06 June 2017

With two out of three businesses in Germany having adopted the use of cloud-based solutions in the past 12 months, it’s great news that the cloud has recently expanded to include Microsoft Dynamics 365 within its offering. For businesses, this means further options to improve manufacturing and supply chain processes, provide better customer service and enhance distribution models.

The new services are provided for business customers in Germany, the European Union and EFTA countries (European Free Trade Association), with Dynamics 365 for Sales and Dynamics 365 for Customer Service being the first services available from German data centres in Frankfurt am Main and Magdeburg, and this will soon be followed by the introduction of Dynamics 365 for Project Service Automation and Dynamics 365 for Field Service.

As with all Microsoft Cloud offerings in Germany, Dynamics 365 customer data will be stored exclusively in and delivered from Frankfurt am Main and Magdeburg; Germany’s two main data centres, ensuring that all customer data is stored in Germany.  In addition to this, T-Systems International GmbH, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, will bear the responsibility of controlling data access and strict customer data access and control measures via a unique data trustee model governed under German law, providing extra security for users.

Geography plays an important role, with 70% of all German companies claiming that it is important for cloud providers to provide their services from German data centres. Concerns about compliance requirements is in second place, although growing year on year (67% in 2016 as opposed to 62% in 2015), which is putting pressure on cloud service providers.

The Service Level Agreements (SLA) that apply to Dynamics 365 from the Microsoft cloud Germany are the same that apply to Dynamics 365. A dedicated German-based Microsoft team will be available to provide technical support in both English and German 24 hours a day.

The launch of Dynamics 365 in the Microsoft Cloud Germany is particularly advantageous for companies such as implexis GmbH, German Dynamics solutions provider, as they can now use Microsoft Cloud to build solutions for businesses. The added transparency, together with the increased security that T-Systems offers, enables them to handle sensitive customer data with greater assurance, and thus expand their customer base with confidence.

As Hunter Charles expands its offering of permanent and freelance resources in the 365 and cloud space, there has never been a better time to have a confidential discussion with us regarding your Dynamics 365 project or to discuss the implications of upgrading your current system.