Google Cloud Platform (GCP), a cloud service provider, today announced expansion plans and incremental details on its cloud regions in Santiago (Chile), Tel Aviv (Israel), Berlin (Germany), Dammam (Saudi Arabia), and the United States markets of Columbus, Ohio and Dallas, Texas.
Google Cloud’s global network of regions provide high-performance, low latency cloud-based services to its customers. Presently, Google has 29 cloud regions and 88 zones – with today’s announcement growing this presence in the future.
Google Cloud Regions – Updates and Expansion Plans
Santiago, Chile
Google’s Santiago, Chile cloud region is now operational. This marks Google’s first cloud region in Chile and second in South America, adding to São Paulo, Brazil, which opened in 2017. Examples of Google Cloud’s customers in Chile include banks (Caja Los Andes), health providers (Red Salud), and enterprises (LATAM Airlines).
Third-Party Data Center Operators
Data center operators such as Digital Realty (via Ascenty), ODATA (Pátria), EdgeConneX (EQT) and Scala Data Centers (DigitalBridge) are pursuing expansions in Santiago, Chile to meet cloud service provider demand.
Tel Aviv, Israel
Google’s Tel Aviv, Israel cloud region will ultimately have 3 zones in Bnei Zion, Modi’in, and Petah Tikva. Examples of Google Cloud’s customers in Israel include BreezoMeter, Haaretz, PayBox, Wix, and the Israeli government.
Third-Party Data Center Operators
In the Tel Aviv market, data center operators have chosen to locate in the city of Petah Tikva, in response to cloud service provider demand. Specifically, within Petah Tikva, Global Technical Realty (KKR) has launched a 10.5-megawatt data center development. While EdgeConneX (EQT) is buying a local operator with existing and development capacity in Petah Tikva.
Berlin, Germany
Google’s Berlin, Germany cloud region will be in the Berlin-Brandenburg metropolitan region, which encompasses the city of Berlin and the surrounding Brandenburg municipalities. This will be the company’s second cloud region in Germany, after Frankfurt, and forms part of Google’s plan to invest €1bn in Germany through 2030.
Presently, Google Cloud’s customers in Germany include BMG (music company), Delivery Hero (food delivery), Deutsche Bank, and public sector organizations.
Third-Party Data Center Operators
Data center operators such as NTT Global Data Centers and Vantage Data Centers (DigitalBridge) are carrying out expansions in Berlin, Germany as a result of cloud service provider demand.
Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Google is preparing to launch a cloud region in Dammam, Saudi Arabia – the company’s first in the country. Notably, Google is partnering with a local reseller, sponsored by Aramco, which will offer cloud services to businesses in the Kingdom. Additionally, Google’s Riyadh, Saudi Arabia office will support the cloud region’s deployment and operation.
Dammam, Saudi Arabia is a notable location given its proximity to several subsea cables. Particularly, this includes existing systems such as Global Cloud Xchange’s Falcon, which lands in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. In addition, the planned Trans Europe Asia System (TEAS), will land nearby in Ras Al Khair, Saudi Arabia.
Third-Party Data Center Operators
In November 2021, stc (Saudi Telecom) revealed $400m investment plans to expand its overall data center presence in Saudi Arabia. Indeed, one of the company’s geographic targets through this expansion plan is Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
United States – Columbus and Dallas
Google aims to deploy two cloud regions in the United States “over the next year”. Specifically, Google’s plan includes cloud regions in the cities of Columbus, Ohio and Dallas, Texas.
Third-Party Data Center Operators
In Columbus, Cologix intends to deploy 200+ megawatts of total capacity in the market over the next few years. Moreover, Cologix already provides direct connectivity to Google Cloud from its three existing data centers in Columbus, via cloud on-ramps.
In Dallas, many of the established data center operators including Digital Realty, CyrusOne, QTS, and Equinix all have capacity to take-on further deployments given the lower occupancy levels of the market.
