Microsoft goes after Google and Amazon with hybrid cloud push

Guthrie said Azure is signing up 10,000 new customers a week. And Nadella pointed out that 20% of Azure is now running Linux and supports various operating systems.

With Microsoft putting more emphasis on private, as well as public, cloud offerings, the company is clearly beefing up its hybrid offering.

A hybrid cloud -- running part of an enterprise's systems on a public cloud and part on a private cloud -- is an increasingly popular option for companies.

Although some firms rely on a public cloud for the cost-savings and convenience of offloading maintenance and worry to a third-party -- freeing up their own IT people to tackle bigger, more innovative projects -- other companies need the added security and customization of a private cloud.

Then there are the enterprises that want non-sensitive data on a public cloud, but need a private cloud for critical systems and information or because regulatory issues require added security.