Microsoft Azure · UAE North · Qatar Central · Middle East support
Microsoft Azure services
We move Windows servers, SQL databases and desktops to Azure, in the GCC region your rules require, and run them with you afterwards.
- UAE NorthLive
- UAE CentralLive
- Qatar CentralLive
- Saudi Arabia EastAnnounced
Why work with Gulf Infotech on Azure
Microsoft Solutions Partner
for Microsoft 365, so Azure, Entra ID and your Microsoft 365 tenant are handled by one team.
Since 2007
with 1,500+ active cloud customers across the Middle East.
Offices in Dubai, Muscat and Doha
with English and Arabic support.
350,000+ users migrated
since 2007.
In short
Microsoft Azure is Microsoft's public cloud for servers, databases, virtual desktops, backup and AI. In the GCC it runs UAE North in Dubai and Qatar Central in Doha, with Saudi Arabia East announced for November 2026. Gulf Infotech (in the Middle East since 2007), a Microsoft partner, migrates and manages Azure for companies in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar.
What is Microsoft Azure best used for?
Azure is usually the best fit when your business already runs on Microsoft.
Windows Server and SQL Server
Azure Hybrid Benefit lets you apply eligible existing licences with Software Assurance to Azure, so you pay mainly for the infrastructure.
Azure Virtual Desktop
Windows desktops and apps for remote, shift or contract staff, managed centrally. See virtual desktops.
Azure Site Recovery
replicate on-premise servers to Azure and switch over if your site fails. See cloud disaster recovery site.
Azure OpenAI in Microsoft Foundry
GPT and other models behind your own Azure security controls. Which models run inside UAE North and which need a global deployment varies by model, so we check per use case.
Identity in one place
Entra ID already signs in your Microsoft 365 users, so Azure access, conditional access and MFA use the same accounts.
When would we recommend a different provider?
Azure is not the answer for every workload. These are the common exceptions.
Data must stay in Saudi Arabia before November 2026
- Our usual recommendation
- Huawei Cloud Riyadh or Google Cloud Dammam
- Why
- Saudi Arabia East is announced, not yet live
Large-scale analytics with a small data team
- Our usual recommendation
- Google Cloud
- Why
- BigQuery runs serverless, with little tuning
A new SaaS product built on Linux and containers
- Our usual recommendation
- AWS
- Why
- Widest range of managed developer services
Data must stay in Bahrain
- Our usual recommendation
- AWS
- Why
- Of the four providers, only AWS has a region in Bahrain (me-south-1)
Windows, SQL Server and Microsoft 365 already in place
- Our usual recommendation
- Azure
- Why
- Licence reuse and one identity system
Does Azure have a data centre region in the GCC?
Yes. Azure runs regions in the UAE and Qatar today, and Microsoft has announced Saudi Arabia East.
- Live
- Announced / to confirm
- No region
| Region | Location | Availability zones | Access (October 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| UAE North | Dubai | 3 | Open to all customers |
| UAE Central | Abu Dhabi | None | Restricted, for disaster recovery paired with UAE North |
| Qatar Central | Doha | 3 | Open to all customers, no paired region |
| Saudi Arabia East | Eastern Province, KSA | 3 | Announced for November 2026 |
UAE North
- Location
- Dubai
- Availability zones
- 3
- Access (October 2026)
- Open to all customers
UAE Central
- Location
- Abu Dhabi
- Availability zones
- None
- Access (October 2026)
- Restricted, for disaster recovery paired with UAE North
Qatar Central
- Location
- Doha
- Availability zones
- 3
- Access (October 2026)
- Open to all customers, no paired region
Saudi Arabia East
- Location
- Eastern Province, KSA
- Availability zones
- 3
- Access (October 2026)
- Announced for November 2026
UAE Central needs an access request and is meant for in-country recovery of UAE North workloads. Azure has no region in Oman, Kuwait or Bahrain. Service availability differs by region, so we confirm every service in your design. See cloud data residency.
How much does Azure cost?
Azure charges by consumption: virtual machines per hour, storage per GB, databases by size and performance tier, and data leaving Azure. There is no flat per-user price, so we build a monthly estimate from your real server inventory. The levers that change the bill most:
Azure Hybrid Benefit
reuse eligible Windows Server and SQL Server licences.
Reservations and savings plan for compute
one- or three-year commitments at lower rates for steady workloads.
Rightsizing and shutdown schedules
test and desktop machines that switch off out of hours.
How do we migrate your servers to Azure?
- Step 01
Assess
Azure Migrate inventories your servers and measures real usage, and we map licences you can reuse.
- Step 02
Design
landing zone, network, Entra ID access, backup and Defender for Cloud baseline in UAE North or Qatar Central.
- Step 03
Migrate in waves
servers replicate in advance and cut over typically outside working hours, with a rollback plan per wave.
- Step 04
Run and optimise
patching, monitoring, backup checks and a monthly cost review.
Detail: cloud migration services and lift-and-shift migration.
Azure support in your country
Cloud services in the UAE
UAE North, Dubai office, AED invoices.
Cloud services in Qatar
Qatar Central, Doha office, QAR invoices.
Cloud services in Oman
Muscat head office, OMR invoices.
Frequently asked questions
What is Microsoft Azure best used for?
Microsoft Azure is best used for Windows Server and SQL Server workloads, virtual desktops, disaster recovery of on-premise servers and AI apps built on Azure OpenAI. It suits companies already on Microsoft 365, because the same Entra ID accounts control access. For Linux-first SaaS products or Saudi in-country hosting before November 2026, we often recommend Huawei Cloud, Google Cloud or AWS.
Does Azure have a data centre region in the GCC?
Yes. Azure runs UAE North in Dubai and Qatar Central in Doha, each with three availability zones, plus UAE Central in Abu Dhabi with restricted access for disaster recovery. Microsoft has announced Saudi Arabia East, in the Eastern Province, for November 2026. Azure has no region in Oman, Kuwait or Bahrain as of October 2026.
How much does Azure cost?
Azure costs depend on what you run: virtual machine hours, storage, database tiers and outbound data. There is no per-user licence for infrastructure. We estimate your monthly bill from measured server usage, then lower it with Azure Hybrid Benefit for existing Windows Server and SQL Server licences, one- or three-year reservations, and schedules that switch off machines you do not need around the clock.
Can you migrate our servers?
Yes. We migrate physical and virtual servers, SQL databases and file shares to Azure using Azure Migrate. Servers replicate in advance and each wave cuts over typically outside working hours, with a rollback plan if testing fails. Afterwards we manage patching, backup and monitoring, or hand the environment to your IT team with documentation.
Can we use our existing Windows Server licences on Azure?
Often, yes. Azure Hybrid Benefit lets you apply eligible Windows Server and SQL Server licences that have active Software Assurance or qualifying subscriptions to Azure virtual machines, so you pay only the base compute rate. We check your licence records during the assessment and show the saving in the cost estimate.
Is UAE Central available for our workloads?
UAE Central in Abu Dhabi is a restricted region. Microsoft reserves it for specific scenarios, mainly disaster recovery of workloads in UAE North, and you must request access for your subscription. The usual pattern is production in UAE North in Dubai and, where an in-country recovery copy is required, a standby in UAE Central after access is approved.
Plan your move to Azure
Send us your server list and the rules your data falls under, and we will return a design and a monthly cost estimate.