Nadella unveils UK datacentre plans in London keynote
Microsoft CEO pledges commitment to UK cloud at London event
Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella has unveiled plans for a UK datacentre which the company claims will offer "new opportunities for innovation" for local partners.
At its Future Decoded event in London – the second of its kind – Nadella took to the stage to talk up his cloud vision. He reiterated his "mobile-first, cloud-first" vision and his ambitions to help people and businesses achieve more through Microsoft's technology.
During the address to an audience of partners and customers, Nadella said that next year, the UK would get its own local datacentre.
Microsoft is working to a timeframe of "late 2016" for the opening of the new facility, which will be at an as yet undisclosed location.
Commercial cloud offerings Azure, Office 365 and Dynamics CRM Online will be available from the UK datacentre.
Nadella said in his keynote that the move was a landmark for Microsoft in the UK.
"It marks a huge milestone and a commitment on our part to make sure we build the most hyperscale public cloud that operates around the world in more regions than anyone else, giving our customers – from startups, to small businesses, to public sector organisations – more choice to build out their applications," he said.
Microsoft's UK vice president Michel Van der Bel said a local datacentre will be good news for the channel.
"This will open opportunity for customers and partners alike to innovate, compete and grow their business using the power of the cloud while adhering to strict standards and regulations like those found in banking, financial services and the public sector," he said.
The UK facility forms part of a $2bn (£1.32bn) investment by Microsoft across Europe, the vendor claimed. Nadella also announced the completion of the latest phase of expansion for its datacentre facilities in Ireland the Netherlands.
Microsoft's datacentre in Middenmeer in the Netherlands is now operational and the recent expansion of its Irish facility is now finished. Both locations host Azure, Office 365 and Dynamics CRM Online and serve customers across EMEA.
Elsewhere in his keynote, Nadella talked up the benefits of his company's wearable offering Microsoft Band, which tracks a range of health data. He said such technological innovations could go as far as saving countries cash on their health services as citizens gain greater insights into their own health and wellbeing.
"This [Microsoft Band] is not just about having a nice application," he said. "It is at the foundational level of how people can live well and really have an impact."