AWS Local Zone in Istanbul enables organizations to store and process workloads locally
Amazon Web Services (AWS), the cloud computing division of Amazon.com Inc., launched its first AWS Local Zone in Türkiye, bringing cloud infrastructure closer to businesses that require low-latency computing and local data processing.
The new AWS Local Zone in Istanbul enables organizations to store and process workloads within Türkiye while meeting data residency requirements. Customers can also access AWS computing, storage, networking, artificial intelligence, machine learning, analytics and database services without managing their own on-premises infrastructure.(By the way I have a story here about AWS in Turkey)
AWS said the Local Zone is designed for applications that require infrastructure closer to end users or must remain within specific geographic boundaries. Industries including financial services, healthcare and government often face strict regulatory requirements and demand fast application response times.
Previously, organizations without nearby AWS infrastructure often had to build and maintain their own data centers, increasing operational costs and complexity. The Istanbul Local Zone is intended to reduce that burden while offering the same security, reliability and operational tools available across AWS Regions.
Technical capabilities of the Istanbul Local Zone
Among its capabilities, the Istanbul Local Zone provides single-digit millisecond latency for applications serving users around Istanbul. Customers can shift workloads between cloud and edge environments while retaining control over where applications run.
The facility is also among the first AWS Local Zones worldwide to offer Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3), including the S3 One Zone-Infrequent Access storage class for cost-optimized local storage. Amazon Elastic Block Store (Amazon EBS) Local Snapshots are available to support local data protection and compliance requirements.
Customers can also deploy workloads on seventh-generation Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) instances built on AWS-designed processors. The Local Zone connects through a high-bandwidth, secure backbone network to the AWS Europe (Frankfurt) Region, providing access to the company’s broader portfolio of cloud services. Organizations can also establish dedicated connections through AWS Direct Connect.
AWS said the infrastructure is intended to support industries with demanding performance requirements, including media and entertainment, retail, financial services, travel, education and the public sector. Potential use cases include live media processing, faster retail transactions, low-latency financial trading, reservation platforms, digital learning services and government applications that require data to remain within Türkiye.
The Istanbul facility becomes part of AWS’ global Local Zone network, which spans more than 30 metropolitan areas across six continents. Like other AWS infrastructure, it incorporates multiple layers of physical and logical security controls, continuous monitoring and redundant connectivity. AWS said customers can also benefit from compliance programs supporting more than 143 security standards and certifications.
AWS Local Zone in Istanbul accelerates to develop and run applications in Türkiye
“The launch of an AWS Local Zone in Istanbul enables organizations to develop and run applications directly in Türkiye,” said Berrin Özselçuk, General Manager of AWS Türkiye. She said the infrastructure is designed for workloads such as public services requiring local data residency, financial applications needing microsecond response times and latency-sensitive live media broadcasts.
Organizations using the Local Zone can access core AWS services locally while continuing to use the full range of services available through the AWS Europe (Frankfurt) Region, allowing companies to accelerate digital transformation projects without significant upfront infrastructure investments.
MigrosOne, the digital commerce platform of Turkish retailer Migros, also plans to use the Local Zone. Chief Technology Officer Ömer Başar said the infrastructure will help the company scale online services, strengthen data security and improve the reliability of its digital shopping platform while supporting growing customer demand.
Photo: Berrin Özselçuk, General Manager at AWS Türkiye
