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Microsoft today unveiled Windows Azure – a new could-based Operating System and part of the new Azure cloud computing platform.

A previous quote from Microsoft Chairman Steve Ballmer made Azure sound unattractive, even before it had been officially announced:

“Just like Windows Server looked a lot like Windows but with new properties, new characteristics and new features, so will Windows Cloud look a lot like Windows Server.”

The Operating System is apparently just one component of the platform, which will eventually be fully rolled out alongside Windows 7. This will include geo replication, a network management model,an SOA model, and will also encompass Microsoft’s existing Live services, SQL services, and .NET services.

Simply put, the Azure platform is designed to spread various IT projects over the Internet, and provide those as a service to customers.

For example, instead of buying a supercomputer to make one massive calculation or perform a massive one-off rendering project, you could use the services of the ‘cloud’ to use cloud-based infrastructure to do the job. This essentially gives you access to the computational power of millions of computers without having to buy and install the infrastructure and hire and train staff. This is “Software as a Service” or SaaS.

Beyond this, the fact that this is location on the Internet means it is potentially accessible to everyone – so you could use it for massive online projects, using loads of different cloud-based services, such as the existing maps and search features.

More information can be found at Azure.com