Veeam to offer local data backup on Microsoft's NZ Azure region

Data backup and resilience vendor Veeam said it will make its Data Cloud product available to customers of the new Microsoft Azure hyperscale cloud region in New Zealand.

The move allows Veeam Data Cloud customers to back up their data entirely within New Zealand for the first time.

This development is particularly significant for organisations with strict data residency requirements, such as banks, government departments and iwi, who have previously been unable to fully utilise public cloud services due to offshore data backup concerns.

 "We consistently hear from organisations in New Zealand that having their critical data stored onshore is hugely important, Gary Mitchell, vice president of Veeam ANZ, said.

"With the new Microsoft cloud region launching, we'll be able to offer those organisations the world's top backup product while ensuring data residency in Aotearoa," Mitchell added.

Mitchell pointed to the importance of improved data resilience, citing Veeam's recent Data Protection Trends Report which suggests there is a concerning lack of cyber preparedness across the Asia Pacific region, with two in five servers unable to come back online in time during disaster tests.

The announcement comes on the heels of Veeam and Microsoft's global partnership extension in March, which aims to co-innovate on artificial intelligence solutions for data protection and ransomware recovery.

Veeam Data Cloud has seen rapid adoption in Australia and New Zealand, with its Microsoft 365 data service onboarding an average of 10 new customers weekly and currently protecting over 96,000 users.

One organisation seeking to benefit from this development is ambulance and healthcare provider Hato Hone St John.

The charity has 7000 Microsoft 365 users over four data centres in New Zealand's main cities, and is an early adopter of the technology.

"As we continue to expand our coverage across the Microsoft suite on Veeam Data Cloud, this new cloud region offers us enhanced options for availability, scalability, and improved data sovereignty, ensuring our data remains within New Zealand in the face of uncertainty," Andrew Fletcher, Hato Hone St John New Zealand national technology infrastructure manager, said.

Vanessa Sorenson, managing director of Microsoft New Zealand, said the move is important in the current digital landscape.

"We live in a digital world, and data is even more precious than ever at a time when businesses are now using generative AI and other tools that rely heavily on data to deliver personalised services," she said.

"We're thrilled to have Veeam, the number one global expert in data resilience, partner with us to ensure that," Sorenson added.

Veeam Data Cloud will be available for Microsoft 365 customers in New Zealand via Azure Marketplace or through Veeam's local partners.