State-owned Azerbaijan International Telecom (AzInTelecom) is set to open the country’s largest data center in September.

According to AzerNews, the 1,000 square meter facility will be certified to Tier III requirements by the Uptime Institute.

“Commissioning of the DATA-center in Azerbaijan contributes to the creation of numerous information resources and services, and enhances the possibility of their use and integration into the global information environment,” said the Ministry of Communications in a statement.

Sehidler Mescidi Mosque and the Flame Towers in Baku, Azerbaijan
Sehidler Mescidi Mosque in Baku, Azerbaijan – Thinkstock / Sohadiszno

Cloud for Caucasus

Azerbaijan is a former USSR republic that has seen rapid development thanks to its rich oil and gas reserves.

The country has been running several projects aimed at modernizing its communications infrastructure, including participation in Trans-Eurasian Information Highway (TASIM) and the launch of the country’s first telecommunications satellite in 2013.

The new data center – set to become the largest in the region - was built with the support of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). It will be operated by AzInTelecom, the former Center for International Relations and Calculations under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies.

The facility will initially host 2000 servers and 30 Petabytes of storage, with plenty of room left for future expansion. In accordance with Tier III guidelines, it will feature advanced redundancy measures and expected availability of 99.985 percent.

The data center’s primary purpose is to host the electronic government platform, but the state hopes it will promote the overall uptake of cloud services.