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By Sam Spiller 
19h ago
Cape Town is home to the first Amazon web service server region on the African continent.
Launched last week, the recently named AWS Africa serves as a location for companies to host their websites and online operations locally, while also being connected to the global cloud service on the Internet offered by the American company.
“An AWS region in Africa will enable companies and government organizations, including those focused on combating the effects of COVID-19, to create cloud applications and store their data locally, while reaching users in Africa with even lower latency” Official Amazon chief technology officer Werner Vogel said in a statement.
Latency refers to the delay in data transfer between an Internet user and the source of the data.
Cloud services have become increasingly essential to Internet operations for both individuals and businesses in recent years, as they allow remote access to data worldwide. Popular cloud services that people use include Dropbox and Google Drive.
Intended for commercial use, AWS Africa consists of three Availability Zones with multiple data centers established in Cape Town. Each of the centers has independent power sources, necessary cooling for server operations, and physical security. Amazon has 73 Availability Zones located worldwide, and plans to open 12 more in Europe and Asia.
According to Synergy Research Group, AWS accounted for 33 percent of all global cloud infrastructure on the Internet in 2019. Microsoft ranked second with 18 percent.
According to a 2019 Research & Markets report, Africa’s cloud services industry was estimated to be worth $ 1.7 billion. That number is expected to double by 2024.
Previously, challenges faced by cloud technology at the local level included lack of adequate infrastructure, cost, unreliable power supply in the form of charge shedding, and mistrust of service.
But according to local industry expert Brendon Petersen, the arrival of AWS is a huge boost for technology in the country.
“AWS Africa will power other big cloud names to expand their fingerprint in South Africa, which could lead to more data centers that then promise even more options in terms of cloud offerings, lower prices, more jobs, and more companies that adopt the cloud, “he said. said.
“While it may not make us one of the world leaders in the cloud, it will significantly increase our global presence and give companies more opportunities to think globally and potentially grow their businesses faster and on a larger scale.”
Petersen continued: “Historically, Amazon has always considered a variety of factors, including the infrastructure and penetration of local e-commerce before launching in a country or region, and even then, they launch with digital services first and then expand their presence depending on how it worked. “
Other locally available Amazon products and services include the company’s video streaming platform, Amazon Prime.
“You can look forward to seeing some of the products and services advertised at AWS events to slowly start coming to the region as infrastructure develops and more companies adopt AWS services,” added Petersen.
Weekend Argus
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