Enhancing Data Centre Networking: Nokia Teams Up With Azure

As it looks to continue expanding its data centre offerings, leading telco Nokia has expanded its multi-year agreement to supply Microsoft Azure data centre networks.

This five-year expansion will see Nokia supply Microsoft Azure with data centre routers and switches, with the telco’s data centre networking portfolio looking to enhance the scalability and reliability of Azure data centres worldwide.

The partnership will grow Nokia's global footprint to more than 30 countries, the company says, in addition to strengthening its role as a strategic supplier for Microsoft's worldwide cloud infrastructure.

Such an agreement is also building on the existing collaboration between Nokia and Microsoft around open source SONiC capabilities. This includes the area of chassis-based support for high-capacity network roles within the data centre.

Bolstering network support

As part of the expansion, Nokia will supply its 7250 IXR-10e platform to deliver multi-terabit-scale interconnectivity within Microsoft’s data centres. Nokia will also continue to deliver its custom developed management top of rack switch that is used extensively throughout the Azure network. 

Likewise, the Nokia SONiC-based data centre routers and switches will be deployed both in greenfield locations and used in support of Microsoft's migration from 100GE to 400GE connectivity within existing facilities. This aims to enable Microsoft to meet increasing traffic demands for years to come with Nokia’s exceptional networking performance and reliability.

Deployment of the Nokia 7250 IXR-10e will begin in February 2025.

“We are pleased to move to the next phase of our relationship with Microsoft by expanding the agreement’s product scope, geographical reach and time commitment to five years,” comments Vach Kompella, Senior Vice President and General Manager of IP Networks business at Nokia. 

“As a result of this new deal, Nokia will further increase the scalability and reliability of Microsoft Azure datacenters around the world. This win affirms Nokia's commitment to being a strategic supplier for tier one hyperscaler companies, and highlights that our multi-year strategic investments and approach have put us on the right trajectory.”

Nokia commits to data centre solutions

This is not the first time that Nokia has partnered with a global data centre leader to support networking solutions. 

In September 2024, the telco teamed up with CoreWeave to provide a ‘networking backbone’ behind its hyperscale AI cloud for data centres across the US and Europe. CoreWeave selected Nokia to deploy Nokia IP and optical platforms in data centres and to help with its large network build-out to support high-performance AI infrastructure.

With Microsoft, the telco is regarded as an asset to support networking communications that are critical to boosting global connectivity. 

“As leaders in the advancement of cloud compute, we are continuously expanding our global footprint to support the massive growth in compute workloads. Over the past six years we have worked with Nokia's engineers to develop their routers running SONiC to rapidly advance our expansion at the quality our customers demand,” says David Maltz, Technical Fellow and Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Azure Networking.

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