications and other services for hundreds of service providers worldwide, including AppRiver, BlackNight, Charter Communications, Cobweb, Dualtec/Nomer, Insight, KT, KPN, LuxCloud, Outsourcery, Portugal Telecom (PT), SKB Kontur, SoftCom, STAR, TDC, TMNet, UOL Diveo and UPC.

"The ongoing growth in hosted business e-mail services based on Microsoft Exchange Server demonstrates why Parallels and its partners are important as Microsoft continues to build its network of hosting providers and reselling partners," said Sara Radicati, CEO of The Radicati Group, a technology market research firm. The firm's report on "Hosted Email Market, 2011-2015" forecasts that worldwide revenues from basic mailboxes in the hosted business e-mail segment is expected to grow to nearly $3.6 billion by year-end 2015, representing an average annual growth rate of 17 percent since 2011.

At Microsoft's recent Worldwide Partner Conference, Parallels also presented the first public demo of Parallels Automation for Windows Server 2012. This demo integrated the Community Technology Preview (CTP) of Microsoft's new-high density web site and virtual machine hosting technologies for hosting service providers. By taking advantage of the Application Packaging Standard, Parallels was able to quickly integrate the recently released CTP. The demo illustrated how these easy-to-deploy technologies will allow hosting service providers to reduce costs associated with onboarding and servicing customers, while increasing resource utilization and driving up operating margins.

"Choosing the right partners to move to the cloud is a critical decision," said Microsoft Executive Jon Roskill. "Parallels continues to demonstrate why they are a smart choice for service providers who are seeking to quickly deploy and deliver the entire suite of Microsoft hosted applications."

"Parallels delivers value to service providers who want to launch Microsoft applications in a syndicated or hosted environment," said Birger Steen, CEO of Parallels. "From early support for the latest technologies such as Windows Server 2012, to the success of Parallels Automation for delivering a vast portfolio of Microsoft cloud and hosted applications, Parallels has become the partner of choice for the world's leading service providers and hosters."

Parallels service provider software portfolio includes a rich set of capabilities, including the latest version of Parallels Automation 5.4, which was released on June 4. Parallels Automation 5.4 delivers hundreds of applications, including hosted Microsoft Lync services, that appeal to SMBs seeking to utilize cloud-based messaging, collaboration and unified communications across desktops, laptops and mobile devices. Microsoft Lync also includes built-in web and call conferencing support and is a natural upsell to those SMBs already utilizing Microsoft Exchange. Parallels Automation 5.4 provides billing automation and provisioning of Microsoft Lync and other Microsoft services, while enabling integration of third-party hosted applications from leading ISVs.