Delivering Scalable Cloud Services in China: Microsoft and 21Vianet Collaboration

Abstract

Microsoft Azure, operated by 21Vianet, is a specialized version of Microsoft cloud services for China that meets the requirements of regulatory compliance and data sovereignty. The pact signed in March 2014 was Microsoft's first foray into China, and at that point made them the first international public cloud provider in the country, working in line with local laws including the Cybersecurity Law and the Personal Information Protection Law, which insist on local storage and processing of data. Azure China operates as an instance entirely separate from the main Azure service operated by Microsoft, and is managed by 21Vianet, utilizing data centers in China for compliance and data residency locall. The partnership successfully combines 21Vianet's vast local infrastructure and knowledge sources with Microsoft's leading cloud technology and security framework, and has acquired over 100,000 Chinese enterprises, some of which are leading Chinese firms including Tencent and Xiaomi. Their partnership continues to grow, where Office 365 has become the leading SaaS platform in China. Driven by security and privacy in 21Vianet's operations including compliance mechanisms for consumer data protection and regulatory compliance. As China's digital economy continues to evolve, Microsoft and 21Vianet are continuing to grow their services and expand their infrastructure to support digital transformation and sustainability in accordance with national programs including the 14th Five-Year Plan.