Microsoft to sell Box storage to Azure customers

Microsoft has announced a new tie-up with Box that will extend the intelligence and reach of its Azure cloud platform.

Under the terms of the deal, Box will now use Azure as a strategic cloud platform, with a new "Box on Azure" now being offered out to enterprise customers around the world.

However the partnership will also see Box getting the chance to use Azure’s artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities for the first time.

This could potentially soon mean that Box customers would be able to use highly advanced tools such as advanced content processing, and voice control, to power advanced search options when storing large amounts of data online.

For example, customers in the media and entertainment sectors could potentially use the new services to discover related content or make recommendations for their Box content.

Box would also now be able to use Azure technology to streamline and automate metadata creation, as well as then using this metadata to add intelligence across the entire platform.

"Azure is a trusted partner in the enterprise and we’re thrilled to be integrating our technologies and going to market with Microsoft," says Aaron Levie, Box cofounder and CEO. "Microsoft shares our vision to transform how people and organizations work and Box and Azure together can unlock incredible opportunities for innovation."

Box and Microsoft have been partners for some time, having previously come together in the past to develop integrations between the former’s online storage capability and the latter’s widely-used Office products.

"Box shares our focus and commitment to empowering enterprises on their digital transformation journey," says Scott Guthrie, executive vice president of Microsoft’s cloud and enterprise division. "With this new partnership, we ensure customers can take advantage of Box’s platform on Azure, and look forward to future innovations using Azure’s intelligent cloud services."

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