Google Cloud VMware Engine Now Available in Doha (me-central1)

Expansion continues! As of today, September 26, 2025, Google has enabled ve2 nodes in the Doha, Qatar region (me-central1, zone v-zone-a).

Why Doha?

For my readers in the Middle East, data residency is often a strict requirement. Having a native VMware service in Qatar means you can migrate latency-sensitive workloads from on-prem datacenters in the region directly to Google Cloud without crossing borders.

The Hardware: ve2

Remember, ve2 nodes are the heavy hitters:

CPU: 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable (Ice Lake)
RAM: Higher memory to core ratios compared to the older ve1.
Storage: All-NVMe vSAN.

Map of Google Cloud Regions including Doha

Summary

If you are consulting for clients in the Middle East, update your architecture diagrams. me-central1 is open for business.