Amazon Web Services (AWS), the cloud service arm under tech giant Amazon, plans to launch its cloud infrastructure -- AWS Local Zone -- in Bangkok to meet the needs of different cloud deployment models, particularly in large metro areas.
AWS Local Zone is a type of infrastructure deployment that places AWS compute, storage, database and other services at the edge of the cloud near large populations, industry and information technology (IT) centres. This enables customers to deploy applications that require single-digit millisecond latency closer to end users or on-premises data centres.
"We are listening to customers and feedback to decide on new Local Zones. Bangkok will become part of an additional 10 Local Zones in Asia-Pacific," Olivier Klein, chief technologist in Asia-Pacific and Japan for AWS, said via a virtual conference.
There has been a surge in demand for infrastructure and services closer to end users, Mr Klein said.
The AWS Local Zone in Bangkok adds to 16 existing AWS Local Zones as well as an additional 32 AWS Local Zones planned to launch in 25 countries globally.
According to the company, with the AWS Local Zone, customers in Thailand will have the ability to offer end users single-digit millisecond performance catering for applications, such as remote real-time multiplayer gaming, media and entertainment content creation, live video streaming, virtual workstations, engineering simulations, augmented and virtual reality, machine learning inference at the edge and enterprise migration.
The move supports low-latency applications and allows customers with data residency preferences in Thailand to run parts of their applications in on-premises data centres and seamlessly connect to AWS while ensuring ultra-low latency for these types of hybrid deployments.
"Delivering ultra-low latency applications for a seamless user experience matters in business and industry," said Vatsun Thirapatarapong, country manager for AWS in Thailand. "Bringing the edge of the cloud closer to more customers in Thailand helps meet their requirements."
He said the new AWS Local Zone is a continuation of AWS's investment to support customers to accelerate innovation by bringing cloud infrastructure to more locations in Thailand.
AWS now has 84 Availability Zones across 26 geographic regions with clusters of data centres globally, including eight regions in Asia-Pacific.
Chris Morris, vice-president at IT market research firm IDC for Asia-Pacific, excluding Japan, pointed out that his company's survey found organisations realise that their apps should not be based on a single cloud site.
"Bangkok is one of the preferred alternative locations for regional workloads and applications," he said.
The cloud market in Asia-Pacific, excluding Japan, is expected to grow from US$130 billion in 2021 to $282 billion by 2025.
"Cloud deployment will be getting more complex with workloads residing across continuum of core, edge and end-point locations. This leads to new distributed computing models including deployment of infrastructure and app outside of centralised data centre and public clouds closer to where data is generated and consumed," said Mr Morris.