Oracle to launch new cloud facilities in UAE and Saudi Arabia

Company's local clients include First Abu Dhabi Bank, DP World, Landmark Group and Apparel Group

Public cloud services market in the MENA region is projected to grow to Dh7.97bn by 2020. Getty
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Oracle will open two new cloud facilities each in the UAE and Saudi Arabia – the Arab world's largest economies – by the end of 2020.

In each facility, known as cloud region, the US company said it will house at least two data centres offering storage to government and private enterprises.

“Unlike other cloud providers, Oracle is committed to offer a second region for disaster recovery in every country where we launch cloud infrastructure services … a strategy that is aligned with our customers’ needs,” said Don Johnson, executive vice president of Oracle cloud infrastructure.

The opening of the cloud regions is part of a global drive, under which the company will launch 20 regions (17 commercial and three government) by the end of next year, expanding its global network to 36 regions.

Over the past year, Oracle has opened 12 cloud regions and operates 16 globally – 11 commercial and five government. The US company plans to open one region every 23 days over the next 15 months.

"In the Mena region, we don't have challenges on 'why cloud?' – it's only about 'when'," said Arun Khehar, senior vice president of business applications, Middle East and Africa at Oracle.

The public cloud services market in Mena is projected to grow to $1.9 billion (Dh7.97bn) by 2020, double than what it was in 2016, according to researcher Statista.

“By having local cloud regions, we will be able to better manage service levels and respond to local customers, who for data governance requirements and other reasons, need to keep their data local,” added Mr Khehar.

Oracle, whose local clients include First Abu Dhabi Bank, DP World, Landmark Group and Apparel Group, reported more than $11bn in global revenue from its cloud applications business in fiscal year 2018.

In February, the company opened its first data centre in Abu Dhabi, which was also its first in the Middle East.

Several international companies are establishing data centres in the Middle East. Microsoft opened its first two data centres in the UAE in June, while Amazon Web Services opened three data centres in Bahrain in July.

Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing unit of the Chinese e-commerce giant, opened its first regional data centre in Dubai in 2016.