Microsoft acquires Avere System to boost its hybrid cloud strategy

Microsoft announced the acquisition of Avere Systems for an undisclosed amount in order to further boost its hybrid cloud mission. Avere provides NFS and SMB file storage for Windows and Linux clients running in the cloud, hybrid and on-premises environments.

"Our customers efficiently share both storage and compute resources across multiple data centers, and effectively implement and use private and public cloud infrastructures," Avere Systems, president, and CEO Ronald Bianchini Jr. wrote in a blog post.

Avere's technology is aimed at customers with large-scale computing workloads in the media and entertainment industry and beyond. Avere has developed file system and caching technologies designed to speed access to compute and storage in hybrid environments.

"We are excited to welcome Avere to Microsoft, and look forward to the impact their technology and the team will have on Azure and the customer experience," Jason Zander, corporate vice president of Azure at Microsoft, wrote in a blog post. Microsoft says that Avere's team will continue to work out of Pittsburgh after the deal is completed.

Avere was founded in 2008 and has raised $86 million with its most recent investment, a $14 million Series E coming last year in March. Investors in the E round included Google and Western Digital, but it was Microsoft who comes away with the prize. Previous investors included Lightspeed Ventures, Tenaya Capital, Menlo Ventures and Norwest Venture Partners.