CDW’s journey with Microsoft’s on-premises Azure Local solution is a prime example of how forward-thinking IT leaders are reshaping the hybrid cloud landscape. In today’s world, where digital transformation is not just a buzzword but a business imperative, CDW’s innovative approach demonstrates how businesses can leverage new technologies to boost performance, streamline operations, and effectively manage costs.
By integrating Azure Local into its existing framework, CDW immediately reaped the rewards of enhanced performance and operational efficiency. The solution complements other Azure services already in the company’s arsenal—such as Azure Kubernetes Service for containerization, Azure SQL Managed Instance for robust database management, and Azure ExpressRoute for secure and fast connectivity between geographically dispersed facilities. This multifaceted approach allows CDW to address varied business and IT challenges with a single, comprehensive strategy.
This strategic partnership meant that CDW was not only investing in a tool but in an entire ecosystem. With HPE GreenLake’s flexible infrastructure as a foundation, Azure Local could easily be integrated, providing a seamless extension of CDW’s existing IT capabilities. The combination of these technologies allowed for precise workload placements, ensuring that every application operated in the optimal environment for performance and cost-effectiveness.
• Hyperconvergence: By streamlining traditional infrastructure—merging storage, computing, and networking—into a single cohesive unit, CDW has laid the groundwork for a more resilient and manageable data center environment.
• Hybrid Cloud: Azure Local epitomizes the hybrid cloud model by enabling fluid movement between on-premises and public cloud workloads. This not only enhances flexibility but also ensures that applications run where they’re most efficient, regardless of location.
• Hypervisor Alternative: With an alternative hypervisor in play, CDW gained the freedom to choose management tools that deliver a unified, single-pane-of-glass experience. This improves visibility across the entire infrastructure, making troubleshooting and performance monitoring simpler and more effective.
In the words of CDW’s Head Architect for Platform Engineering, their choice to adopt Azure Local was a strategic decision that “hit all three checkboxes” in a way that dovetailed perfectly with their ongoing investments. Such an approach empowers organizations to react swiftly to evolving business demands while maintaining stability—one of the primary challenges in today’s dynamic IT environment.
Performance metrics further validate this success:
• Disk I/O Performance: Post-migration, nearly all virtual machines demonstrated disk input/output performance that met or exceeded previous benchmarks. This improvement is a reminder that hybrid solutions can surpass the capabilities of legacy systems.
• SQL Instance Enhancements: In a particularly impressive development, SQL instances operating on Azure Local almost doubled the performance of traditional setups. For businesses that depend on data-driven decision-making, such enhancements translate directly into faster query responses and smoother application performance.
• Network Throughput: Leveraging a 25-gigabit backplane on Azure Local nodes provided a significant boost in network connectivity. This ensures that even the most data-intensive workflows are handled with minimal latency—a crucial improvement for both end-users and IT administrators.
These technical gains are more than just numbers; they represent a tangible transformation in how data centers can optimize resources and lower operational costs. In fact, CDW’s strategy not only delivered superior IT performance but also helped the company save up to $3 million—a testament to the financial prudence of investing in adaptive, hybrid solutions.
The simplified management experience—thanks to a single pane of glass that unifies oversight of both on-premises and cloud environments—has reduced the complexity traditionally associated with managing disparate systems. For IT teams tasked with constantly juggling multiple platforms, this integrated approach provides clarity and operational efficiency. As organizations continue to pivot toward hybrid cloud models, such unified management strategies will be indispensable.
• Flexibility is Key: The ability to swiftly migrate workloads both to and from the cloud through Azure Arc’s resource bridge enhances operational adaptability. This flexibility is crucial in today’s fast-paced business environment.
• Performance Matters: The significant improvements in disk I/O and SQL performance underscore that modern hybrid infrastructures can deliver the speed and efficiency needed to support today’s demanding applications.
• Financial Benefits: With potential savings reaching millions, cost management should be a central consideration in any IT transformation strategy. Investments in scalable, adaptive infrastructures pay dividends not just in performance, but also in long-term operational savings.
• Integrated Partnerships: Collaborating with established partners like HPE can accelerate deployment timelines while ensuring that the latest in technological innovations is seamlessly adopted. It’s a reminder that in the IT world, strategic alliances are as vital as the technology itself.
Moreover, CDW’s experience illustrates that a well-executed hybrid cloud strategy can serve as a catalyst for broader digital transformation initiatives. By aligning infrastructure investments with specific performance and cost metrics, organizations can ensure that their IT environments are not only robust and secure but also agile enough to meet emerging business challenges head-on.
