Box,
Inc. and Microsoft Corp. today announced an
expanded partnership to jointly offer Box cloud content management with
Azure to enterprise customers. Box will use Azure as a strategic public
cloud platform and the companies commit to shared go-to-market
investments, including initiatives to co-sell Box with Azure. In
addition, the partnership will enable future integration between Azure's
artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities with Box's
cloud content management platform.
"Azure
is a trusted partner in the enterprise and we're thrilled to be
integrating our technologies and going to market with Microsoft," said
Aaron Levie, cofounder and CEO, Box. "Microsoft shares our vision to
transform how people and organizations work and Box and Azure together
can unlock incredible opportunities for innovation."
"Box
shares our focus and commitment to empowering enterprises on their
digital transformation journey," said Scott Guthrie, executive vice
president of Microsoft's cloud and enterprise division. "With this new
partnership, we ensure customers can take advantage of Box's platform on
Azure, and look forward to future innovations using Azure's intelligent
cloud services."
The companies intend to collaborate on initiatives, including:
Box with Azure
Businesses
globally will be able to purchase Box's cloud content management
platform, as well as extended functionality like Box Governance, while
choosing to store their Box content on Azure.
Advanced Machine Learning and Cognitive Computing
Box
will explore integrating Azure's best-in-class Cognitive Services to
extend the capabilities of Box's cloud content management solution.
Potential integrations might include advanced content processing
technologies like video indexing, which uses natural language processing
to generate metadata and power advanced search capabilities. Customers
in media and entertainment, for example, could potentially use the
technology to discover related content or make recommendations for their
Box content.
Box Zones leveraging Azure
Introduced
in April 2016, Box Zones helps businesses address data sovereignty
concerns by enabling in-region data storage. Currently, Box Zones is
available in eight countries. Over time, Box intends to leverage Azure's
global footprint to expand Box Zones coverage to many more regions
while also giving customers choice and flexibility in local storage
options. Today, Azure has announced 40 datacenter regions around the
world - more than any other cloud provider - giving customers the
flexibility and scale needed to transform their businesses.
Pricing and Availability
The
new Box and Azure offering is expected to be available later this year.
More information on pricing and geographic availability will be shared
at a later date.