How does Microsoft differentiate Windows Azure from Windows Server?
Windows Azure and Windows Server are separate platforms designed to integrate easily so that customers have a choice about the platform that most directly addresses their business needs. Windows Azure is a cloud services operating system that enables customers to create scalable and available web applications; While Windows Server addresses the on-premises and hosting market. Going forward, Windows Azure and Windows Server will share innovations bilaterally.
Although Windows Server and Windows Azure at-times will address overlapping application workloads, one is an operating system with a software licensing model while the other is a cloud operating system as a service, running in Microsoft’s global datacenters, available in pay-as-you go or commitment rate plan models to developers and customers. These offerings provide our customers with the flexibility to choose the platform and business model best suits their technology needs. Windows Server is an enterprise-class operating system that addresses a broad set of on-premises scenarios including core infrastructure workloads (print, security, networking, etc.), web applications, business applications and scenarios where on-premises IT infrastructure is needed to full-fill regulatory, data privacy, or performance requirements. Windows Server is not a service offering and is not based on a pay-as-you-go consumption model. Windows Server is licensed per server or per processor and covers an e
