Microsoft and Lumen expand co-selling for enterprise AI networks – Unite.AI

Microsoft and Lumen Technologies announced on November 2, 2026, an expanded co-selling collaboration, focused on connecting data, applications and infrastructure used for enterprise AI workloads and expanding access to Lumen networking capabilities via Azure and Microsoft Marketplace.

Microsoft and Lumen said enterprise AI initiatives often rely on data and applications deployed across public clouds, private data centers, offices and partner environments, while connecting networks can remain fragmented and complex. The collaboration aims to align network transformation with Azure modernization earlier, bringing connectivity, security, data movement and AI infrastructure decisions into a single enterprise architecture. Lumen plans to bring its full suite of cloud networking and application connectivity capabilities to Azure, expanding how customers can access and deploy those capabilities across Microsoft’s cloud and AI ecosystem.

Co-sales and market access

By expanding the co-selling effort, companies intend to extend joint account planning to business opportunities where network modernization, Azure migration, and AI transformation converge. They also plan to identify opportunities to add additional Lumen capabilities to Azure and Microsoft Marketplace over time. Stated business priorities include connecting sites, data centers and clouds for Azure-based AI initiatives; enforce consistent policies and visibility across hybrid and multi-cloud environments; and connect new clouds, partners and applications without treating each addition as a separate network project.

Alkira, a Lumen Connect solution, is already available through Microsoft Marketplace as an established purchasing option for cloud-native networking. The vendor-provided Alkira Cloud Services Exchange listing describes a cloud-network-as-a-service product to connect users, sites, and clouds, with a design framework for designing networks, one-click deployment, integrated network and security services, operational visibility, advanced controls, and governance.

Katy Brown, Microsoft corporate vice president for Americas markets and industries, said the collaboration is designed to preserve customer choice when connecting existing environments to Azure, while coordinating a broader network transformation with Azure cloud and AI priorities and using Azure’s native networking and security capabilities.

Azure integration and agent governance

Lumen with Alkira combines network infrastructure and orchestration into a single portal to connect, secure and manage networks in hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Azure provides the cloud and AI services used to modernize infrastructure, build applications, and scale AI workloads. Customers can utilize Azure native networking capabilities, including Azure Virtual WAN, along with Lumen connectivity and cloud native networking based on their business needs.

Microsoft and Lumen also plan to explore how AI-ready connectivity can work with Microsoft’s agent governance and security capabilities for agent-managed business processes. The planned work covers a secure and governed foundation spanning networks, cloud infrastructure, data, identity, applications and AI agents.

This expanded effort builds on an existing relationship where Lumen’s Private Connectivity Fabric supports Microsoft data center connectivity and Azure supports Lumen workload modernization. The expanded collaboration applies that expertise to enterprise cloud networking and AI infrastructure planning, with deeper joint work planned across Azure, AI-ready connectivity and agent-governed workloads. The companies will provide additional details as their joint go-to-market plans progress.

The established purchasing option is Alkira via Microsoft Marketplace, while the full Lumen suite on Azure and agent governance work remain planned elements of the expanded collaboration.