Microsoft launches Belgian data center region

Microsoft today launched its grand plans as part of their #DigitalAmBEtion initiative, specifically a Belgian data center region.

In different "secret" locations around Brussels, Microsoft will build 3 datacenters to create a so-called data center region in one availability zone. In this way, Microsoft and its partners want to give a real "Boost" to Belgian digital innovation.

A cloud in Belgium, for Belgium

Jochen Van Gasse, Microsoft Program Manager @ Arxus

Microsoft's particularly strong investment in this initiative provides an answer to a number of issues that are still holding back digitalization in various sectors today.

Feedback from the market

In the public sector, more specifically in the Flemish government agencies, we are still seeing the consequences of the negative advice of the VTC. Where possible, agencies, cities, municipalities, etc. are already taking a lot of steps towards the public cloud, but the real acceleration is taking place because some pieces of the puzzle were still missing. A data center region within the country borders already offers a solution to many of these questions.

Also in the financial sector, the question of security and data sovereignty often arises, but with the guarantee that sensitive data can be secured even in memory, Microsoft has an answer ready right now.

And in the industrial sector, we still often hear that the latency issue around connectivity to data centers too far away from production halls is a real showstopper. With premium connectivity straight to the heart of a hyper-modern data center in the center of our country, once again a lot of questions seem to be melting away. (Video spoken in Dutch)

Insider Partner

Under the working name "Insider Partner" Arxus has been closely involved with the start-up and expansion of the local data center region for quite some time now. It is with this select, exclusive group that Microsoft will be shaping the construction of the data center region in Belgium in the coming months and years. Technology such as confidential compute and low-latency connectivity are obvious innovations, but together with its clients and partners Arxus is looking at all scenarios.

Arxus has years of experience supporting its customers in accelerating much needed digital innovation in Belgium, and, as part of the Cronos Group, influences the largest share of Azure sales in Belgium and Luxembourg.

On the day of the launch, Jochen Van Gasse also spoke with Erik Kerkhofs, Director Commercial Partner at Microsoft, and with Dirk Deroost, CEO of the Cronos Group. In this double interview both top managers talk about their vision and their plans to realize the digital acceleration in Belgium. (Video spoken in Dutch)

Social topics

It is not only the technological aspect that is a concern for Arxus. The arrival of such a boost in investment and innovation also means that the so-called "Skills Gap" can become an even bigger potential problem, and forms a risk for the intended growth.

It is for this reason that Arxus strongly co-invests in matters such as the MiCronos Cloud Academy, in order not only to (re)train its own people as cloud experts, but also to offer the employees of its customers a natural but accessible platform to prepare themselves for the future.

Would you like to learn more about the new Belgian data center region, and hear what this can mean for you as an organization?