sap11SAP is bringing its business database solution to Microsoft’s Azure cloud services, the company announced today.

SAP is pushing its own HANA databases as it moves away from running its business software on Oracle’s platform. But those databases, which are used by many Fortune 500 companies to run inventory and accounting systems, need to be kept somewhere, and Microsoft is a new option for enterprises.

This isn’t the first cloud provider SAP has teamed up with; Amazon attempted to draw some attention from its rival’s news with its own announcement about the momentum of SAP software on Amazon Web Services. Companies like GE, Kellogg’s and Lionsgate have chosen AWS to run SAP software.

But the news that Microsoft is teaming up with SAP is likely music to the ears of many IT managers. Not only will companies that already use both products see simplified inter-operation, but Microsoft’s Office 365 and SAP’s business software are also getting integrated for a more fluid and predictive experience.

For example, if you have a business trip logged in Outlook, SAP-owned Concur can intelligently help you book your flights and lodging with data on the calendar. Security is also simplified, thanks to integrations between SAP apps and Microsoft Intune.

The integrations are expected to roll out soon, along with Azure’s ability to handle HANA databases.

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