Microsoft is previewing a service called Azure Orbital Cloud Access that extends Microsoft Cloud via satellite access and has demonstrated a fully virtualized iDirect modem. Azure Orbital Cloud Access enables low-latency (1-hop) access to the cloud from anywhere on the planet.
Specifically, Azure Orbital Cloud Access delivers prioritized network traffic through SpaceX’s Starlink connectivity and Azure edge devices, providing customers with access to Microsoft cloud services anywhere Starlink operates.
Microsoft says Azure Orbital Cloud Access will manage the entire solution for customers, charging on a simple monthly subscription basis and a pay-as-you-go satellite communications consumption model.The product also natively integrates with SD-WAN technology from Juniper Networks, which enables customers to prioritize connectivity between fiber, cellular, and satellite communications networks. The Azure Orbital Cloud Access Preview is currently available for Azure Government customers.
Microsoft Azure Orbital Ground Station is now in general availability.
In addition, SES and Microsoft announced new joint satellite communications virtualization program.
SES is the Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) network partner for Microsoft Azure orbital. The partnership involves the co-location of ground stations of O3b mPOWER, SES’s second-generation MEO constellation, with Azure Cloud regions. This will ensure customers one-hop and direct cloud access for secure and reliable delivery of Azure services and applications. The new program will create the world’s first fully virtualized satellite communications ground network by focusing on software-defined hubs, customer edge terminals, new virtual network functions, edge cloud applications, etc. This virtualization will align cloud and satellite network architectures and enable 5G technology to be used in commercial satellite networks.
SES signs on as MEO satellite partner for Microsoft Azure Orbital
SES signed a multi-year agreement with Microsoft to be an Azure Orbital partner as well as to accelerate and expand the use of Microsoft Azure across its operations and jointly develop cloud-based video and data connectivity managed services.
Under the arrangement, SES will be co-locating and managing O3b mPOWER gateways with Microsoft Azure locations so its customers are always only “one-hop” away from their Azure cloud services anywhere in the world. More specifically, SES will be the medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite partner for Microsoft Azure Orbital. The two companies also agreed to make joint investments in Azure Orbital ground stations for the MEO and Earth Observation segments that SES will deploy and manage based on its industry expertise, with the first Earth Observation gateway being located at Quincy, Western Australia.
The Microsoft partnership is expected to bring improved network performance for SES customers as they route over Microsoft’s global network and inject value-added, cloud-based managed services such as enhanced security, SD-WAN, and other network functions into the service chain.
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