NTT, Microsoft to collaborate on enterprise network initiatives
NTT Corp. (NTT) and Microsoft Corp. have announced a multi-year strategic alliance that will see the two companies combining their expertise to benefit enterprise customers. The work will combine NTT’s ICT infrastructure, managed services, and cybersecurity know-how with Microsoft’s cloud platform and artificial intelligence capabilities. Concurrently, NTT has selected Microsoft Azure as its preferred cloud platform.
Initially, NTT and Microsoft will focus on three initiatives:
- Creation of a Global Digital Fabric, which will integrate Microsoft Cloud and NTT’s global ICT infrastructure to benefit enterprises as they digitally transform. The fabric will leverage the two companies’ work in productivity offerings, public cloud, global data center, and network infrastructure.
- Development of “digital solutions” based on Microsoft Azure to enable secure connectivity from the enterprise to the edge to the cloud. Key pieces will include analytics for cybersecurity threat intelligence, social robotics with relational AI for digital companions, digital workplace offerings, and knowledge discovery and management.
- Research and development in such areas as all-photonic networking and digital twin computing as part of NTT’s Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) concept.
“NTT and Microsoft have a long history of collaboration, and this strategic alliance will further deepen our partnership. We share the same vision of empowering enterprises and society with intelligent and secure technologies for a better and more sustainable future,” said Jun Sawada, president and CEO of NTT.
“Our strategic alliance combines NTT’s global infrastructure and services expertise with the power of Azure,” added Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft. “Together, we will build new solutions spanning AI, cybersecurity, and hybrid cloud, as we work to help enterprise customers everywhere accelerate their digital transformation.”
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Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn as well as Twitter.