Microsoft Corporation + 21Vianet
Microsoft Corporation
Redmond, Washington · 2 relationships
Active relationship
Strategic Partnership · 2014–present
21Vianet
Beijing, Beijing · 1 relationship
Analysis
Microsoft and 21Vianet developed a China-specific cloud-services arrangement in the early 2010s. 21Vianet's corporate materials describe Azure operated by 21Vianet as officially launched in March 2014 and as the first international public cloud service generally available in the China market. [1]
The operating model separates technology ownership from local operation. Microsoft describes Azure in China as a physically separated cloud instance that is independently operated and transacted by Shanghai Blue Cloud Technology Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Beijing 21Vianet Broadband Data Center Co., Ltd. Microsoft supplies licensed technology, while 21Vianet operates the local environment and provides delivery, subscription, billing and support services. [2]
The relationship extends beyond Azure infrastructure. Microsoft 365 operated by 21Vianet is powered by technology licensed to 21Vianet, which operates local data centers and keeps customer data within China; Microsoft also documents China-specific Power Platform and Dynamics 365 services operated and transacted by the local operator. These services are subject to Chinese law and can differ from Microsoft's global commercial offerings in feature availability, service timing and integration options. [3] [4]
The arrangement has become a substantial China cloud platform while remaining financially difficult to isolate as a bilateral partnership. A 2026 21Vianet company release described Azure as serving more than 110,000 corporate customers and being supported by more than 1,400 partners in China. 21Vianet's disclosures also describe the Microsoft-linked business alongside other cloud and network activities, so the file's annual-volume figure is an estimate rather than a separately reported Microsoft partnership revenue line; the arrangement itself is a cloud-services operation rather than a joint research program. [5] [6]
Participants
Continue through either entity
Redmond, Washington · 2 records in this database
Microsoft began in 1975, when Bill Gates and Paul Allen started a company to develop software for the Altair 8800, an early personal computer. Microsoft’s own account presents that origin as a response to the emerging microcomputer market, while its latest annual report confirms the 1975 founding date and describes the company as a developer of software, services, devices, and solutions. [1] [2]
In fiscal 2025, Microsoft described its mission as empowering every person and organization to achieve more and framed artificial intelligence as a shift affecting the technology stack. Its portfolio spans cloud computing, productivity and collaboration, personal computing, server software, gaming, advertising, devices, and developer tools. The annual report recorded $281.7 billion in revenue, $168.9 billion in Microsoft Cloud revenue, and Azure revenue above $75 billion for the year. [2]
Microsoft’s reportable segments are Productivity and Business Processes, Intelligent Cloud, and More Personal Computing. The filing identifies Microsoft 365, LinkedIn, Dynamics, Azure and other server/cloud services, Windows and devices, and Xbox among the associated offerings, and places the corporate headquarters at One Microsoft Way in Redmond, Washington. Redmond also remains a major engineering and operations base, alongside Microsoft’s international offices, datacenters, and research facilities. [2] [3]
Beijing, Beijing · 1 record in this database
21Vianet is the operating name associated with VNET Group, Inc., a China-based carrier- and cloud-neutral internet data-center services provider. The company says it offers hosting and related internet data-center, cloud and business-VPN services intended to improve the reliability, security and speed of customers' internet infrastructure. [1]
In its 2025 Form 20-F, VNET says its retail data-center business includes colocation, interconnectivity through BGP and single-, dual- or multiple-line networks, and value-added services such as hybrid IT, bare metal, firewall, load balancing, backup and recovery, and server and data-center management. Its wholesale business develops data-center sites to customer specifications, while its non-IDC businesses provide cloud services and secure VPN connections. [2]
The filing describes a dual-core strategy combining retail and wholesale data-center opportunities, with data centers and points of presence connected across China. Retail services can scale from a single cabinet to megawatt-scale deployments, while wholesale projects are built for large internet and cloud customers. VNET presents carrier and cloud neutrality, network assets and data-center footprint as central parts of its competitive position. [2]
The company's relevance to this database includes its Microsoft cloud role. Microsoft states that Azure operated by 21Vianet is a physically separated instance located in China and is independently operated and transacted by Shanghai Blue Cloud Technology Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Beijing 21Vianet Broadband Data Center Co., Ltd. [3] VNET's filing says it began public-cloud services through cooperation with Microsoft in 2013 and provides Azure, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365 and Power Platform to customers in mainland China. [2]