Cloud computing version of Microsoft Office hits the market

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Microsoft Office 365, a cloud computing implementation of the company's popular business software, was released to the public this week.

The Redmond, Washington-based computing powerhouse said that the results from its limited beta of the SaaS offering were strongly encouraging, asserting that some businesses saved as much as 50 percent on their IT costs with the product.

CEO Steve Ballmer stressed that Office 365 is an attempt to level the playing field for small businesses that may have been priced out of some of Microsoft's more full-featured offerings, replacing a complex system of versions and licenses with a single monthly fee per user varying between $2 and $27, depending on what options are selected.

Some package deals are available, but the company stated that it's still possible for clients to customize the offering to best meet their needs.

The type of easily understood pricing offered by Microsoft is one of the advantages of cloud computing technology that advocates have been touting, experts say.