Microsoft has launched its Austrian Azure cloud region, some five years after it was first announced.

The company officially opened its cloud region in Austria at a joint press conference with State Secretary Alexander Pröll this week, but said companies would be able to start processing from the region in August.

Hermann Erlach, general manager of Microsoft Austria, said: “The use of AI is one of the key drivers of innovation and productivity for the domestic economy. With the new cloud region, we want to work with our customers and partners to further accelerate digital transformation in Austria and promote the broad, responsible use of AI in the country.”

First announced in 2020, the region comprises three availability zones in the greater Vienna area.

Microsoft said all its data centers will be covered 100 percent by renewable energy by the end of 2025. In Austria, Microsoft is working with Verbund to utilize Austrian hydropower from the Mayrhofen/Tuxbach and Freudenau power plants.

State Secretary Pröll added: “The investment in the data center strengthens Austria’s position as a business location and creates the foundation for innovation. At the same time, it represents a strong commitment to Austria as a digital hub.”

The likes of NTT, Digital Realty, AtlasEdge, A1, Exa, and several local players have data centers in operation around Vienna.

“With our new cloud region, we are creating a secure and sustainable digital infrastructure directly in Austria. For companies and the public sector, this means they retain full control over their data – locally and in compliance with data protection regulations – while simultaneously accessing the innovative power and scalability of the global Microsoft Cloud with low latency,” added Florian Slezak, cloud region lead at Microsoft Austria.