Microsoft and NEC have announced their current partnership will be expanded into a new multi-year strategic collaboration. Microsoft has been a partner with Japanese electronics company NEC for decades and now the companies will put more focus on working together.
Specifically, the pair will develop solutions for customers through Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, and 5G and IT technologies from NEC Corporation. Both will also leverage their expertise in AI and IoT for new products for enterprise customers.
The goal is to help organizations as they increasingly shift into the cloud. To help drive this concept, NEC will use Microsoft Azure as its preferred cloud platform to help customers digitize into the cloud. It is worth noting that preferred platform does not mean NEC will use Azure exclusively.
NEC Digital Workplace tools will get a boost from Microsoft Azure through Azure Virtual Desktop across the company's 110,000 global employees. NEC already uses Microsoft 365, but the new partnership will ensure a cloud environment that is more secure.
“As we've seen over the past year, digital adoption curves are accelerating across every industry and business function,” said Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO, Microsoft. “Our strategic partnership with NEC brings together the power of Azure and Microsoft 365 with NEC's services and infrastructure expertise to help public and private sector customers build resilience and transform during this era of rapid change.”
Building Solutions
Microsoft and NEC will use each other products, including Intelligent Edge and 5G technologies to bring a broader set of solutions to customers across industries. NEC will use AI from both companies alongside Azure to bring more secure operations.
“NEC is pleased to enter into this strategic collaboration with Microsoft Corp.,” said Takayuki Morita, president and CEO of NEC Corporation. “With Microsoft's trusted cloud and services, the experience that NEC has cultivated in its own systems, and both companies' AI and IoT technologies, we will enable companies globally to use digital services that are safer and more secure than ever before as they progress with digital initiatives.”
In the official announcement blog post, Microsoft points out the new strategic partnership builds on a 40-year relationship with NEC.
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