Amazon this week announced a new arrangement with Microsoft in which they will offer Windows users the opportunity to try out Windows Server 2008 R2 on an EC2 micro for up to one year. Amazon sees the platform as a way to create test environments, build AWS apps even just to host a website.
The relationship is beneficial for Microsoft, but will also allow Amazon to lure businesses who previously would have been more inclined to use the Windows Azure platform otherwise. As Amazon Web Services evangelist Jeff Barr said, “This is an easy way for Windows users to start learning about and enjoying the benefits of cloud computing with AWS.”