The rise of 3DPrinterOS happened at an amazing speed. The cloud-based printer-sharing and networking platform officially launched last March, and in less than six months, it had amassed nearly 5,000 users and 2,000 linked printers in over 80 countries. In the ensuing year, 3DPrinterOS has continued to grow and as of today, over 62,000 parts in more than 100 countries have been printed through the platform – and that’s just in the last eight months.
The number of 3DPrinterOS users has also shot up to over 12,000. With such rapid expansion – expansion that is unlikely to cease anytime soon – 3DPrinterOS has had to significantly upgrade its capabilities, and this week the company announced that they are moving the system to the Microsoft Azure cloud platform.
Azure’s benefits are many. When you’re working in the cloud, security has to be a priority, and Microsoft was the first cloud service provider to be officially recognized by the European Union’s data protection authorities for their strict compliance with EU privacy laws. They were also the first provider to adopt ISO 27018, the international cloud privacy standard established in 2014.
With the transition to Azure, 3DPrinterOS’ global reach also expands, as Azure operates across a wide swath of the planet that includes 22 regions, thanks to a massive network of Microsoft-operated data centers. In addition, the Azure platform boasts support for an exceptionally large variety of operating systems, programming languages, databases, tools, devices and frameworks, so individuals and companies in even the most obscure locations, with the most obscure equipment, will be able to access the 3DPrinterOS network.
“We are extremely excited to collaborate with Microsoft Azure to serve our Enterprise Clients with its highly secure, hyper-scale global cloud,” said John Dogru, CEO, Chief Architect of 3DPrinterOS. “It was a challenge to find the right company that had the cloud infrastructure, compliance, security, and reliability around the world including countries like China and Europe.”
Azure, the first multinational cloud provider in mainland China, should dramatically extend 3DPrinterOS’ network based on new users in that country alone. Customers everywhere can now take advantage of the security of local data residency and redundancy, and large databases and repositories can rely on strong backup and recovery capabilities – making the service even more appealing to businesses.
“The cloud is transforming entire industries and creating new opportunities for even the most innovative new businesses,” said Nicole Herskowitz, Senior Director of Microsoft Azure. “The market leading scale and speed of Microsoft Azure helps spur global growth opportunities for companies like 3DPrinterOS who are utilizing cloud computing and IoT connected devices in a completely new model of decentralized manufacturing.”
3DPrinterOS joins a large group of high-profile corporations relying on Azure, including Heineken, GE Healthcare, and 3M, just to name a few. According to Azure, more than 66 percent of Fortune 500 companies utilize their services, so 3DPrinterOS – and its users, which also include some Fortune 500 companies and Ivy League universities – will be in good company. Discuss further in the 3DPrinterOS Switches to Azure forum over at 3DPB.com.
