Microsoft to open 4 data centres in France
Paris, Jan 23 (AFP) Microsoft is to open four datastorage centres in France to meet strong customer demand forcloud computing, the head of the software giant's Frenchoperations said today.
"There's strong demand from our clients. A lot of themprefer to have (cloud computing) infrastructures and theirdata in their home territory," Carlo Purassanta said.
He did not reveal the size of the planned investment, butsaid that three of the centres would be located in the Parisregion and the fourth in Marseille.
France would become the fourth European country -- afterGermany, Ireland, and the Netherlands -- to host Microsoftcloud data storage facilities.
The centres would be opened by the end of this quarter,it added.
Companies that hadn't yet moved into cloud computing "arethose which were waiting for the arrival of data storagefacilities in France," Purassanta said.
"We already have several thousand that have signed up forthe centres," he said.
Microsoft, which opened its "AI Factory" at the Station Fstartup campus in Paris last year to mentor young companiesspecialising in artificial intelligence, said that six morestartups had joined the programme.
The group said it was also planning to open a collegespecialising in AI at its French headquarters in Issy-les-Moulineaux.
Other hi-tech firms, such as Google and SAP have alsoannounced major investments in France, particularly in theareas of AI and startups, this week.
President Emmanuel Macron invited 140 multinationalbusiness leaders to a gathering at the Versailles chateau nearParis on Monday.(AFP)AMS.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.