Microsoft Azure sets up shop in France

Microsoft is to open "multiple" data centres in France next year as part of its $3bn (£2.6bn) cloudy investment in Europe.

Chief exec Satya Nadella said the Windows giant has more than doubled its cloud capacity in Europe in the past year. Last month Microsoft opened shop in Blighty with three data centre locations in London, Cardiff and Durham.

The UK Ministry of Defence was one of the first customers to sign up, announcing it would use Microsoft Office 365 and Microsoft Azure cloud services. A number of UK public sector organisations are said to be considering Microsoft and Amazon cloud services – now that both businesses have a base in the UK. Previously bodies have been concerned about data sovereignty.

But such a move will pose a significant threat to UK hosting providers, who stand to lose a considerable amount of business.

Microsoft has also said it will make Microsoft Azure with Office 365 available in Germany early next year. Nadella claimed: "We continue to invest heavily in cloud infrastructure to meet the growing demand from European customers and partners."

The business already has data centres in Holland, Ireland, Austria and Finland.

In a purely altruistic move, Microsoft has also crafted a book called A Cloud for Global Good that details 78 public policy recommendations "to help make cloud technologies more trusted, responsible and inclusive." Get your orders in now for Christmas... ®