Accenture helped Microsoft transform its Azure supply chain
with a control tower solution that better manages network-wide
inventory, generates additional cloud revenue and enhances employee
efficiency.
With more than 4 million servers across 200 data centers-and as many as
100 new data centers expected every year-Microsoft needed a solution to
enable it to better track and manage its supply chain as cloud demand
continues to grow dramatically. Accenture was selected to help develop a
data-led transformation strategy and build a digital supply chain
solution that would enable Microsoft to track and manage inventory and
racks across the end-to-end ecosystem of partners, suppliers and hubs to
its datacenters across more than 30 countries.
Accenture and Microsoft's Cloud Supply Chain developed two control
towers: one to track and record the location of cloud inventory-such as
server rack and other data center components-both in transit and at
rest; and another to help the operations teams coordinate the deployment
of that inventory to the datacenters with the most pressing capacity
needs. The control tower solution, built on Microsoft Azure, creates a
digital twin of Microsoft's fast-growing supply chain for cloud
inventory shipments, deliveries and logistics operations.
"Microsoft can now manage the Azure supply chain for its cloud
infrastructure purposefully and address disruptions far faster," said
Teran Andes, managing director, Supply Chain & Operations at
Accenture. "The operational and inventory control towers we developed
have already driven substantial effectiveness gains and are expected to
provide increased resilience and significant financial benefits. The
project is an example of how cloud and digital twin solutions contribute
to a total enterprise reinvention."
Jodi Larson, general manager of Microsoft Azure Supply Chain Strategy
and Transformation, added: "The control tower solution is a core pillar
of our Azure Supply Chain, that's enabling us to achieve better and
faster data-driven decisions. With the power of Microsoft Azure, and
Accenture's innovative delivery, this solution can serve as a blueprint
for data-led transformation across industries."