Microsoft Azure Cloud Services

Summary

Public Cloud (Microsoft Azure) is blueAPACHE's service for organisations that want to run workloads on Microsoft Azure with blueAPACHE handling architecture, migration, connectivity and ongoing operations. It sits in the emPOWER Cloud pillar alongside blueAPACHE's own emPOWER Cloud private platform, so a customer can run a hybrid estate under one operating model. The distinctive element in blueAPACHE's published material is network access: the emPOWER Network provides Azure ExpressRoute connections, and emPOWER Connectivity offers a direct connection to Azure with a secondary VPN route over the internet. This page sets out what blueAPACHE delivers around Azure, what it does not, how Microsoft's own terms flow through, and the contractual points to confirm.

Key facts

What is included

The origin page states that blueAPACHE helps organisations use Microsoft Azure as part of a secure, well-managed cloud environment, with services that can support architecture, migration, connectivity and ongoing operations depending on workload and business requirements, and that combining cloud expertise with blueAPACHE connectivity, security and managed services keeps Azure aligned with the rest of the technology environment.

Connectivity is the most concretely documented inclusion. The emPOWER Network brochure lists Express Route connections to Azure, SharePoint and Microsoft 365 among its network capabilities, alongside AWS Direct Connect. The emPOWER Connectivity brochure describes "direct connection to Azure or AWS, plus a secondary route via VPN over internet for redundant pathways", and emPOWER Internet's IX peering is stated to reduce latency to Microsoft Office 365 and Teams. Where a customer holds emPOWER Managed Services, cloud is one of the named help desk disciplines and network and infrastructure monitoring extends to the environments blueAPACHE manages.

Architecture and migration work is delivered as Professional Services under Schedule 1, with Deliverables licensed to the customer for internal use during the Service Period once paid for (clause 13.10). Ongoing operations of the Azure environment are contracted as a managed service on the Service Order.

What is not included

Azure consumption itself is a Microsoft service. Under clauses 3.20 to 3.24 the customer must comply with Microsoft's terms whether or not they have been brought to its attention, blueAPACHE may be unable to provide part of the Service if the customer does not accept them, and blueAPACHE is not liable if Microsoft requires a Service to be terminated for the customer's non-compliance. Microsoft price or exchange-rate changes may be passed through in the same proportion under clause 12.5 without a signed Variation.

blueAPACHE's published uptime figures (99.999 per cent for emPOWER Cloud services, 99.99 per cent for redundant Connectivity designs) apply to blueAPACHE's own platforms, not to Azure, and Azure availability is governed by Microsoft's service levels. blueAPACHE's data sovereignty statement describes its own Australian data centres; where Azure data lives depends on the regions selected in the design. Backup of Azure workloads is a blueAPACHE obligation only where the Schedule says so (clause 3.14); otherwise clause 3.15 applies. Outages caused by third-party software or services used by blueAPACHE are Reasonable Excuses under the general terms.

Who it is for

Organisations standardising on Microsoft, whose licensing, identity and collaboration already run on Microsoft 365 and Entra ID, and who want Azure operated by the same provider that runs their network, security and support. The Archers case study shows the pattern in a mid-market setting: Microsoft Intune zero-touch provisioning and Teams calling delivered alongside emPOWER Cloud IaaS and a managed WAN, with a security assessment completed for future Microsoft Copilot use. Organisations that need some workloads in Australia under blueAPACHE's own residency position and others in Azure are the hybrid case the Cloud pillar is designed for.

How it is delivered

Engagements begin with assessment and architecture as Professional Services, then migration, then transition into managed operation under the clause 8 Transition In Services: due diligence on the systems to be supported, monitoring configuration, support documentation and an agreed reporting schedule. Network connectivity is provisioned through the emPOWER Network, with ExpressRoute as the primary path and VPN as secondary where the redundant design is chosen.

In operation, moves, adds and changes are requested under clause 3.9 by a new Service Agreement, email or the customer portal, with fees notified at the time. Customers must provide 24x7 remote access to managed components, keep software at the current or previous release level, ensure it is properly licensed, and give blueAPACHE direct telephone access to their support providers, including Microsoft, during Business Hours (clause 7.1).

Commercial model

Professional Services for design and migration are charged under Schedule 1, in accordance with the Service Order. Managed operation is a fixed monthly fee invoiced in advance, with any usage components monthly in arrears (clause 12.1). Direct debit is the default; GST is additional. Azure consumption is billed according to the arrangement on the Service Order, and Microsoft-driven changes to charges flow through under clause 12.5. blueAPACHE does not publish a rate for Azure management.

Support and service levels

Support depends on the services held. emPOWER Managed Services customers receive the unlimited 24/7 help desk covering cloud among its disciplines, Australian-based in business hours and follow-the-sun after hours. emPOWER Connectivity customers have a 7am to 7pm business-day service desk with 24x7 network monitoring for the ExpressRoute and firewall estate. Service Levels are those under the "Service Level" heading in the Service Description, measured by blueAPACHE's tools; blueAPACHE does not publish default response or resolution targets, which are set in the bespoke priority and escalation matrix. Monthly reports arrive within five Business Days of month end and the parties review the Services every six months.

