Saturday, October 5, 2024

Microsoft opens new data center region in Querétaro

Microsoft’s new Hyperscale Cloud Data Center Region in the state of Querétaro, the first data center of its kind in Spanish-speaking Latin America, is now operational.

The data center region, known as Mexico Central, was inaugurated last week by Governor Mauricio Kuri, federal Finance Minister Rogelio Ramírez de la O and U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar.

Three images of parts of the new Microsoft data center in Queretaro, Mexico
Microsoft’s new hyperscale data region in Querétaro will give companies in Mexico access to higher speeds, lower latency and more secure connectivity, especially aiding businesses with data-heavy activities like process automation and data analytics. (Microsoft)

Kuri celebrated the launch of what he called one of the largest cloud infrastructures in the world with a message on social media.

“Thanks to the culture of entrepreneurship, talent and innovation, the Microsoft corporation begins operations in Querétaro,” Kuri said. “With the start-up of the Hyperscale Cloud Centers, all small and medium-sized companies and entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to modernize their databases.”

In prepared remarks at the inauguration, Ramírez de la O said the new Microsoft data center in Querétaro demonstrates that Mexico can host high-tech industries. 

“Companies looking to relocate to Mexico can count on secure, state-of-the-art infrastructure that will improve efficiency and add value to their operations,” he said. 

Ramírez de la O added that not only has Microsoft strengthened Mexico’s position as a center of innovation and investment but also has catalyzed the development of a digital ecosystem that will promote economic growth and job creation.

Hyperscale data regions like the one Microsoft just opened in Querétaro are massive business-critical facilities designed to efficiently support robust, scalable applications and typically exceed 5,000 servers and 10,000 square feet. Querétaro will also be the site of an investment of over $5 billion by Amazon Web Services in a cluster of data centers, which was announced in February.

Querétaro Governor Mauricio Kuri, US Ambassador Ken Salazar, Microsoft Latin America President Tito Arciniega, Finance Secretary Rogelio Ramirez de la O and other officials at Microsoft inaugration event.
Among the attendees at the Microsoft data center’s inauguration last week was U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar, second from right, highlighting Mexico’s northern neighbor’s interest in expanding capacity here to host business data needs. (X/@USAmbMex)

The new facility is the result of a plan announced by Microsoft in February 2020, when the company revealed its intention to invest US $1.1 billion to drive digital transformation in Mexico

Ambassador Salazar also praised the new project on social media. 

“The $1.1 billion investment will help advance Mexico’s digital transition and boost North America’s competitiveness,” Salazar said.

Earlier this month, Microsoft announced that its new Querétaro data center will “provide local access to scalable, highly available and resilient cloud services while confirming its commitment to promoting digital transformation and sustainable innovation in Mexico.”

The multinational further said that Mexico Central will “help drive economic growth and contribute to the creation of job opportunities to sustain digital innovation, generating more than 110,000 opportunities for professional services, including jobs directly in their own organizations and jobs generated indirectly in other organizations.”

The business magazine “Mexico Now reported that the center offers small and medium-sized companies, as well as entrepreneurs, the opportunity to modernize in key technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, payments and streaming.”

Mexico Central “will provide security, privacy, and performance and will contribute to the acceleration of the digital transition of organizations and public entities in Latin America,” Microsoft said.

It further establishes Mexico as one of Latin America’s emerging primary technology hubs.

With reports from Mexico Now and Forbes México

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