Pan-African Internet services providerInternet Solutions has incorporated its CloudConnect colocation connectivity solution into Microsoft's Azure ExpressRoute network.
With Internet Solutions' carrier infrastructure, Azure ExpressRoute users in Africa will link directly to the Microsoft Cloud - including Azure, Microsoft Office 365 and Microsoft Dynamics 365 - hosted in Microsoft's South African data centres when they come online in 2018.
Last year, Liquid Telecom also announced a partnership with Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute across Africa.
"The ability to link directly and securely to the Microsoft Azure cloud platform locally will significantly increase the performance of our customers using Microsoft's cloud services in South Africa," says Gopal Govinder, executive at Internet Solutions.
"We anticipate that this will encourage companies to move more of their workloads into the cloud, so they can take greater advantage of the benefits that cloud technology offers."
Govinder explains that average latency between SA and London is currently less than 180 milliseconds, while Internet Solutions' terrestrial network latency is under 20 milliseconds nationally.
According to Govinder, this is a significant boost in regards to accessing critical cloud services such as client account information or stock data.
Internet Solutions will continue to connect organisations to Microsoft's products through London and Amsterdam exchange points.
"We're moving towards a global digital economy where enterprises and their service offerings have global reach, but in many ways it is more important than ever to localise delivery. This is what Microsoft is offering by investing in data centres in South Africa," Govinder says.
Ross Ortega, partner manager, Microsoft Azure Networking at Microsoft, says: "We're pleased to add Internet Solutions as an option for companies to connect to Microsoft Azure through Azure ExpressRoute. The Microsoft Cloud delivered from Africa through partners like Internet Solutions will help developers build new and innovative apps, and support our mutual customers in their cloud journey."
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