GEC NEWS WIREMicrosoft revealed plans to deliver the intelligent, trusted Microsoft Cloud from its first datacenters located in the Middle East, empowering organizations, governments, and businesses to achieve more and recognizing the unprecedented opportunity for digital transformation in the region.
The Microsoft Cloud, comprising Azure, Office 365 and Dynamics 365, will offer enterprise-grade reliability and performance, combined with data residency, from datacenters located in Abu Dhabi and Dubai with initial availability expected in 2019. Microsoft’s deep expertise in data protection, security and privacy, including the broadest set of compliance certifications in the industry, means customers in the region can accelerate their digital transformation knowing they have a trusted partner. Each new datacenter will adhere to Microsoft’s trusted cloud principles and becomes part of one of the largest cloud infrastructures in the world, already serving more than a billion customers and 20 million businesses.
“Microsoft has been present in the Middle East for more than two decades and is deeply invested in the region in many ways,” says Sayed Hashish, Regional General Manager, Microsoft Gulf. “Driven by strong customer demand for cloud computing, local datacenters were the logical next step given the enormous opportunity that the cloud presents. In areas like digital transformation, and the development of new intelligent services, our ambition is for the Microsoft Cloud to form a strategic part of the backbone for regional economic development.”
Etisalat Digital, a business unit of Etisalat, is collaborating closely with Microsoft as a Cloud Solutions Provider, offering integrated connectivity with Microsoft ExpressRoute as well as private cloud services using Azure Stack. Etisalat is also providing consulting, migration and managed services to ensure the smooth transition of business customers to the cloud and sees tremendous potential from Microsoft’s intelligent cloud served from state-of-the-art datacenters. Salvador Anglada, Chief Business Officer, Etisalat says, “This alliance reinforces the UAE 2021 vision to become one of the top knowledge-based economies in the world. Our collaboration with Microsoft perfectly fits our existing capabilities and positions Etisalat Digital as the leading partner for our customers’ digital transformation journey. The strength of Microsoft’s cloud combined with Etisalat’s own advanced infrastructure and reliable connectivity will be instrumental in accelerating cloud adoption in the UAE and the Middle East.”
