OREANDA-NEWS. June 27, 2012. Against the backdrop of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee and Microsoft Russia have reached an Agreement on the creation, development and technical support of a series of Internet systems designed for the official Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games websites. This document was signed by the President of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, Dmitry Chernyshenko, and the President of Microsoft Russia, Nikolai Pryanishnikov, in the presence of the president of Microsoft International Jean-Philippe Courtois. Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft Russia will play a key role in the creation and development of official websites for the 2014 Games, provide high quality technical support and establish a portal with the latest cloud technologies.

The agreement includes the use of the Microsoft Windows Azure cloud platform for the operation of the official websites for the 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi. This will make it possible for them to operate continuously during the preparation and staging of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Thanks to its flexibility and reliability, the Microsoft cloud platform enables resources to be managed with maximum efficiency during peak traffic times, when Windows Azure resources, located in modern Microsoft data processing centers across the world, are activated.

Microsoft cloud technologies will also be used in close cooperation with the IOC International Partners and Organizing Committee National Partners. In line with the signed agreement, an integrated data processing center will be created with the use of Microsoft private cloud technologies. This will mark a new stage in the creation of a technological platform for the regular operation of all the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee's information systems during the final period of preparation, as well as the actual staging of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The center will be developed to reflect an increase in traffic, and further demands on resources, as well as aligning with the relocation schedule of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee from Moscow to Sochi, which will help provide the uninterrupted work of the Organizing Committee. Microsoft cloud technology provides the Organizing Committee the possibility to deploy the necessary IT infrastructure for the preparation and staging of the innovative Games in 2014.

Dmitry Chernyshenko, President and CEO of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, noted:

"The use of cloud technologies reflects our intention to stage memorable innovative Games. Thanks to the cloud platform, the quality of online services provided will not be affected by the level of traffic. Tens of millions of people from around the whole world will be able to visit the Sochi 2014 Games' websites simultaneously."

Nikolai Pryanishnikov, President of Microsoft Russia, emphasized:

"We are delighted to have developed a partnership with the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee and we are dedicated to providing them with the best services in preparation for the Games. In offering the best international practices and using the latest technologies, Microsoft provides the very best platform for the staging of an innovative Games in Sochi and will encourage the setting of new technological standards in the organization of large sports events in Russia and internationally."