REDMOND, WASH. – Nearly two years removed from the introduction of Microsoft’s services dream, Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie this week said the next 12 to18 months will be filled with the release of services and technology that will fit into an online platform for software plus services.

Ozzie did not announce any specific services, but for the first time outlined the platform Microsoft intends to build in the cloud. He said the model will help partners and users alike understand where the coming rush of services fit and how they plug together.

The services will be targeted at consumers, corporations and developers but all will feed off what Microsoft is presenting as a multi-purpose infrastructure in the cloud called Microsoft Services Platform (MSP).

Ozzie, tasked with no less than developing the architectural underpinnings that will lead the company into the future, showed an MSP mimics the current Windows platform from physical servers to applications.

The platform model is made up of four layers, starting with foundation services he compared to networking’s physical layer. The foundation services include massive data centers, racks of computers built from commodity components and network gear. He also said there would be cloud infrastructure services such as storage; platform services such as identity, presence and advertising; and an application layer for consumers, information workers, IT pros, business managers and developers.

“The services transformation from software to software plus services is a very, very big deal for our company,” said Ozzie, who was one of the handful of executive presenters at Microsoft’s annual Financial Analyst meeting July 26. “We’re taking a platform approach to services, giving each of our products the common benefits of cost, speed, scale and monetization that a platform approach offers.” He said the platform would support Microsoft’s and its partner’s general applications, enterprise applications and enterprise infrastructure.

Google activated Microsoft’s mojo

“This is not strictly a defensive move,” said Peter O’Kelly, an analyst with the Burton Group. “Ray is playing offense. He has assets that others can't replicate.”

O’Kelly said competitors have lit a fire in Microsoft not seen since Netscape mocked the software giant from what is now its Silicon Valley grave site.