Microsoft is announcing today a new organization within the Server & Tools Business (STB) that combines the Windows Azure group with the Windows Server & Solutions group.  This new organization is called the Server & Cloud Division.

This is an exciting time for Windows Azure with the recent launch of the Windows Azure platform at Microsoft’s Professional Developer Conference (PDC).  The new organization presents a great opportunity for us to deliver more value to our customers and signifies that we’ve moved beyond an advanced development project to an important and growing  business for Microsoft.

This move better aligns our resources with our strategy – creating a single organization focused on delivering solutions for customers that span on-premises data centers and the cloud.

As our new teammates stated on their blog today, SCD comprises the following:

1. The Windows Azure Development team will move from under Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie to the Server & Tools Business, led by Bob Muglia, President, Server and Tools Division.  Senior Vice President Amitabh Srivastava will lead the newly formed SCD, reporting to Bob.
2. The Windows Server and Solutions group, led by Corporate Vice President Bill Laing, will join the Windows Azure team to form the Server & Cloud Division.  Bill will report to Amitabh and will continue his role as a key member of the STB leadership team.  Bill will partner with Amitabh to continue the bilateral sharing of technology between Windows Server and Windows Azure, which has been a key design goal of Microsoft’s software + services strategy.
3. The Windows Azure Business and Marketing team will continue to be led by Doug Hauger.  Doug will join the Server and Tools Marketing Group, led by Corporate Vice President Robert Wahbe, reporting to Corporate Vice President Bob Kelly, who is also responsible for Windows Server, System Center, and Forefront.

As SCD, together with our colleagues in Windows Server, we’ll ensure that customers get the full benefit of Microsoft offerings that span Microsoft’s public cloud, on-premises solutions, private clouds, and clouds that our partners host.

The Windows Azure team is excited to be joining the Server & Tools Business and working together with the Windows Server team to deliver our customers the best of software + services.