Box Partners With Microsoft For Azure Cloud Content Management

Cloud-based file sharing service Box has partnered with Microsoft to provide enterprise customers with Cloud Content Management on Azure.

The two companies have committed to multiple shared go-to-market investments that are expected to become available later this year and Box will start using Azure as a strategic public cloud platform.

The partnership also includes scope for future integration between Azure’s artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning capabilities with Box’s cloud content management platform.

Cloud partnership

The two companies will collaborate on three primary initiatives: Box with Azure, Box Zones leveraging Azure and advanced machine learning and cognitive computing.

Box with Azure will enable businesses to purchase Box’s cloud management platform, along with some extended functionalities such as data governance options, while choosing to store their content in Microsoft’s cloud.

The Box Zones initiative, on the other hand, essentially boosts Box’s local presence and addresses data sovereignty concerns for organisations around the world by making use of Microsoft data centres.

Box Zones is currently available in eight countries, but Box will exploit Azure’s global footprint to extend coverage to forty more data centre regions around the world, giving customers choice and flexibility when it comes to local storage options.

Finally, Box will look at ways to integrate Azure’s Cognitive Services into its Cloud Content Management platform. One potential integration is advanced content processing technologies such as video indexing, which uses natural language processing to create metadata and power search functionalities.

“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, co-founder and CEO, Box. “Microsoft shares our vision to transform how people and organisations work and Box and Azure together can unlock incredible opportunities for innovation.”

Box recently announced another partnership with BT, joining its ‘cloud of clouds’ vision and starting work together in a number of different areas of the technology.

The company has also enjoyed some recent customer wins, being rolled out to more than 1,500 Virgin Trains employees to help drive internal collaboration and adding five more UK universities to its customer base.

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