7 November 2024, Thu |
8:29 PM
Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX), a digital infrastructure company, has officially opened its new state-of-the-art data center in Salalah, Oman. The facility, known as SN1, is a significant addition to Equinix’s global network and will transform data flows across the Middle East and beyond, creating a major interconnectivity hub.
The SN1 data center is strategically located in Salalah, a coastal city with a key position at the crossroads of international data routes. Built in collaboration with Omantel, a leading telecom provider in the Middle East, the facility is fully managed by Equinix as a carrier-neutral and open-access Equinix International Business Exchange™ (IBX®) data center. This marks Equinix’s second carrier-neutral data center in Oman, following the successful launch of MC1 in Muscat. It is also Equinix’s sixth data center in the Middle East, complementing existing operations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The new data center is designed to offer more direct and cost-effective connectivity for businesses and service providers across four continents. With fiber connectivity to Equinix’s MC1 data center in Muscat, SN1 will enhance regional and global operations, providing carriers, hyperscalers, cloud service providers, and content providers with the ability to co-locate their critical infrastructure.
Kamel Al-Tawil, Managing Director of Equinix for the MENA region, commented on the facility’s strategic importance, highlighting its role in reducing latency and improving the resilience of global networks. He said, “The opening of SN1 strengthens our commitment to Oman and the wider Middle East. This new data center, with its connections to multiple subsea cables, will enhance global connectivity and align with our strategy to create highly interconnected ecosystems.”
Talal Al Mamari, CEO of Omantel, emphasized Salalah’s strategic role in global connectivity: “The launch of SN1 marks a milestone in our vision to make Salalah a global connectivity hub. By next year, we plan to land multiple subsea cables in Salalah, reinforcing its position at the heart of major international data routes between Asia, Europe, Africa, and Australia.”
Omantel has invested over USD 1 billion in international networks and data centers over the past decade, attracting global hyperscalers to establish regional hubs in Oman. The joint venture between Omantel and Zain Omantel International (ZOI) further strengthens Oman’s position as a leading telecom player in the region, providing end-to-end connectivity solutions across the Middle East and beyond.
With the opening of SN1, Salalah is poised to become one of the most connected cities in the region, cementing its status as a crucial global data hub and boosting Oman’s role in international digital infrastructure.