For Windows IT professionals, the implications are clear: stay alert to emerging trends, embrace adaptable solutions, and consider how a hybrid approach might fit within the broader strategy of your organization. Azure Local is more than just a new product—it’s a sign of the times, a harbinger of a more flexible, responsive, and cost-effective future in IT infrastructure.
As organizations continue to navigate the complexities of digital transformation, the key takeaway is that innovation doesn’t always require a complete overhaul. Sometimes, it’s about smart integration, strategic alliances, and the courage to reimagine traditional infrastructure. For Windows IT professionals and decision-makers, the evolution of hybrid cloud models like Azure Local is a call to explore new possibilities and embrace the future of agile, high-performance computing.
By following in CDW’s footsteps, businesses can not only meet the demands of today’s IT challenges but also pave the way for a future where flexibility, performance, and cost efficiency harmoniously coexist.
Source: Microsoft CDW adds hybrid cloud flexibility and saves time while cutting costs with Azure Local | Microsoft Customer Stories
A New Era in Hybrid Cloud Flexibility
In an industry where cloud computing has become synonymous with agility and scalability, CDW has taken a bold step toward infrastructure diversification by introducing Azure Local—Microsoft’s on-premises Azure solution. Unlike traditional cloud deployments, Azure Local is designed to bring many of Azure’s powerful benefits directly into the data center. This hybrid approach eliminates the limitations of one-size-fits-all solutions, enabling organizations to choose the best workload placement regardless of whether it resides on-premises or in the public cloud.By integrating Azure Local into its existing framework, CDW immediately reaped the rewards of enhanced performance and operational efficiency. The solution complements other Azure services already in the company’s arsenal—such as Azure Kubernetes Service for containerization, Azure SQL Managed Instance for robust database management, and Azure ExpressRoute for secure and fast connectivity between geographically dispersed facilities. This multifaceted approach allows CDW to address varied business and IT challenges with a single, comprehensive strategy.
The Power of Integration: Azure Local Meets HPE GreenLake
CDW’s initial engagement with Azure Local was spurred by a natural synergy with its existing HPE GreenLake solution. The services team, after learning about Azure Local, quickly recognized a unique opportunity: a pilot program that would allow them to test and eventually roll out the solution enterprise-wide. Conversations with both Microsoft and HPE led to a rapid procurement of the necessary equipment, kickstarting what can only be described as an “Azure on-premises journey.”This strategic partnership meant that CDW was not only investing in a tool but in an entire ecosystem. With HPE GreenLake’s flexible infrastructure as a foundation, Azure Local could easily be integrated, providing a seamless extension of CDW’s existing IT capabilities. The combination of these technologies allowed for precise workload placements, ensuring that every application operated in the optimal environment for performance and cost-effectiveness.
Embracing the 3 Hs: Hyperconvergence, Hybrid Cloud, and Hypervisor Alternatives
At the heart of CDW’s strategy lies what its team fondly terms “the 3 Hs”:• Hyperconvergence: By streamlining traditional infrastructure—merging storage, computing, and networking—into a single cohesive unit, CDW has laid the groundwork for a more resilient and manageable data center environment.
• Hybrid Cloud: Azure Local epitomizes the hybrid cloud model by enabling fluid movement between on-premises and public cloud workloads. This not only enhances flexibility but also ensures that applications run where they’re most efficient, regardless of location.
• Hypervisor Alternative: With an alternative hypervisor in play, CDW gained the freedom to choose management tools that deliver a unified, single-pane-of-glass experience. This improves visibility across the entire infrastructure, making troubleshooting and performance monitoring simpler and more effective.
In the words of CDW’s Head Architect for Platform Engineering, their choice to adopt Azure Local was a strategic decision that “hit all three checkboxes” in a way that dovetailed perfectly with their ongoing investments. Such an approach empowers organizations to react swiftly to evolving business demands while maintaining stability—one of the primary challenges in today’s dynamic IT environment.
Migration Milestones and Performance Breakthroughs
One of the most striking achievements in this transformation is the rapid migration of non-production workloads. CDW set an ambitious goal: migrate over 800 virtual machines (VMs) to Azure Local within a four-month window—and they achieved that target with remarkable efficiency. This feat not only underscores the agility of CDW’s IT team but also highlights the robustness of the Azure Local solution in handling large-scale transitions.Performance metrics further validate this success:
• Disk I/O Performance: Post-migration, nearly all virtual machines demonstrated disk input/output performance that met or exceeded previous benchmarks. This improvement is a reminder that hybrid solutions can surpass the capabilities of legacy systems.
