Nokia Partners SAP and Microsoft to Modernize Cloud Infrastructure

Nokia, a Finnish company that builds hardware and software for network infrastructure, has taken a strategic step to modernize its internal systems. The three-year partnership brings together two major enterprise technology vendors—SAP for ERP management and Microsoft for cloud hosting—to handle the complex work of migrating Nokia's data, processes, applications, and operating models to a modern cloud foundation.

This move reflects a broader business logic: by outsourcing the day-to-day operation of its ERP systems to SAP and moving to a managed cloud platform, Nokia reduces the burden of infrastructure upkeep and frees internal teams to focus on competitive priorities. The embedded AI capabilities mentioned in the deal signal Nokia's intent to gain access to automation and intelligence tools without building them from scratch. For a company positioned in connectivity and network infrastructure, this infrastructure modernization may be seen as a prerequisite for competing in what the article describes as the "AI era."