Microsoft is continuing to expand its Azure cloud datacenter footprint

mood · Jan 23, 2020

Microsoft to open first cloud datacenter region in Israel
January 22, 2020
https://www.onmsft.com/news/microsoft-to-open-first-cloud-datacenter-region-in-israel

Microsoft is continuing to expand its Azure datacenter footprint, this time with its first datacenter region in Israel. The new “Israel Central” location is expected to open in 2021, and will bring the total footprint of datacenter to 56 regions among 21 countries.

According to Michel van der Bel, President of Microsoft Europe, Middle East and Africa:

“When I speak to customers across EMEA, it is clear that the power of the cloud is essential for their competitiveness. We have made significant infrastructure investments in the region and with this announcement, our planned region in Israel will join a growing number of EMEA markets recently made available [...]”
Microsoft also plans to open a datacenter next year in Qatar, and has also opened detacenters in Norway, Germany, and Switzerland, among others in the last year alone.
The company’s continued investments in Azure are likely part of the reason why tech companies have voted more favorably for Azure as opposed to its number one rival, Amazon AWS.
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Microsoft: Microsoft to launch new cloud datacenter region in Israel

This marks a significant investment by Microsoft in the Israeli market
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mood · May 8, 2020

Microsoft Cloud Regions Planned For New Zealand, Poland
May 6, 2020
https://www.crn.com/news/cloud/microsoft-cloud-regions-planned-for-new-zealand-poland

Microsoft plans to open its first data center region in New Zealand, hailing it as a first step toward providing local access to enterprise-grade cloud services there.

“This significant investment in New Zealand’s digital infrastructure is a testament to the remarkable spirit of New Zealand’s innovation and reflects how we’re pushing the boundaries of what is possible as a nation,” Vanessa Sorenson, general manager of Microsoft New Zealand, said in a statement.
The New Zealand region, which is subject to approval from the country’s Overseas Investment Office, would bring Microsoft to 60 announced cloud regions in 140 countries.
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The New Zealand cloud region would give customers local access to Microsoft’s cloud services, including Microsoft Azure and its computing, networking, databases, analytics, artificial intelligence and internet of things services; Microsoft 365 productivity apps; and Dynamics 365 and Power Platform business applications, according to the Redmond, Wash.-based technology company.
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Microsoft yesterday also unveiled plans to invest $1 billion over seven years on a digital transformation plan for Poland that would include a cloud region there.
Microsoft has signed a deal with Warsaw cloud provider Chmura Krajowa to provide digital transformation expertise and access to cloud solutions to institutions and businesses in Poland.

Microsoft this year also announced plans for new cloud regions in Spain and Mexico. Others are planned for Israel and Qatar.
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mood · May 9, 2020

mood said: ↑

Microsoft Cloud Regions Planned For New Zealand, Poland May 6, 2020
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...and Italy:
ZDNet: Microsoft to add new cloud regions in Italy, New Zealand and Poland

In Italy, Microsoft is building a new datacenter region in Milan, which will provide access to Azure, Microsoft 365/Office 365 and Dynamics 365 and the Power Platform set of tools.
[...]
After these three announcements, Microsoft now has 61 datacenter regions announced. Microsoft officials said during the company's recent Q3 FY20 earnings call to expect Microsoft to ramp up cloud infrastructure spending significantly in the coming quarter.
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Microsoft: Microsoft announces $1.5 billion investment plan to accelerate digital transformation in Italy, including its first cloud datacenter region

Microsoft Corp. today announced a $1.5 billion, five-year investment plan in Italy, marking a significant commitment to support local innovation and growth, including the intent to bring Microsoft’s first datacenter region to the country. The plan “Ambizione Italia #DigitalRestart” builds on the strategic initiative “Ambizione Italia“ launched in 2018 and will create new opportunities by empowering people and organizations and supporting economic growth.

Microsoft’s investments in Italy span a 35-plus-year history with more than 10,000 partners and 350,000 professionals. The plan marks a major milestone toward delivering its enterprise-grade cloud services globally, totalling 61 regions announced, with Microsoft Azure available in over 140 countries.