Related services

emPOWER Cloud is the private cloud half of a hybrid design and is part of Microsoft's QMTH programme for certain Microsoft 365 and Windows 11 licences. Azure Local brings Azure management to on-premise workloads. emPOWER Core Network and Data Centre Interconnect and emPOWER SASE provide the ExpressRoute path and secure access. Private and Public SaaS Backup and emPOWER Backup for Microsoft Entra ID protect the Microsoft 365 and identity layer. Managed Detection and Response integrates with Microsoft Security, Microsoft Identity and Sentinel. The Microsoft Practice hub covers the wider Microsoft capability.

Evidence

• Archers The Strata Professionals (2026): Microsoft Intune zero-touch provisioning, Microsoft Teams calling and a security assessment for Microsoft Copilot, delivered with emPOWER Cloud IaaS and a private MPLS WAN.
• emPOWER Network brochure: Express Route connections to Azure, SharePoint and Microsoft 365 and a Direct Connect link to AWS.
• Vendor ecosystem: Microsoft QMTH programme membership, Teams PSTN and Direct Routing, Entra ID, and Microsoft Security and Sentinel integration for MDR.

Buying questions

Contract term and renewal. Managed operation runs for a 36-month Minimum Service Period by default; Professional Services are excluded from that default (clause 2.6). Renewal or exit needs Written Notice by executed Service Order before the period ends, otherwise a three-month holdover at full list price with Service Levels off (clause 2.9).

Termination. Customer: unremedied breach after 20 Business Days, blueAPACHE insolvency or ceasing business (clause 24.1). blueAPACHE: non-payment after five Business Days, specified breaches after 20 Business Days, insolvency, change of control (clause 24.2). Early Termination Payment under the Schedule (clause 25.2). blueAPACHE may suspend or cancel a Service where its upstream supplier withdraws or replaces it (clause 3.26).

Microsoft terms and licences. Confirm who holds the Azure subscription and Microsoft agreements, how Azure consumption is invoiced, and that the customer's licences permit blueAPACHE to access and use the environment (clause 7.1). Customer indemnifies blueAPACHE for unlicensed software use, including retrospective licence fees (clause 19.5).

Deliverables. Architecture documents and scripts produced as Professional Services are licensed for internal use during the Service Period and the licence ends at termination (clauses 13.10, 25.2); negotiate a surviving licence if they must be retained.

Exit. The customer must take a copy of Customer Data before the Service Period ends; blueAPACHE deletes copies on its environment at no cost (clause 9.1). Azure subscription ownership determines what happens to Azure-hosted data on exit and should be recorded on the Service Order.

Data protection. Privacy Act compliance, 24-hour eligible data breach notification, standing overseas transfer consent in clause 18.3, and no GDPR-regulated data (clause 18.6).

Defining ownership across Azure

Record subscriptions and workloads, retained customer administration rights and authorised provider changes. Separate Microsoft consumption charges from management work, and identify spending approvals. Migration, operations, backup and recovery each need a boundary. Confirm workload regions and data flows rather than treating an Australian provider as proof of an Australian-only Azure design. Retain this responsibility record for technical incidents and cost reviews.

Which document defines the commitment

The published General Terms v3.6 give the Service Order precedence over the General Terms, followed by the Schedules and then the Acceptable Use Policy (clause 2.3). Record the agreed scope, exclusions and negotiated departures in that document set. A brochure or a procurement discussion does not, by itself, define the customer-specific commitment. Keep the versions supplied at signing with the executed order and signed variations. Two offers with the same service name can cover different systems, operating hours or responsibilities.

Responsibility across the delivery chain

The published terms allow blueAPACHE to subcontract all or part of the Service Agreement without customer consent or a notification requirement. Clause 27.5 nevertheless makes blueAPACHE liable for its subcontractors’ acts and omissions to the same extent as for its employees. This differs from a third-party supplier contracted directly by the customer. Identify which arrangement applies to each dependency in the design. Where supplier identity, delivery location or change notification matters, request a documented supplier list and put any agreed notification or approval requirement in the Service Order; the general clause does not supply that visibility automatically.

Checking charges and preserving an invoice dispute

The General Terms require payment of the invoiced amount by its due date even while an amount is disputed. The customer has 60 Business Days from the invoice date to notify an error in writing, with its calculation and evidence. A dispute about blueAPACHE’s subsequent determination requires a Dispute Notice within 10 Business Days. Missing the required windows can waive the right to correction, subject to the fraud exception. Overdue amounts attract the published margin of four per cent over the RBA Cash Rate, calculated daily. Reconcile ordered quantities, approved changes and billed usage promptly; do not wait for a periodic service review to raise a billing error.

Confidential information and access

Clause 16 provides mutual confidentiality protection. It covers information marked confidential, information identified orally and confirmed in writing within 30 days, and information that should reasonably be understood to be confidential. Customer Data, Customer Records and Customer Software are included; blueAPACHE’s agreement and fees are also confidential. Permitted disclosures include appropriately bound personnel on a need-to-know basis and specified professional advisers, with other exceptions in the clause. Identify who may receive operational reports, configuration details and commercial information. Access to information to deliver the service is not a general permission to circulate it.

