Equinix has officially opened its data center in Salalah, Oman, in partnership with local telco Omantel. The facility – known as SN1 – is to be commercially and operationally managed in full by Equinix as a carrier-neutral and open-access Equinix International Business Exchange (IBX) data center. According to Equinix, this marks the second carrier-neutral data center built in Oman, following MC1 in Muscat, and its sixth facility in the Middle East, complementing its existing operations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
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Equinix Salalah SN1
"SN1's unique location in Salalah optimises the routes of several highly strategic connections, offering a more direct and cost effective reachability for businesses and service providers across four continents," Equinix said in a recent statement.
The Managing Director of Equinix for the MENA region, highlighted the facility's importance: "I'm delighted to inaugurate our latest strategic data center, further showcasing our investment in Oman and the wider Middle East. With extension to multiple subsea cables, this new hub in Salalah will transform global connectivity across different continents and aligns perfectly with our strategy of creating network-dense, highly interconnected ecosystems globally."
Omantel's Vision for Salalah
"We are announcing another major milestone through our partnership with Equinix. The launch of the SN1 data center is a cornerstone of our strategy to create a global connectivity hub in Salalah. We are committed to attracting the world's leading content providers and hyperscalers to the region, and this state-of-the-art data center is a key part of this vision," said Omantel.
"By next year, we plan to land multiple subsea cables in Salalah, solidifying its status as one of the most connected hubs in the region due to its location at the crossroads of major international routes between Asia, Europe, Africa and all the way to Australia."
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Enhanced Connectivity
SN1 facility will feature direct fiber connectivity to Equinix's MC1 data center in Muscat, providing carriers, hyperscalers, content providers, and cloud service providers the ability to co-locate their critical infrastructure and further enhance regional operations.
