Yesterday, US tech giant Microsoft announced that it will open two new data centers in the UAE, marking Microsoft’s first penetration into the market for cloud services in the Middle East.
According to the Redmond, Washington-based company, the new facilities in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are expected to officially launch by 2019 into Microsoft’s network of over 50 data centers around the world. Not only will Microsoft open sites in the Middle East, but also in Switzerland and will further add more locations in Germany.
The new investment allows the UAE to tap into Microsoft’s network of over 50 data centers around the world. In addition, the tech giant and its network has around 17,800 partners in the Middle East, this will provide a host of cloud-related solutions to new and existing customers that are planning to develop and modernize their operations.
Sayed Hashish, regional general manager of Microsoft Gulf commented on the opening of the data centers saying: “Driven by strong customer demand for cloud computing, local data centers were the logical next step given the enormous opportunity that the cloud presents.” He also mentions that Microsoft’s ambition is to form a strategic part of backbone for regional economic development.
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