Friday, March 16, 2018

Finally, Microsoft plans to open its first set of Middle East data centers in UAE

After becoming an increasing threat to Amazon in the public cloud space, and in the fourth quarter increased its market share from 16 to 20 percent, according to KeyBanc analystsMicrosoft Finally announced its plans for a major expansion of the Microsoft Cloud with the launch of its first cloud regions in the Middle East. These new regions, which are scheduled to go online in 2019, will be located in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and will host the company’s usual Azure, Office 365 and Dynamics 365 services.
“Microsoft has been present in the Middle East for more than two decades and is deeply invested in the region in many ways,” said Sayed Hashish, regional general manager, Microsoft Gulf, in today’s announcement
"We see enormous opportunity in MEA (Middle East and Africa) for cloud technology to be the key driver of economic development, as well as provide sustainable solutions to many pressing issues such as youth employability, education and healthcare," Samer Abu-Ltaif, president of Microsoft Middle East Africa, said in a press release.
It’s worth noting that Amazon, too, has already announced its plans for a region in Bahrain, which will open in about a year, while Google has not announced any plans to enter this market yet.
In addition to the new Middle East regions, Microsoft also today announced its first region in Switzerland (with data centers around Geneva and Zürich), which is scheduled to go online in 2019. In Germany, the company is launching an additional cloud region and in France, the Microsoft Cloud is now generally available.
In total, Microsoft now offers 50 regions around the globe, with plans for 12 new regions in the works.

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