Microsoft Corp. is teaming up with computer makers to try to make its Windows Azure cloud computing system attractive to government and big corporate customers.

In recent years, companies have started to use technology called virtualization, which can let one physical server computer act as several. That cuts costs for hardware, energy use and the labor needed to oversee large data centers.

Cloud computing systems build on that trend. Instead of having to own and operate all those servers, companies can choose to outsource data center management. The companies can store data and give employees access to software over the Internet. And these systems can automatically ramp up or scale down the computing resources they devote to any one program, depending on demand.

Microsoft said Monday that PC makers Dell Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co., and Japan's Fujitsu have set up what Microsoft is calling Azure appliances, or networks of servers in their own data centers running Azure. Now the PC makers, which also do technology consulting, can add cloud computing to their menu of services.

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