The cloud giants are getting more competitive! Google (GOOG.US) is exploring options to counter Microsoft (MSFT.US) licensing.

Alphabet's Google (GOOGL.US) cloud business head Amit Zavery said Google Cloud would explore options to counter Microsoft's (MSFT.US) licensing practices. Microsoft and the European cloud infrastructure services trade association (CISPE) had reached an agreement to resolve concerns about the licensing practices of cloud infrastructure providers and their customers, before Zavery made the comments. The settlement did not include Amazon.com's (AMZN.US) AWS, Google Cloud Platform and Alibaba's (BABA.US) Aliyun, which both companies said they were unhappy with.

Zavery said: "Many regulators are now investigating Microsoft's licensing practices, and we hope to have remedies in place to protect the cloud market from Microsoft's anticompetitive licensing practices." The company is exploring options to continue to fight Microsoft's alleged anticompetitive licensing practices to promote choice, innovation and growth in European digital economies, he added.

CISPE said that Microsoft's actions were undermining the European cloud ecosystem and depriving customers of choice in cloud deployment. The trade group announced in February that it had begun discussions with Microsoft to resolve the issues, and has now reached a settlement of €20m (£17.7m).