• SQL Instance Enhancements: In a particularly impressive development, SQL instances operating on Azure Local almost doubled the performance of traditional setups. For businesses that depend on data-driven decision-making, such enhancements translate directly into faster query responses and smoother application performance.
• Network Throughput: Leveraging a 25-gigabit backplane on Azure Local nodes provided a significant boost in network connectivity. This ensures that even the most data-intensive workflows are handled with minimal latency—a crucial improvement for both end-users and IT administrators.
These technical gains are more than just numbers; they represent a tangible transformation in how data centers can optimize resources and lower operational costs. In fact, CDW’s strategy not only delivered superior IT performance but also helped the company save up to $3 million—a testament to the financial prudence of investing in adaptive, hybrid solutions.
Operational Efficiency and Cost Management
Cost management in the IT realm isn’t merely about cutting expenses; it’s about channeling resources into value-added initiatives that drive innovation. CDW’s deployment of Azure Local was meticulously timed to coincide with regular compute and software refresh cycles. This synchronization not only guaranteed that the new infrastructure was state-of-the-art but also ensured that the business continuity and recoverability were significantly bolstered.The simplified management experience—thanks to a single pane of glass that unifies oversight of both on-premises and cloud environments—has reduced the complexity traditionally associated with managing disparate systems. For IT teams tasked with constantly juggling multiple platforms, this integrated approach provides clarity and operational efficiency. As organizations continue to pivot toward hybrid cloud models, such unified management strategies will be indispensable.
Strategic Insights for Windows IT Professionals
For IT managers and Windows administrators contemplating similar hybrid cloud transitions, CDW’s success offers several instructive lessons:• Flexibility is Key: The ability to swiftly migrate workloads both to and from the cloud through Azure Arc’s resource bridge enhances operational adaptability. This flexibility is crucial in today’s fast-paced business environment.
• Performance Matters: The significant improvements in disk I/O and SQL performance underscore that modern hybrid infrastructures can deliver the speed and efficiency needed to support today’s demanding applications.
• Financial Benefits: With potential savings reaching millions, cost management should be a central consideration in any IT transformation strategy. Investments in scalable, adaptive infrastructures pay dividends not just in performance, but also in long-term operational savings.
• Integrated Partnerships: Collaborating with established partners like HPE can accelerate deployment timelines while ensuring that the latest in technological innovations is seamlessly adopted. It’s a reminder that in the IT world, strategic alliances are as vital as the technology itself.
Moreover, CDW’s experience illustrates that a well-executed hybrid cloud strategy can serve as a catalyst for broader digital transformation initiatives. By aligning infrastructure investments with specific performance and cost metrics, organizations can ensure that their IT environments are not only robust and secure but also agile enough to meet emerging business challenges head-on.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Hybrid Cloud Solutions
As Microsoft continues to evolve its adaptive cloud model, the landscape of IT infrastructure is poised for further transformation. The success of initiatives like CDW’s deployment of Azure Local signals that organizations worldwide can benefit from rethinking the conventional boundaries between on-premises and cloud environments. With advancements in technologies such as Azure Arc and integrated hyperconvergence solutions, the opportunities for improved performance, cost savings, and operational efficiency are virtually limitless.For Windows IT professionals, the implications are clear: stay alert to emerging trends, embrace adaptable solutions, and consider how a hybrid approach might fit within the broader strategy of your organization. Azure Local is more than just a new product—it’s a sign of the times, a harbinger of a more flexible, responsive, and cost-effective future in IT infrastructure.
Conclusion
In summary, CDW’s adoption of Azure Local exemplifies the strategic power of hybrid cloud solutions. By skilfully merging on-premises efficiencies with cloud agility, CDW not only improved performance across critical workloads but also delivered substantial cost savings and simplified management. Their journey—marked by the rapid migration of over 800 VMs, near-doubled SQL performance, and advanced network capabilities—serves as an inspiring case study for IT leaders aiming to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive digital landscape.As organizations continue to navigate the complexities of digital transformation, the key takeaway is that innovation doesn’t always require a complete overhaul. Sometimes, it’s about smart integration, strategic alliances, and the courage to reimagine traditional infrastructure. For Windows IT professionals and decision-makers, the evolution of hybrid cloud models like Azure Local is a call to explore new possibilities and embrace the future of agile, high-performance computing.
By following in CDW’s footsteps, businesses can not only meet the demands of today’s IT challenges but also pave the way for a future where flexibility, performance, and cost efficiency harmoniously coexist.
Source: Microsoft CDW adds hybrid cloud flexibility and saves time while cutting costs with Azure Local | Microsoft Customer Stories
