When Microsoft makes a move, people sit up and take notice. The tech giant recently provided detailed information on a series of upcoming releases and updates, such as operating system Windows 10, personal assistant Cortana, and head-mounted computer HoloLens.

But as well as Microsoft there are a number of other tech companies including Apple, Google, and more who also want to build a strong relationship with the IT department. So, is Microsoft still the CIO’s best friend? And, perhaps more to the point, was it ever?

The cornerstone of corporate IT

Tullow Oil CIO Andrew Marks says that, for many CIOs, Microsoft is best viewed as a business necessity: even firms that are using an alternative to Office – like Google Apps for Work, for example – will still find themselves wedded to the Redmond-based firm’s software.

Marks says there are very few organisations that are not reliant on Microsoft for at least some back-end processes. Partners and customers, for example, will still use Microsoft software, so CIOs must focus on interoperability.

However, a reliance on Microsoft is no excuse for complacency on the part of the vendor, and at a strategic level, Marks says he believes Microsoft increasingly recognises that simply selling software licenses is no longer enough.

SOURCE: zdnet.com