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Microsoft re-writes the cloud service playbook

Old Azure storage APIs stay. So what happened to the 'one codebase for every user' idea?

Microsoft has extended the time it will support some of Azure's early cloud storage APIs.

Explained here by Azure principal program manager Dinesh Murthy, Redmond seems to have a couple of motivations for the changes.

One is to give users more time to switch to newer APIs, suggesting users feel they're being rushed. But some APIs have had their day of doom postponed indefinitely, suggesting customers want to keep using code Microsoft thought they'd be happy to dump or upgrade. That suggests Azure has won some very sticky incumbencies that Microsoft dare not disrupt.

Microsoft's made it plain that it will constantly add features and services to its cloud offerings. These extensions of old APIs, which keeps older versions of storage services alive for longer, suggests that as users spend more time in the cloud they find they don't always want new features. Or perhaps they've made the mistake of building apps with tight coupling to particular services. Again.

Whatever the reason Microsoft's decided to move slowly, it also teaches us that the cloud/SaaS mantra of one codebase for all users and everyone on the current version may not hold in all cases. If you really need old APIs, Microsoft's saying it might find a reason to keep them alive. Which leaves Microsoft, and maybe other clouds, running more than one service and perhaps with rather higher costs that first imagined.

Extending the life of these APIs also puts a small dent in cloud critics' Hotel California argument that says “You can check in anytime you want but you can never leave” complaints. In this case Microsoft was trying upgrade some users' rooms, but they said they're happy with the stains in the carpet. Go figure. ®

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