How liability differs from service performance

Clause 19 separates performance obligations from financial liability. The general cap per claim is the greater of the fees paid in the preceding three months or $25,000, with exclusions and specific categories governed separately. Confidentiality, information security, privacy and the IP indemnity have a $1 million per-event and $2 million aggregate cap. Data-loss liability depends on whether blueAPACHE had, and breached, a contracted backup or disaster recovery obligation; the relevant measure is restoration cost to the applicable recovery point, not the value of every business consequence. Read these provisions alongside the negotiated Service Order and Schedule; an availability statement does not describe the liability regime.

Sources and scope

The contractual detail above summarises the published General Terms and Conditions v3.6, using the KB documents on service agreement formation and document precedence; subcontracting and assignment; late payment and invoice disputes; confidentiality; liability and indemnity. The customer’s Service Order, Schedules and agreed variations determine the specific engagement. See the terms and conditions guide and Service Agreement.

Related

• Cloud pillar hub
• Microsoft Practice hub
• emPOWER Cloud
• Azure Local
• emPOWER Core Network and Data Centre Interconnect
• emPOWER SASE
• Private and Public SaaS Backup
• Managed Detection and Response
• Microsoft Teams
• Case study: Archers The Strata Professionals
• Industry: Professional services
• Industry: Retail and consumer services
• Service Agreement terms
• Contact blueAPACHE

Frequently asked questions

What does blueAPACHE do for Azure customers?

The origin page describes support for architecture, migration, connectivity and ongoing operations, chosen according to workload and business requirements, and combined with blueAPACHE's connectivity, security and managed services so Azure stays aligned with the rest of the environment.

How does blueAPACHE connect my sites to Azure?

Through the emPOWER Network, which the network brochure states has Express Route connections to Azure, SharePoint and Microsoft 365. emPOWER Connectivity adds a secondary VPN route over the internet for redundancy, and emPOWER Internet's IX peering is stated to reduce latency to Microsoft 365 and Teams.

Can I run Azure alongside blueAPACHE's private cloud?

Yes. The Cloud pillar is designed for private, public and hybrid environments. emPOWER Cloud is blueAPACHE's own HPE-based platform and is part of Microsoft's Qualified Multitenant Hoster programme, so certain Microsoft 365 and Windows 11 licences can be used there while other workloads run in Azure.

Does blueAPACHE's uptime figure apply to Azure?

No. The 99.999 per cent figure is published for emPOWER Cloud services and the 99.99 per cent figure for redundant emPOWER Connectivity designs. Azure availability is governed by Microsoft's own service levels.

Where does my Azure data live?

In the Azure regions selected in the design. blueAPACHE's data sovereignty statement, which describes Australian storage and processing under Australian jurisdiction, applies to blueAPACHE's own data centres.

Who is bound by Microsoft's terms?

The customer. Under clause 3.23 the customer must comply with Microsoft's terms whether or not they were shown at signing, and blueAPACHE is not liable if Microsoft requires part of the Service to be terminated for non-compliance.

What happens if Microsoft raises its prices?

Clause 12.5 allows blueAPACHE to vary the affected fees by the same proportion, effective from the date Microsoft changed its charges to blueAPACHE, without a signed Variation. Exchange-rate movements are treated the same way.

Is Azure backup included?

Only where the Schedule expressly includes backup of Customer Data. Otherwise the customer must keep its own backups under clause 3.15 and blueAPACHE's liability for data loss is excluded.

What support hours apply?

It depends on the services held: unlimited 24/7 help desk under emPOWER Managed Services, or a 7am to 7pm business-day service desk with 24x7 monitoring under emPOWER Connectivity. Response and resolution targets are set per customer and not published.

Do I keep the architecture documents after the contract ends?

Under clause 13.10 Deliverables are licensed for internal use during the Service Period, and clause 25.2 ends the licence at termination. Negotiate a surviving licence on the Service Order if you need to retain them.

What is the minimum term?

36 months for managed operation unless the Service Order states otherwise. Professional Services such as migration projects are excluded from the 36-month default.

Source

This page draws on blueAPACHE's published material: the emPOWER Network, emPOWER Connectivity, emPOWER Cloud, emPOWER Managed Services and emPOWER Managed Detection and Response brochures; the vendor partner listing; blueAPACHE's data sovereignty and residency statement and ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification; the General Terms and Conditions v3.6 (covering third-party software and licensor terms, fees and invoicing, intellectual property, customer obligations, liability and indemnity, backup and disaster recovery obligations, service suspension and cancellation, service term and renewal, termination rights and consequences, transition in and disengagement, service delivery and service levels, reasonable excuse exclusions, reporting and audit rights, and data protection and privacy); the Archers case study; and the origin pages at https://www.blueapache.com/services/public-cloud-microsoft-azure/ and https://www.blueapache.com/services/.

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