Open Source Cloud Based Services are Being Developed by Microsoft

Microsoft is seeking to stay competitive in the cloud based applications market by partnering up with some open source software development projects. Find out what they are up to.
Cloud computing is something that has been a popular topic of discussion on technology news sites everywhere. In its simplest form cloud computing is like a type of PC remote access application that allows files to be stored and software to run on a series of remote servers. Contrary to the typical client/server based model, the user doesn’t log into a specific server, but rather to a series of them which have the necessary applications for them to use. Many companies such as Google, with the release and expansion of Google Apps, as well as Apple, with iCloud have made some significant progress with regards to the cloud. But Microsoft doesn’t want to get left behind and they are also working on some cloud related projects at the moment.
One thing that would be surprising is that some of these projects are open source ones. This may surprise a few people, because so far most of Microsoft’s solutions, including remote desktop software and other programs, have been proprietary solutions, even if many of them are distributed for free to users. But the participation of Microsoft in the open source software market shouldn’t come as too big of a surprise to technology experts and those who follow the latest IT trends. Since so many of the cloud based applications that are being used in business are now based on open source platforms that are available freely and can be customized to fit the needs of the end users, it is no surprise that Microsoft would be taking an interest in these, if only for the sake of retaining a market share when it comes to cloud based application development.
An example of these open source projects taken on by Microsoft would be a cloud management tool which was known before as the DotNetPanel. It has been acquired by Microsoft and is now available freely, having been released as an open source tool. However, the name has been changed to WebSitePanel. This is a very useful tool for those who use a cloud model based on Hyper V as it allows the easy creation and management of virtual machines that can be accessed by remote access software.
This open source tool has been welcomed by many operators of cloud based solutions, as it makes provisioning virtual machines for their users a lot simpler and less expensive. The WebSitePanel is just an example of Microsoft’s entry into the open source world. There is currently a lot of speculation going on about future products that they may release on an open source basis; however details about these have not yet been released by Microsoft. But they are definitely something that is worth looking at for those who have an interest in cloud based technology.