Microsoft launches New Zealand cloud region

Microsoft, today, has launched its first cloud region in New Zealand located in Aotearoa. This region will be powered by 100 percent renewable energy and use air cooling technology. The company first announced plans to develop a data center region in New Zealand in May 2020, receiving approval in September of that year. 

“We are a small but mighty nation of visionaries who have propelled our business innovation, incredible sports teams, and amazing entertainment into worldwide brands," says Vanessa Sorenson, managing director of Microsoft New Zealand. "So many New Zealand companies are going global, and having this infrastructure here in Aotearoa is going to help many more innovators to realize their ambitions and show the rest of the world how creative and talented we can be."

Ruth Russell, Kaitautari Pārongo Matua (CIO) for Te Tumu Paeroa, said: "We have a whakatauki (proverb): Aho roroa uaua hautū, aho popoto hautū marika – A kite with a short string is easier to control, and a kite with a long string is more difficult to control – but it benefits from the high wind. This agreement means we can have those high winds and the short string, enjoying the comfort and peace of having the data close, while being able to engage more easily with owners and support partners."