Following announcements from both Microsoft and Oracle, Google is the latest tech giant to announce plans to establish a cloud region in Israel, which will join Google’s massive global cloud network. However, Google is keeping hush on a few key details.

Is Google Cloud in Israel really critical?

Even though your company might already be using cloud infrastructure provided by one of the major players. However, the appropriately named; cloud data is not necessarily saved inside your country’s borders, but rather, many times, at a distant server farm. At the least, for many, this may just impact performance, while other companies and organizations linked to government or military activities are required to meet strict data regulations, meaning the data can not leave the country.

With major cloud players establishing regions in Israel, this will allow highly regulated companies to meet regulations, and see improved performance. These moves become extremely critical, as they allow the Israeli government to finally transition to cloud infrastructure while storing data within Israel’s physical borders.

Google’s announcement comes shortly after winning the tender for Project Nimbus, to supply public cloud services to the Israeli Government and the IDF (Israel Defense Forces). Among the tech giants bidding for the right to cloud Israel: Microsoft, IBM ,Oracle, Amazon, and Google, with the latter two taking home the prize. Though, it’s not over yet, as both Oracle and Microsoft have appealed to the Ministry of Finance; asking them to review the tender once more.

Google has yet to announce if it would build its own server farm, or just attach to an existing one. Additionally, Google hasn’t yet put out a timetable on this whole thing or really any other details about the new planned facility; leaving it still unclear when Israeli customers can begin utilizing local cloud services. We’ll remind you that Microsoft announced the postponement of its planned Israeli data center to 2022, just a few days ago; making Oracle the first multinational provider to launch an Israeli cloud region.