Cloud giant
Microsoft is to extend its cloud capability with new data centers in the Middle East. Microsoft, which has headquarters in Redmond, Washington, United States, introduced a ‘cloud-first, mobile-first’ doctrine under current CEO Satya Nadella. The company’s suite of cloud-based solutions includes the Azure cloud platform, the Office 365 communication and collaboration suite, and Dynamics 365 business applications. The new facilities will be in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
As well as new data centers in the Middle East, Microsoft will be extending its presence in Germany with the addition of two new centers, and in Switzerland with centers in Geneva and Zurich. The aim of the extension is to better cater to Microsoft’s cloud customers and the timing is significant as it comes on the heels of Amazon's recently announced data center opening in Bahrain in 2019. Amazon has currently cornered over 60% of the cloud data storage and processing applications market.
“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," explained Samer Abu-Ltaif, Microsoft Middle East Africa’s President.
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