Japanese network and data center services provider Internet Initiative Japan (IIJ) has connected the infrastructure for its cloud services called GIO Component Service with Microsoft's infrastructure running the Redmond, Washington-based giant's public-cloud services Windows Azure.

This is the first time Azure has supported external private-network access, according to IIJ. The interconnection means customers of either company can combine the offerings to create hybrid-cloud environments of their choice.

An accounting system built on GIO, for example, can be combined with an order-management system built on Azure. Microsoft's public-cloud customers can also augment their systems with a database service available on GIO.

Seji Umeda, director of the Server Platform Business Group at Microsoft Japan, said this was only the beginning of Microsoft's relationship with IIJ. “Moving forward, Microsoft Japan will continue its cooperation with IIJ in order to provide the benefits of the cloud to more users,” Umeda said.

Since its inception, IIJ has been a network services provider, but has recently expanded into the data center services space. The company has built a number of data centers it provides services out of around Japan, including a large data center park that consists of data center containers.

It has also recently invested in strengthening its international data center play.

In March 2012, IIJ announced the roll-out of cloud and dedicated services in the US. In April of this year, the company announced the launch of a new data center in London.