Amazon Launches Data Centre Operations in South Africa

Amazon Web Services (AWS), the cloud computing platform of Amazon, said on Wednesday it has launched its data centre operations at three locations in Cape Town, South Africa, setting up its first "AWS Africa region".

The company defines a "region" as a combination of two or more physical data centre clusters, which Amazon says helps its clients store data and run applications, provide faster response and have content backup.

The move steps up Amazon's efforts to outsmart rivals. Microsoft's Azure cloud platform and Chinese hardware major Huawei have already been building data centres in South Africa.

"Starting today, developers, startups, and enterprises, as well as government, education, and non-profit organisations can run their applications and serve end-users in Africa," Amazon said in a statement. The service will now allow clients to store data locally and retain complete ownership of their content and data, it said.

Microsoft's Azure, Amazon's closest rival in cloud computing, was the first major company to set up data centres in South Africa - one in Cape Town and the second in Johannesburg - in 2019.

Chinese rival Huawei said last year that it would set up two data centres in South Africa and is in discussion with local partners.

Amazon's AWS posted around $10 billion (roughly Rs. 76,000 crores) of revenues for the quarter that ended in December 2019. Amazon also operates its on-demand video service in South Africa but does not offer its online shopping in the region.

© Thomson Reuters 2020