The new datacenter region in Milan will provide companies with access to Microsoft’s enterprise-grade cloud services. Microsoft Azure is an ever-expanding set of cloud services that offers computing, networking, databases, analytics,
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mood · Oct 5, 2020

Microsoft to invest in Greek cloud services infrastructure
October 5, 2020
https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-to-invest-in-greek-cloud-services-infrastructure

Microsoft has announced that it will build data centers in Greece, a move that will assist the country's economy, which has been weakened by a decade-long debt crisis and the coronavirus pandemic. The investment in cloud services infrastructure, which is the biggest by the Redmond firm in its 28 years of operations in Greece, was announced by Brad Smith, President at Microsoft, at a deal presentation in Athens. Smith said that the decision "shows confidence in the Greek economy, the Greek people, and the government.”

While the exact size of the investment was not made public, analysts estimate that it will have an economic benefit worth roughly $1 billion, according to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
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The investment was first discussed earlier this year during a meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. With the agreement formally announced, Greece will become the first country in southeastern Europe to host Microsoft data centers.
Source: Bloomberg
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Microsoft: Microsoft announces plans for first datacenter region in Greece as part of “GR for GRowth” digital transformation initiative

Microsoft Corp. announced today its “GR for GRowth” initiative, a significant technology commitment to support the people, government and businesses of all sizes in Greece with technology and resources to create new opportunities for growth. As part of the plan, Microsoft announced its intent to build new datacenters that will establish a Microsoft Cloud region in the country, adding Greece to the world’s largest cloud infrastructure footprint and delivering access to low-latency, enterprise-grade cloud services.

To support citizens in both professional and personal ambitions, Microsoft also announced its plan to skill approximately 100,000 people in Greece in digital technologies by 2025.
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The Greece datacenter region will join Microsoft’s global footprint of cloud regions, now totaling 63 regions announced, with Microsoft Azure available in over 140 countries, and will provide companies local access to Microsoft’s full set of cloud services, all built on a foundation of trust: [...]
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mood · Oct 27, 2020

Microsoft to Build the First Azure Cloud Data Center in Taiwan
...the cloud giant plans a new strategic foothold in the region
October 26, 2020
https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/microsoft/microsoft-build-first-azure-cloud-data-center-taiwan

The company on Monday announced a plan to build its first Azure cloud data center region in Taiwan and turn it into a “key Asia operating hub,” Nikkei Asia reported. The company said it will work with Taiwan, one of the world’s largest hardware manufacturing hotspots, “to enhance the security of the electronics supply chain,” according to the report.

“Taiwan is a reliable partner to Microsoft as it has a complete information technology supply chain with resourceful talents,” Microsoft Taiwan General Manager Ken Sun said at a press conference in Taipei.
A US diplomat and executives from hardware manufacturers Foxconn, Wistron, and Acer also attended the event.
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Microsoft: Microsoft to establish its first datacenter region in Taiwan as a part of its “Reimagine Taiwan” initiative

Microsoft will accelerate digital transformation and innovation in Taiwan through access to secure enterprise cloud services, expansion of Taiwan’s Azure engineering group and local talent development for over 200,000 people
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mood · Nov 18, 2020

Microsoft 365 is now available from datacenters in Brazil
November 18, 2020
https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-365-is-now-available-from-datacenters-in-brazil

Microsoft is once again expanding the regional availability of its services with the launch of Microsoft 365 services hosted on cloud datacenters in Brazil. The new launch follows in the footsteps of similar launches in countries such as Germany earlier in the year, and it's part of a series of investments Microsoft is making in the South American country, which also includes skilling and sustainability initiatives.

Initially, only Microsoft 365 data is stored in Brazil, but the company has already announced that Dynamics 365 and the Power Platform will also be ready for data residency in the first half of 2021. Additional multi-geo capabilities for Microsoft 365 will be available in the first quarter of the year, meaning organizations can choose where customer data is stored on a by-user basis within a single tenant.

