Enterprise Applications: Microsoft's TechEd 2012 Focuses on Windows Server 2012, Cloud, Tools

ORLANDO, Fla.—Microsoft kicked off its 20th annual TechEd North America conference by highlighting the software giant's new Windows Server 2012 operating system, its cloud platform and supporting tools. Microsoft Server and Tools Business President Satya Nadella welcomed a sold-out crowd of more than 10,000 attendees to what the company is calling the era of the cloud operating system for infrastructure. At the opening of the event, which kicked off here June 11, Nadella described how the cloud OS drives both the modern data center and enables the development and management of modern applications, demonstrating how customers can benefit from this transformation with agility, focus and lower costs. Nadella also announced updates to Microsoft's developer tools and the availability of the next release of Windows Intune, the company's cloud-based solution for PC and mobile-device management and security. Windows Server 2012 is a cloud-optimized server OS for customers of all sizes, and Windows Azure, updated with new services and features, delivers both infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and platform as a service (PaaS) capabilities. Built to complement each other with consistent development, management and identity, these new offerings, according to Microsoft, make it easier to create, migrate, deploy and manage applications across public, private and hybrid clouds.