Competition among big players in the emerging but profitable cloud computing segment is about to heat up. In a recent announcement made on Wednesday, Microsoft confirmed its acquisition of storage solutions firm Avere, a move specifically targeted to boost revenue by addressing the unique needs among companies in the middle of transitioning to a cloud-driven framework.

As Microsoft puts it, Avere is “a leading provider of high-performance NFS and SMB file-based storage for Linux and Windows clients running in cloud, hybrid and on-premises environments.” In other words, Avere will cater to companies who are still in the process of moving to purely cloud-based systems by providing solutions that allow them to use cloud computing resources while still utilizing on-premises data storage.

[blog] Avere Systems is Acquired by Microsoft | Architecting IT https://t.co/LWY0wPR8GQ pic.twitter.com/E0CLLKcBMt

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Of course, it is also a brilliant marketing move for Microsoft’s cloud computing business. By offering this type of service early on, it is more likely to retain the businesses of these companies even after they reach the end of the cloud migration process.

In addition, Avere is currently working with Amazon Web Services and the Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft’s top two competitors in the cloud computing business. Microsoft’s acquisition of Avere presents a rare opportunity to increase market share if it can somehow manage to lure in those companies currently being served by Avere.

Microsoft’s business thrust in its cloud computing division can be described as a hybrid approach when compared to that of Amazon and Google. Its Azure Stack private cloud software basically offers the same features as that of the Azure public could. At the same time, the company still offers database and server software for corporate data centers.

Microsoft prides itself on offering the most flexible solution, a feature that could be of immense help for businesses still in the process of transitioning to a purely cloud-driven framework. Avere CEO Ron Bianchini had this to say about Microsoft:

 “Over the years, Microsoft has made significant investments to provide its customers with the most flexible, secure and scalable storage solutions in the marketplace and has made Azure the natural home for enterprise applications. This shared focus on large enterprise applications makes Microsoft a great fit for Avere.”

At the moment, Microsoft has not disclosed the amount it had to shell out to acquire Avere. The deal could be finalized in the coming months after passing through the customary approval process.

Featured Image by Microsoft