Microsoft is working with North American Aerospace Defense (NORAD) to help power the annual Santa Tracker using NORAD’s powerful global radars and Microsoft technology, including Bing Maps, Windows Azure, and apps for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8.
 
Once upon a time children would have to take their parents’ word that Santa Claus was on his way (but will only stop at their house if they go to sleep already). Now, using a website, a mobile app, or by placing a phone call to NORAD, children can determine Santa Claus’s approximate global position.
 
The Colorado-based NORAD is a bi-national command between the United States and Canada, who work “side by side to defend North America” by monitoring the skies and seas for any potential threats. The organization’s headquarters are at Peterson Air Force Base.
 
“Since we’re watching the skies anyway, it only makes sense to watch for Rudolph as well,” said Marisa Novobilski, NORAD Tracks Santa project manager.
 
It was a wrong number in 1955 that first led NORAD to track Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. That year, a Sears, Roebuck & Co. department store ran an advertisement inviting children to call Santa. But the phone number in the ad contained a typo. Instead of reaching Santa directly, that wrong number meant children were calling the “red phone” at NORAD's predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command. The line was typically reserved for major security situations.
 
Colonel Harry Shoup was on duty that night, and though he initially thought someone was playing a joke on him, he eventually realized what had happened.
 
“Then he played along, and for the rest of the night as calls came in asking where Santa is, he and his staff checked the radar and relayed location information to the children,” Novobilski said. “It became the goodwill military outreach program it is today that reaches millions around the world.”
 
It’s the first time NORAD and Microsoft have teamed up to help track Santa Claus across the globe.
 
“We appreciate all of Microsoft’s support,” Novobilski said. “It’s actually helping us grow to have such a great technology partner on board. It’s been great so far.”
 
NORAD uses Microsoft technology for other non-Santa-related projects the rest of the year, said Dana Barnes, account team unit manager for Microsoft’s Joint Defense Agencies.
 
“I attribute the opportunity for us to do something like the Santa Tracker to the men and women from Microsoft who are on the ground every day helping keep NORAD’s servers running, educating people on technology, building out solutions for line-of-business applications, they’ve given NORAD confidence in Microsoft,” Barnes said.