Colt furthers collaboration with Microsoft, enabling enterprises’ end-to-end cloud migrations

Colt Technology Services is furthering its collaboration with Microsoft, being named a launch partner for Microsoft Azure Peering Service as well as joining the Azure Networking Managed Service Provider (MSP) Programme.

Colt’s deepening relationship with Microsoft allows the business to assist at every stage of the cloud migration journey, whether that’s in identifying the required network infrastructure to achieve the desired level of application or providing the actual premium internet connectivity for Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams.

Until today, enterprises could connect to the cloud via public internet or via dedicated connectivity provided by Azure ExpressRoute and an ExpressRoute partner such as Colt.

The launch of Azure Peering Service adds a third option, allowing enterprises to benefit from a direct interconnection between Colt’s IP Access offering and the public Microsoft Network without intermediate providers. This helps ensure reliable performance, low latency, optimised routing and the best quality experiences for Microsoft 365 services.

Azure Peering Service addresses many of the typical challenges experienced by users connecting to the cloud over public internet – unpredictable performance, availability and latency. Through this new service, Colt can give customers a predictable level of performance on a global scale through 16 IP peering points, while being able to use a public IP addressing plan.

To further strengthen Colt’s positioning in the Azure ecosystem, Colt is also joining the Azure Networking Managed Service Provider Programme. This gives Azure enterprise customers access to an industry-leading networking experience which helps them to connect, operationalise, and scale the adoption of their cloud services on Azure.

Colt is a Gold Partner of Microsoft and has been an Azure Express Route partner since 2014, providing high-quality, on-demand access to applications in Microsoft’s cloud. These two new elements will now enable Colt to offer a market-leading experience for applications in Azure.

Colt’s Vice President Product Portfolio, Peter Coppens said: “We know that many organisations are in the process of migrating their on-premises operations either partially or fully to the cloud. During such a digital transformation, organisations must have a connectivity provider that not only has the product set to facilitate these migrations, but also one that supports them through the transition.”

Coppens continued, “We are thrilled to be furthering our collaboration with Microsoft because we know that their cloud and software offerings coupled with Colt’s connectivity proposition have the power to enable enterprises as they shift towards the next generation workplace.”

Ross Ortega, Partner Program Manager, Azure Networking at Microsoft Corp. said, “Colt has been a Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute partner providing on-demand and high quality dedicated connectivity to Microsoft Azure. We are pleased to expand our relationship with Colt joining two of our Azure Networking programs, as one of our launch partners for Azure Peering Service and the Azure Networking Managed Service Provider (MSP) Program.”

This announcement follows earlier news that Colt launched Colt Intelligent Communications – an enterprise solution integrating the power of Microsoft 365 and Teams with Colt’s voice and data networks for a unique one-stop IT capability. This is one more offering that organisations can use to fuel their collaboration and future innovations. 

Colt customers can utilise Azure Peering Service and can also benefit from Colt’s involvement in the Azure Networking Managed Service Provider programme from today.