OREANDA-NEWS. October 3, 2011. Microsoft and Rostelecom have signed an agreement of intent on collaboration about building an innovative and open platform to be used for providing cloud computing services in Russia.

The document was signed by Microsoft President in Russia Nikolai Pryanishnikov and Rostelecom CEO Alexander Provotorov in the presence of the telecommunications minister Igor Shchegolev. In accordance with the signed agreement, the parties are determined to collaborate in rolling out and promoting IT services for state and commercial organizations. Services are to be provided using Rostelecom’s cloud computing platform with open interfaces.

The parties also agreed to work out and develop on the basis of Rostelecom the Center for Expertise of Cloud Technology and Solutions, which is intended to fill the cloud platform with applied services and provide backing to Russian IT companies which would like to roll out cloud applications. The Center will also be used as a venue for showcasing the possibilities of the cloud platform, training service users and IT experts, and also seminars and conferences devoted to cloud computing.

According to the Telecommunications Minister Igor Schegolev, “the rollout of Russia’s national cloud platform is one of the top priority areas for the development of the domestic IT industry. The signing of the agreement between national telecommunications operator Rostelecom and Microsoft, the largest global IT company, will become a serious stimulus for the rollout of Russian cloud applications.

“The signed agreement will make it possible for us to make the most efficient use of Microsoft’s rich experience in developing software and implementing cloud technology in the most various spheres of activity, including the setup of an Electronic Government in Russia”, said Rostelecom president Alexander Provotorov.

“We are upbeat about the outlook for collaboration with Rostelecom. Microsoft builds its long-term strategy on the certainty that the future is for cloud technology. They make IT solutions more affordable and advanced, which means that they will allow the economy, the state and society to function even more efficiently. We’re confident that our solutions and expertise in implementing cloud projects all over the world can also be used in Russia. And we’re happy to collaborate with Rostelecom for the purpose of developing cloud technology in the country, which is a strategically important region for Microsoft”, said Nikolai Pryanshnikov, president of Microsoft in Russia.

Cloud computing is a new business model used for providing information technology as a service. The main advantage of this model is that there are no expenses for the purchase, installation, upgrade and support of the operability of expensive server equipment and software.

Rosteleccom was one of the first companies in Russia to create solutions aimed at rolling out cloud technology. When these decisions are used information is processed and stored in the company’s resource base.

In accordance with a Resolution of the Russian Government, Rostelecom is the sole contractor for measures performed under the federal special-purpose program Information Society (2011-2020) with respect to the rollout of a Russian national cloud computing platform.

Rostelecom’s in-house infrastructure includes protected telecommunications channels, data processing centers, etc., and its experience in implementing large national projects will also make it possible for the company to meet these challenges, both on the federal and regional level.