Brazil joins a few other countries that have had other similar launches in the past year and a half, including Switzerland and the aforementioned Germany region.
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Microsoft: Microsoft 365 now available from new Brazil geography

Microsoft 365 is now available for organizations and enterprises from our new cloud datacenters in Brazil. This advancement in Brazil cloud infrastructure is one component of the Microsoft Mais Brazil plan, which also includes investments in skilling, employment opportunity discovery, and sustainability initiatives as covered in the October 20, 2020 announcement.

The new Brazil geography establishes Microsoft 365, the world’s productivity cloud, as available to Brazilian organizations with customer data stored at rest in Brazil for core online services, including customer content in Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, and OneDrive for Business. Microsoft Teams chats, media, images, and meeting recording data will also be stored in-country.
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mood · Dec 7, 2020

Microsoft announces its first Azure data center region in Denmark
December 7, 2020
https://techcrunch.com/2020/12/07/microsoft-announces-its-first-azure-data-center-region-in-denmark/

Microsoft continues to expand its global Azure data center presence at a rapid clip. After announcing new regions in Austria and Taiwan in October, the company today revealed its plans to launch a new region in Denmark.

As with many of Microsoft’s recent announcements, the company is also attaching a commitment to provide digital skills to 200,000 people in the country (in this case, by 2024).

“With this investment, we’re taking the next step in our longstanding commitment to provide Danish society and businesses with the digital tools, skills and infrastructure needed to drive sustainable growth, innovation, and job creation. We’re investing in Denmark’s digital leap into the future – all in a way that supports the country’s ambitious climate goals and economic recovery,” said Nana Bule, general manager, Microsoft Denmark.
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The new data center, which will be powered by 100% renewable energy and feature multiple availability zones, will feature support for what has now become the standard set of Microsoft cloud products: Azure, Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365 and Power Platform.
As usual, the idea here is to provide low-latency access to Microsoft’s tools and services
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Microsoft: Microsoft announces plans to establish a new datacenter region in Denmark to accelerate the country’s green, digital transformation

Microsoft Corp. today announced the most significant investment in its 30-year history in Denmark, introducing Denmark as the location for its next sustainable datacenter region and a comprehensive skilling commitment for an estimated 200,000 Danes by 2024. Powered by 100 percent renewable energy, the datacenter region will provide Danish customers of all sizes faster access to the Microsoft Cloud, world-class security and the ability to store data at rest in the country.
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mood · Dec 14, 2020

Microsoft announces a new datacenter region in Chile
December 14, 2020
https://mspoweruser.com/microsoft-new-datacenter-region-in-chile/

Last week, Microsoft announced that it will open a new datacenter region in Chile. This new datacenter region will offer local businesses in Chile a competitive advantage by enabling faster access to cloud services without compromising on data security.

The Chile datacenter region will also support Microsoft’s sustainability goals, and will also deliver Azure Availability Zones, which can enable cloud applications to be highly available with additional tolerance to datacenter failures.

“We aren’t building a datacenter just to power our own business, but to provide a critical investment in Chile’s infrastructure that will serve all the people who live here and customers who operate here,” said Brad Smith, Microsoft President.
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Microsoft also has plans to skill up 180,000 Chileans and it will form an Advisory Board comprising local leaders to create inclusive opportunities to succeed in the digital economy.
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Microsoft: Microsoft announces “Transforma Chile” to accelerate growth and business transformation, including a new datacenter region, skilling commitment for up to 180,000 citizens and Advisory Board

SANTIAGO, Chile – Microsoft Corp. today announced “Transforma Chile #ReactivacionDigital,” the company’s most significant investment in its 28-year history in the country. Delivered from datacenters in Chile, the Microsoft Cloud will increase remote work communications and learning through services like Microsoft Teams, improve reliability and scale of services from Chilean businesses, and empower individuals and the public and private sectors to innovate with the latest developer tools.

