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If you were waiting for hosted VoIP, UC and cloud providers to come out with more Windows-based cloud hosting platform, well, merry Christmas.

8x8’s (News - Alert) recently-announced Windows Cloud Server has a variety of features, including “a streamlined user interface that makes it easy to purchase, configure, and manage via an online portal,” according to industry observer Brittany Danielson.

Matt Hutchinson, director of channel marketing at 8x8, told Danielson that ease of use was a major consideration when designing the product: “There are other [service providers offering cloud hosting], but I think we are the only ones doing this in this very simple and clean way that’s Linux and Windows based.”

The product is marketed to mid-market data VARs who can also use 8x8’s Authorized Reseller Program. “It’s constructed so that they still receive that upfront bounty by selling hardware or software from a licensing or hardware transaction, but then they also get that recurring revenue every month, which will help smooth out their cash flow,” said Hutchinson.

8x8’s wants to be seen as a one-stop-shop for both communications and computing cloud products, Danielson wrote, citing Joan Citelli, 8x8’s director of corporate communications.

Last month TMC’s (News - Alert) Anshu Shrivastava wrote 8x8 has announced that it has been included in the highly regarded Ocean Tomo 300 Patent Index (OT300), which is said to be the industry's first index based on the value of corporate intellectual property.

This year, the company joins 79 companies contributing to the index for the first time. “We are proud to be included in the OT300 with other well-known industry names,” saidBryan Martin, chairman and CEO at 8x8, adding that this will further raise awareness of our company and mission to help businesses flourish using our patented technology solutions.

The Ocean Tomo 300 represents a diversified portfolio of 300 companies that own the most valuable patents relative to their book value, including Hewlett Packard, InterDigital, Pfizer and Tellabs (News - Alert).