Amazon listens to calls for Aussie datacentre

Amazon Web Services' (AWS) customers continue to quiz the local leadership on when the cloud provider is set to plant a flag and a datacentre in Australia as more rumours emerge over its future plans for in-country infrastructure.

Shane Owenby, managing director for Amazon Web Services' Australia-Pacific operations, said today at the company's local Cloud Tour that customers continue to ask when and where the company is likely to pop up in Australia.

Owenby told the crowd that Australia is in the company's sights.

"Amazon has already opened offices in Australia and we've done that to support the AWS cloud computing business ... so [when] a couple of customers ask us if we're able to see staff based in Australia, the answer is yes.

"I want to make sure that you understand that international expansion is a key part of our strategy going forward and we're very interested in the Australian market. It's an extremely important market for us and ... you'll see that we're hiring," Owenby said, adding that the company is listening to the calls of its customers to build infrastructure down under.

"Being a customer-focused organisation we've heard from customers that they want infrastructure in Australia so it's something that we've been listening to customers about."

Owenby's comments have come after a report in the Australian IT reported that the company would likely build a datacentre in Australia by 2012.

AWS once again refused to speculate on the rumour today, but the idea has found favour with local analysts, who feel that AWS's move into Australia would bring greater competition in the local market, even though it will see Australian data exposed to the US Patriot Act.

Stay tuned to ZDNet Australia tomorrow when Nerdcam sits down for an on-camera chat with Amazon.com's chief technology officer Dr Werner Vogels.