Softsource has launched Australasia's first Microsoft Azure certified for hybrid cloud data center, with the launch of its next generation infrastructure-as-a-service offering.

The elite endorsement certifies that the systems integrator's entrada platform is Azure compliant and adheres to world standards, enabling Kiwi businesses access to a world class hybrid data center solution incorporating both locally hosted and public clouds, through a single source.

The hybrid model incorporates a mix of local cloud and Azure hosted virtual machines on demand and allows businesses to transverse platforms through a single point of control, as and when required.

Brent Kendrick, Microsoft New Zealand director of small midmarket solutions and partner group, says Softsource is the first Microsoft Partner in Australasia to achieve Microsoft Azure Certified Status, which comes for its entrada Hybrid IaaS cloud solution.

Kendrick says the certification means customers can be confident that hosting providers are delivering world class hybrid cloud solutions.

“This is because it is built on a reference architecture that is robust and provides the flexibility to leverage the benefits of both locally hosted and public cloud scenarios,” Kendrick says.

Pablos Garcia-Curtis, Softsource general manager, says the hybrid IaaS platform means customers can choose where critical data and workloads reside, whether in New Zealand or in Microsoft's global data centers.

“Essentially, we take care of the plumbing, so customers are assured that access to these services, whether from a desktop computer, mobile or tablet device, irrespective of whether in a public or private cloud domain, is seamless and centrally managed on one consistent identity platform,” Garcia-Curtis says.

He says this eliminates most of the cost and complexity usually associated with networking and integrating public and private cloud environments, ensuring that security and compliance standards are met, including archiving and data loss prevention.