In addition, Microsoft has developed a robust skilling plan for up to 180,000 Chileans and an Advisory Board comprising local leaders to create inclusive opportunities to succeed in the digital economy.
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mood · Nov 23, 2021

Microsoft to create new datacenter region in Belgium to deliver cloud solutions
November 23, 2021
https://www.neowin.net/news/microso...region-in-belgium-to-deliver-cloud-solutions/

Microsoft has announced a new multi-year investment plan for Belgium alongside the country’s Prime Minister Alexander De Croo. The Digital AmBEtion plan consists of three parts; providing digital infrastructure, helping citizens develop digital skills, and creating sustainable societal impact. The new datacenter region which will be set up in the country will be central to the plan.
Commenting on Digital AmBEtion, Didier Ongena, General Manager, Microsoft BeLux, said:

“To grow the economy, Belgium needs cutting-edge infrastructure coupled with the highest standards in security and privacy, allowing organizations to innovate faster and be more competitive. By investing in a datacenter region in Belgium, Microsoft creates the best conditions for the digitalization of the Belgian economy.”
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With the establishment of the new datacenter region, organisations of all sizes will have improved access to cloud services that cover computing, networking, databases, analytics, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things through Microsoft Azure. Some other benefits of the plan include keeping data transfers inside the European Union and Azure Availability Zones which increase tolerance to datacenter failures.
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Microsoft: Microsoft announces “Digital AmBEtion” plan to accelerate growth and innovation in Belgium, including its intent to establish a datacenter region in the country

BRUSSELS, Nov. 23, 2021 – Today, Microsoft Corp., alongside Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, announced Digital AmBEtion, a comprehensive, multi-year investment plan designed to accelerate the digital transformation of Belgium’s public and private sectors. Digital AmBEtion includes three pillars: providing world-class digital infrastructure, helping citizens develop digital skills, and creating sustainable societal impact.

Central to the plan, Microsoft will establish a new datacenter region that delivers advanced data security and cloud solutions, offering Belgian organizations local data residency and faster access to the cloud. According to IDC, the Microsoft Cloud will help Belgium generate up to €31.5 billion in new revenue and add more than 60,000 jobs to its economy over the next four years. [1]
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mood · Aug 6, 2022

This new interactive map shows the scale of Microsoft Azure's global cloud footprint
August 6, 2022

Have you ever wondered just how far the global Microsoft operation spreads? Well, wonder no more, thanks to this new interactive 3D map from the company.

In recent years, cloud tech has become Microsoft's bread and butter, powered by Azure and an array of associated services. Whether you're a business building applications in the cloud or a consumer using a service like Office 365 or Xbox Cloud Gaming, practically every Microsoft service has some kind of cloud association in 2022, and likely will for the foreseeable future.
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If you're someone who ever wondered just how close you are to a Microsoft data center, this fun and interactive 3D tool on the official Azure website can help you to visualize it

The map shows just how far the global Microsoft operation reaches, complete with undersea cables and satellite operations in three dimensions. The key on the top left gives you an idea of what all the icons mean. It shows the spread of data centers throughout the United States and across Europe, as well as into Asia. It also shows a range of geographies labeled as "coming soon," with plans to expand into emerging economies in Africa, as well as build up operations in the Middle East.
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The interactive map showcases just how massive the Azure operation truly is, particularly when you take into account the plans for expansion.
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mood · Aug 16, 2022 at 1:51 PM

Microsoft Azure cloud region settles over desert in Doha, Qatar
Opening was delayed during that pandemic thing
August 16, 2022

Microsoft Azure launched a long-awaited new cloud region in Doha, Qatar, on Monday.

The Qatar Azure cloud region was first announced in December 2019, months before the effects of COVID-19 hit. The pre-pandemic announcement now feels quaint as it contained a promise to accelerate the Qatari government's efforts for digital transformation with a completion date of 2021. That date was eventually delayed to 2022.

"In the coming two weeks we will be launching the region globally, but definitely the datacenter is already here in Qatar," Lana Khalaf, general manager of Microsoft Qatar, told local media outlet The Peninsula in late June.
Khalaf said the datacenter would create 24,000 new jobs and that Microsoft would train 50,000 people over the next five years.
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Despite the launch, Microsoft's Azure website showed no products available in Qatar at the time of publication.
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Microsoft is continuing to expand its Azure cloud datacenter footprint

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