Though data centers may not be at the forefront of our minds, they power several aspects of our digital lives and play a huge role in the world’s critical infrastructure, from enabling simple online searches to managing entire supply chains. As our digital world grows, so does the need for the cloud services that make it possible. Looking to meet this heightened demand, Microsoft is erecting a new data center region in Atlanta to build out its cloud infrastructure.
Microsoft has held a presence in Atlanta for well over a decade and has been making steady moves to deepen that presence over the years. For instance, the company recently opened its Atlantic Yards campus in Midtown last summer and it purchased 90 acres of land to house a future campus at Quarry Yards and Quarry Hills. Most recently, the tech giant is working to expand its global network of data centers with three new ones in Fulton and Douglas counties.
This new data center region, dubbed “East US 3,” is part of Microsoft’s commitment to supporting local business growth, and the company just purchased another 17 acres in Fulton County that may go toward supporting this project. With plans to open two of its centers in Palmetto and East Point, Microsoft bought approximately seven acres of land from Lit/Hodges Industrial Trust for $1.1 million as well as 10 acres from Macq LLC for $1 million, as found by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. The third center will be located west of Atlanta in Douglas county.
With 60 data center regions across the globe, Microsoft will dedicate its newest ones to delivering data security and privacy, providing faster access between internet and cloud functions as well as a range of Azure cloud services. The East US 3 data center region will offer Azure Availability Zones that enable cloud applications to be highly available and more tolerant to data center failures, according to the company.
Microsoft chose Atlanta after considering a variety of factors as to where to establish its data centers, such as a broad talent pool, clean and affordable energy and high-capacity network connections. Now, through its newest region, Microsoft hopes to support local job creation in areas spanning IT operations, electrical and mechanical engineering, as well as facility security and maintenance.
“We deeply appreciate the opportunity to become a bigger part of everything Georgia has to offer. As a company, Microsoft has been in Atlanta since 2007. We’ve benefitted from Atlanta’s broad hospitality and the opportunity to become a part of one of the country’s great business communities,” the company said in a February 11 release. “In short, we’ve learned that Atlanta is a great place to invest and grow.”
The company is currently hiring for a wide range of Atlanta-based positions. Available roles span engineering, operations, design, marketing and more.
