Microsoft is following up on its recent rollout of specially structured Azure data centers in Germany with plans to develop additional sites in France next year. The company also published a 200-plus page book outlining a series of proposals for cloud computing policies.
Redmond has invested more than $3 billion in Europe so far to build out its cloud capacity, according to the announcement, which was delivered by CEO Satya Nadell and president Brad Smith at an event in Dublin Monday:
Microsoft will offer Azure, Office 365 and Dynamics 365 from French data centers starting next year. The company also has data centers in the Netherlands, Ireland, Austria and Finland. The point is not only to lay the groundwork for scale, but to respond to European customers' concerns over data sovereignty and privacy.
It's key for Microsoft to be compliant with EU data security, safety and privacy issues, as it wants and needs to move Office data—email, documents, calendar appointment, files, and so on—to Office," says Constellation Research VP and principal analyst Holger Mueller. "So it's no surprise to see Microsoft investing and working hard on compliance. It's too early to tell how the competition will react, but this could become a key differentiator in the cloud wars for Microsoft."
A number of European government agencies, including Ireland's Health Service Executive are planning to use Office 365 and Azure, according to a statement:
The eHealth Ireland initiative will create a secure cloud infrastructure using Microsoft Azure, Office 365 and Dynamics 365 and will allow a single unique identifier for all patients, single electronic health records for all mothers and babies in Ireland, a single national lab system, digital identity for health workers across the system, and communications tools to enable relationships between clinicians and patients to develop in real time.
Meanwhile, Nadella and Smith also unveiled "A Cloud for Global Good," which provides nearly 80 proposals for cloud computing regulations:
Topics include next-generation skills, enhancing security and privacy in the digital age, environmental sustainability, keeping communities safe, and securing a bright future for all our children. The book’s specific proposals tackle challenges like data flow disruptions that can interrupt critical services, protecting people from online exploitation and fraud, and ensuring those with disabilities can access e-government services.
The book's proposals are broad and measured, and go hand-in-hand with its data center strategy's intention of positioning Microsoft as the most trustworthy cloud provider for European customers.
While other vendors, such as Amazon Web Services and IBM, may have conducted ample cloud-related lobbying efforts in Europe, none have come forth with a similar policy document, which potentially gives Microsoft an edge in public discussions with government officials there over the coming months and years.
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