Azure Data Center Locations: A Global Overview

Author

Posted Nov 4, 2024

Reads 200

Man in White Dress Shirt Analyzing Data Displayed on Screen
Credit: pexels.com, Man in White Dress Shirt Analyzing Data Displayed on Screen

Azure has over 60 data center regions spread across the globe, giving businesses a wide range of options for deploying their applications and services.

These regions are strategically located in major cities and countries, including the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Middle East.

In the United States, Azure has a strong presence with data centers in multiple states, including California, Virginia, and Texas.

Azure's global reach enables businesses to deploy applications and services closer to their customers, reducing latency and improving performance.

Azure's data center locations are constantly expanding, with new regions and availability zones being added regularly.

Microsoft Data Center Locations

Microsoft has a total of 79 regions available in the near-term, with 64 of them already in operation and 15 under development.

Each region has 1 to 3 unique physical locations, known as availability zones, which offer high uptime to protect data and applications from data center failures.

Microsoft Azure has 126 availability zones in operation and a further 37 under development, meaning the company will have a total of 163 availability zones existing in the near-term.

Credit: youtube.com, Where the Heck Are Microsoft Azure Data Centers Actually Located?

Microsoft's more than 300 data centers span over 75 million square feet, providing high availability, low latency, and scalability.

These data centers are connected with Azure's diverse and global fiber paths that traverse over 175,000 miles (280,000 kilometers).

Microsoft will be adding 50 to 100 new data centers each year for the foreseeable future, according to Mark Russinovich, the company's Chief Technology Officer.

Microsoft doesn't disclose the exact addresses of its data centers, but the company does identify its regions and availability zones.

Geographic Regions

Microsoft Azure operates in a vast number of regions across the globe. These regions are the backbone of the company's data center locations.

Microsoft Azure has over 64 regions in operation and a further 15 under development, meaning that the company will have a total of 79 regions available in the near-term. This widespread presence is crucial for providing high availability, low latency, and scalability to its users.

Credit: youtube.com, Azure Data centre, Regions, availability zones, geo-location

Azure's regions are not limited to a single country or continent. The company has a strong presence in the United States, with regions such as Central US, East US, and West US.

Here are some of the regions where Microsoft Azure operates in the United States:

Microsoft Azure also operates in other regions, including Azure Government, Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa.

Overview and Benefits

Microsoft Azure has a presence in over 60 regions worldwide and is available in 140 countries, making it a global cloud infrastructure.

Azure regions are defined by latency boundaries and are connected through a dedicated low-latency network.

With Azure, you can preserve data residency and compliance boundaries by keeping your data and applications in specific locations, which are segmented into geographies that contain one or more regions.

Overview

Microsoft Azure is a global cloud platform with a presence in 60+ regions worldwide, making it one of the most extensive cloud infrastructures available.

Engineer fixing core swith in data center room
Credit: pexels.com, Engineer fixing core swith in data center room

Azure is available in 140 countries, offering a wide reach for businesses and individuals alike.

An Azure region is a set of data centres deployed within a latency-defined perimeter, connected through Azure's dedicated regional low-latency network.

This arrangement allows for efficient data transfer and processing within the region.

Azure geography is a segmented market that contains one or more regions, preserving data residency and compliance boundaries.

This enables customers to keep their data and applications in specific locations, meeting their unique needs.

By understanding Azure's infrastructure, you can better navigate its features and benefits.

Direct Connection Benefits

Having a direct connection to Azure locations can be a game-changer for organisations. It's carried out through Azure ExpressRoute, which extends on-premise networks into the Microsoft cloud over a private connection.

ExpressRoute connections don't go over the public internet, resulting in more reliability, faster speeds, consistent latencies, and higher security. This is because they bypass the public internet, which can be prone to outages and security risks.

Credit: youtube.com, Direct Connect Benefits

Working with a Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) partner like Console Connect eliminates the need to install and maintain routing equipment in a colocation facility. This simplifies the process and reduces the burden on IT teams.

Console Connect's private global network infrastructure provides direct and on-demand connections to various Azure regions. These include East Asia, Southeast Asia, Japan East, UK South, and North Central US.

The Console Connect management portal offers real-time visibility into network performance across Azure assets. This means organisations can continually adapt and optimise their network connectivity to meet changing business needs.

Here are the Azure regions that Console Connect provides direct and on-demand connections to:

  • East Asia
  • Southeast Asia
  • Japan East
  • UK South
  • North Central US

Infrastructure Details

Azure data centers are strategically located across the globe to provide low-latency access to data and applications.

Azure has data centers in 54 regions worldwide, including Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

Some of these regions are located in major cities such as Tokyo, London, and New York.

Azure's data center infrastructure is designed to be highly available, with multiple data centers in each region.

These data centers are connected by a high-speed network, ensuring that data is transferred quickly and reliably.

Azure's data centers are also equipped with advanced security features to protect against cyber threats.

Government

Credit: youtube.com, AZ-900 Episode 7 | Geographies, Regions & Availability Zones | Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Course

Azure Government is a cloud service designed to meet government security and compliance requirements for classified and unclassified U.S. Government data. It targets agencies and organizations such as the Department of Defense, the U.S. Intelligence Community, and federal civilians.

Microsoft Azure operates or is planning 8 regions and 10 availability zones for Azure Government. Presently, it's available in Des Moines, Iowa; Richmond, Virginia; Phoenix, Arizona; Austin, Texas; Washington, D.C.; and San Francisco, California.

Azure Government operates data centers in the following regions: US DoD Central, US DoD East, US Gov Arizona, US Gov Texas, US Gov Virginia, US Sec East, and US Sec West. Its next data center region, US Sec West Central, is being established in Des Moines, Iowa.

Here are the current Azure Government regions, along with their codes, zones, cities, states, and opening years:

Tour and Information

Microsoft Azure has a vast network of data centers, with over 300 locations spanning 75 million square feet.

Credit: youtube.com, Microsoft reveals its MASSIVE data center (Full Tour)

You can find Microsoft Azure data centers across the globe, with a diverse and global fiber path that covers over 175,000 miles.

Each data center is equipped with independent power, cooling, and networking, making them physically separate and protected from facility-level disruptions.

Microsoft's Chief Technology Officer, Mark Russinovich, has announced plans to add 50 to 100 new data centers each year for the foreseeable future, expanding Azure's already impressive infrastructure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does every Azure region have multiple data centers?

No, not every Azure region has multiple data centers, but rather one or more data centers connected by a low-latency network. Azure regions can be single or multi-data center, depending on the specific region configuration.

Where is Azure Central US location in Iowa?

The Azure Central US data center is located at 550 White Crane Rd, West Des Moines, IA 50265, USA, covering an area of 408,000 sqft. This facility serves as a key hub for Microsoft Azure services in the region.

Is North America a single Azure region?

No, North America is not a single Azure region, as it is divided into multiple regions such as West US, Central US, and Canada East. Instead, Azure regions are defined by a latency-defined perimeter and connected through a dedicated regional network.

Desiree Feest

Senior Assigning Editor

Desiree Feest is an accomplished Assigning Editor with a passion for uncovering the latest trends and innovations in technology. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for identifying emerging stories, Desiree has successfully curated content across various article categories. Her expertise spans the realm of Azure, where she has covered topics such as Azure Data Studio and Azure Tools and Software.

Love What You Read? Stay Updated!

Join our community for insights, tips, and more.