Microsoft’s openness in the cloud is helping it draw in seemingly unlikely customers from Linux backgrounds, in rather sizable numbers. While the majority of Azure customers build out their virtual machines on top of Windows Server, there is a growing number of users who are choosing to run Linux partitions in Azure, to the tune of nearly one in three according to Microsoft CTO Mark Russinovich.
Russinovich revealed the increase of Linux-based virtual machine use in Azure today at Docker Con 2016, where he pulled data points from last year and this year showing the movement has grown from a previous one in four use case to now nearly one in three. The timely reveal of how many companies are using Linux in conjunction with Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform sat parallel to Russinovich’s announcement of the company’s new support offerings for Azure Container Service (ACS).
ACS was introduced by Microsoft in April 2016 to Linux containers only, with the understanding that Windows Server support would eventually follow. Russinovich also announced a handful of other Linux and Azure related items that are either currently in private beta available in the Azure Marketplace today such as a preview for SQL Server on Linux and that Docker Datacenter is available in the Azure Marketplace.
For more on Russinovich’s keynote speech or details on the growing Azure and Linux, relationship visits the Docker Con 2016 site, stay tuned to our site or visit ZDnet’s coverage of the event as well.
