Microsoft Commits Cloud Resources to Battle Ebola Outbreak
Unfortunately, the Ebola outbreak of 2014 has claimed thousands of lives in Africa. In recent weeks, infected patients have shown up in other continents such as North America and Europe. In efforts to combat the spread of Ebola, Microsoft has announced that it will dedicate free Microsoft Azure time to Ebola researchers in order for them to use the cloud to find a cure.
Microsoft announced the news at a press conference earlier this week. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella mentioned, “One of the things tomorrow morning we’re going to do is make available Azure computer power to the research community.” Nadella goes on to say that, “In addition we have some tools that Microsoft researchers built to be able to do vaccine discovery, so we want to take all of that and make it available for the research community.” Microsoft’s website says that it is, “soliciting cloud computing proposals for projects that are working towards developing a better understanding of the spread and cure of the Ebola virus.”
Researchers can utilize cloud computing to store large data sets and perform advanced computing tasks that can help speed up the discovery of a vaccination for the lethal virus. The Ebola virus has claimed the lives of thousands of people in Africa. Former CEO and Founder of Microsoft Bill Gates heads a charitable foundation that works closely with vaccination researchers that focus specifically on African diseases and viruses. Gates has reached out to his team of research to see what the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation can do to help.
Microsoft isn’t the only company that has stepped up to the plate to help fight Ebola. Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently promised a $25M donation in efforts to help fight the outbreak of the deadly virus. Many experts mention that if the spread of Ebola is not checked, it could become the greatest threat to humanity that our generation have ever experienced.
