Open source CRM provider, SugarCRM (News - Alert), will now be offering its CRM applications on the Windows Azure system. 

In efforts to enable customers and resellers to benefit from the systems real-time scalability, high availability and on-demand infrastructure, the combination of Microsoft’s (News - Alert) cloud platform for Web applications will integrate SugarCRM’s applications to provide a dynamic usability for its users. By combining the most user-friendly CRM application on the market with a highly available, scalable and secure cloud computing platform, SugarCRM’s collaboration will be sure to satisfy.

According to recently appointed full-time CEO Larry M. Augustin, Microsoft’s new Windows Azure is a true cloud computing platform going well beyond the simple hosted infrastructure that most service providers offer today.

“Windows Azure enables SugarCRM value added resellers to create and deploy unique solutions for customers around the globe,” Augustin said. “This new service is another key component of the Sugar Open Cloud, the SugarCRM cloud strategy for delivering simple, affordable CRM anywhere based on customer need.”

Taking only a few weeks for development, the implementation period to deploy SugarCRM’s applications on Windows Azure was supported by Microsoft’s strong PHP platform, the programming language SugarCRM’s applications are written in.

Doug Hauger, general manager of Windows Azure at Microsoft Corp., said that the company is pleased to have SugarCRM’s applications running on the new system. 

“The ease by which SugarCRM was able to offer its CRM services demonstrates how the openness of the Windows Azure platform allowed it to deliver Web applications using its tools of choice,” Hauger added.

Since 2006, SugarCRM and Microsoft have collaborated in various instances to deliver SugarCRM’s applications on various Microsoft technology platforms. All of SugarCRM’s applications are supported by a variety of Microsoft systems, including the popular Outlook. 

In August, SugarCRM announced Sugar Community Edition on the Microsoft Web Platform, a framework for developing, deploying and hosting Web applications.