Yesterday, Microsoft New Zealand officially launched Azure, a new “cloud” version of Windows, tackling tricky price and trust issues head on.

Under a cloud setup, your software, and your data, is hosted not within your own network but at a data centre in the cloud (that is, accessed via the internet; in this case, one run by Microsoft in the US or Singapore). You can rent computing power, and storage – or ditch it – as required.

Microsoft has announced pricing and details for its Software-As-A-Service (Saas, or ‘cloud computing’) offering Azure, marking a significant change in direction for the formerly desktop software focused company.

There plans include a pay-as-you-go consumption-based pricing model, and one that offers discounted rates for those that agree to a six-month commitment, reports CNet.