Microsoft adds new Azure cloud regions in Germany

Microsoft has announced the availability of Azure in new cloud regions in Germany. In addition, Office 365, Dynamics 365 and Power Platform will also be offered from these new cloud regions.

"As we enter new markets, we work to address scenarios where data residency is of critical importance, especially for highly regulated industries seeking the compliance standards and extensive security offered by Azure," stated Tom Keane corporate vice president for Azure Global, in a blog post.

The new regions comply with German-specific regulations, including Cloud Computing Compliance Controls Catalogue (C5) attestation, according to Keane. The new regions will allow companies in Germany to take advantage of such technology as containers, Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence.

These customers include:

• Germany's leading bank, Deutsche Bank, which is using Microsoft’s cloud services to more quickly develop new financial products and services while maintaining data security. "With our collaboration, Deutsche Bank has developed a data platform that meets both international and local regulatory requirements while offering customers secure and cost-efficient services," Keane stated.
• Telecommunications company Deutsche Telekom is set to onboard customers to Microsoft's new cloud regions in Germany, according to Keane.
• ERP software giant SAP, will combine Azure and SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud to provide solutions directly from Germany for the "intelligent enterprise in the intelligent cloud."
• Global IT specialist and multi-cloud service provider Arvato Systems, is now able to offer its customers fully integrated Azure services with data retention in Germany.

Microsoft launched local German Azure data centers, referred to as "Microsoft Cloud Germany," in 2016 in Magdeburg and Frankfurt. Microsoft Cloud Germany, which provided a differentiated option to the Microsoft Cloud services already available at that time across Europe, adhered to German data handling regulations with additional layers of controls and isolation from the global Azure network.

The following June, Microsoft announced the availability of Dynamics 365 from datacenters in Frankfurt and Magdeburg in Germany for businesses in Germany, the European Union, and European Free Trade Association countries.

Then, in September 2018, Microsoft announced that it planned to add new Azure regions in Germany to offer both data residency in the country and connectivity to the global cloud network. At the time, Microsoft stated that the new regions would "offer Microsoft Azure, Office 365 and Dynamics 365 with full functionality, enterprise-grade security, and comprehensive features."