Epicor to support Microsoft Cloud Services initiative

Epicor Software Corporation, a leading provider of enterprise business software solutions for the midmarket and divisions of Global 1000 companies, announced at the Microsoft Professional Developers Conference 2008 (PDC2008) its support of Microsoft Corp.s cloud computing initiative Azure Services Platform, bringing together software plus services to maximise choice, flexibility and capabilities for customers.

Epicor and Microsoft share a complementary vision for cloud computing and building applications that seamlessly bridge the gaps between PC, Web and phone.  Epicor recently announced its next-generation enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution Epicor 9 expected to be generally available before the end of the year which will virtually put ERP everywhere, utilising Web 2.0 concepts to provide users with a truly collaborative and dynamic enterprise business application experience.

Epicor continues to be a leader in adoption of forward-looking technologies from Microsoft, said Robert Wahbe, Corporate Vice President, Connected Systems Division at Microsoft. Taking advantage of our cloud computing initiative is the next logical step in the evolution of Epicors service-oriented business applications creating new business benefits and lower cost of ownership, which equates to increased value of these solutions for customers.

Cloud Computing Epicor Enterprise Search

Epicor 9, the Companys breakthrough enterprise business software solution designed for growing companies in domestic and global markets, is built on a second-generation service-oriented architecture (SOA), Epicor Internet Component Environment (ICE) 2.0.

Epicor ICE fuses modern Web 2.0 technologies with Epicor True SOA to deliver an enabling business architecture that offers new levels of flexibility, usability, and agility in support of application-to-application integration and business-to-business collaboration. Epicor ICE is designed to maximize productivity that aligns with a companys business strategies by delivering solutions that combine innovative Web 2.0 concepts, such as Enterprise Search, presence and real-time communication with business acumen.

As an enterprise software solution provider, we are challenged to continuously increase the value of our solutions to our customers widening the spread between the benefit and cost of ownership, said Erik Johnson, senior director of development at Epicor. Azure Services Platform will be a game changer for cloud platforms it incorporates Microsofts .NET Framework which means Epicor can leverage our existing skills and code libraries.  Azure will also include new storage, identity, and data geo-affinity features that are crucial for deploying commercial enterprise applications in the cloud.

Epicor has been working with Azure Services Platform since mid-July in developing Enterprise Search for its Epicor 9 offering. When it is released in 2009 Enterprise Search will be Azure-enabled and the first in a series of connected applications for Epicor 9 customers.
 

About Epicor Software Corporation

Epicor is a global leader dedicated to providing integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), supply chain management (SCM) and professional services automation (PSA) software solutions to the midmarket and divisions of Global 1000 companies. Founded in 1984, Epicor serves over 20,000 customers in more than 140 countries, providing solutions in over 30 languages.

Employing innovative service-oriented architecture (SOA) and Web services technology, Epicor delivers end-to-end, industry-specific solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail, hospitality and services that enable companies to drive increased efficiency, improve performance and build competitive advantage. Epicor solutions provide the scalability and flexibility to meet today's business challenges, while empowering enterprises for even greater success tomorrow.

Epicor offers a comprehensive range of services with its solutions, providing a single point of accountability to promote rapid return on investment and low total cost of ownership. Epicors worldwide headquarters are located in Irvine, California with offices and affiliates around the world.