After reporting last week that Microsoft had postponed the launch of its Israeli cloud region datacenter to next year, in addition to the fact that the Seattle-based tech giant lost out, along with Oracle, on providing cloud regional data services (Project Nimbus) to the Israeli Government and its subsidiaries.

Project Nimbus finds its cloud providers

However, where Microsoft looks to have lost out, Google and Amazon seemed to have gained. AWS along with Google have been officially chosen by the Israeli government as winners of the $1.2 billion Project Nimbus tender.

Project Nimbus is deemed one of Israel’s most important cloud data projects. With many high security companies operating in the Holy Land, from government to military, the country has a definite need for a local cloud region, which can harbor sensitive information that otherwise can’t leave the physical borders of the country. Add to the fact that the country is a hotbed for innovation, with more and more tech Unicorns running R&D operations in Israel, and it’s clear why public cloud’s major players were battling it out for the rights.

In cooperation with the Israeli government, AWS and Google will help strategize the transition to the cloud, provide cloud-related technical assistance, and according to a Times of Israel report, also provide optimization solutions.

To win the tender, Google and AWS were able to edge out major cloud players including, as we previously mentioned, Microsoft. Other cloud providers on the docket included companies like IBM and Oracle, with the latter, funny enough, reporting that it will be the first major public cloud provider to establish a Cloud Region in Israel.

Oracle announces first cloud region in Israel

Oracle announced it will launch a second-generation cloud in Israel, offering a full suite of Oracle Cloud services, including Oracle Autonomous Database, Kubernetes, Oracle Cloud VMware Solution, Oracle OCI services and Oracle Fusion Cloud applications to a broad range of customers. As part of this news, Oracle has partnered with Bynet Data Communications to open the cloud region, which will be based in Jerusalem.

Moshe Lion, Mayor of Jerusalem, Uzi Navon (to the right), Oracle Israel Country Leader, and Alon Ben Zur, CEO, Bynet (left) credit: Ezra Levy

“With the new Cloud region in the capital city of Israel, Oracle is once again proving its commitment to the State of Israel and to Israeli customers, and ensures a second-generation cloud infrastructure with the strongest performance, at the highest level of security,” said Uzi Navon, Oracle Israel Country Leader.

Oracle’s agreement with Bynet Data Communications of the RAD Bynet Group, will lead to the building of a data center at Bynet's advanced server farm in Jerusalem. By establishing the Israeli region, Oracle continues on its global mission of building cloud regions in 38 different locations around the world by the end of the year.

The data center will spread across a unique underground facility of thousands of square meters, designed with the highest industry standards, and will be one of the most secure in the Middle East. It will provide advanced cloud services to companies on the Israeli market from a variety of sectors - the defense industry, government, banks, insurance companies, infrastructure, technology, retail, and more.

"Oracle's choice of Jerusalem fully expresses its trust in the human capital and resources available within the city. The establishment of the first public cloud in Israel, specifically in Jerusalem, will contribute to the further development of the city’s technology. This is truly an IT revolution. The server farm will be constructed 50 meters underground and will be the most secure facility in Israel,” proudly noted Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion.