> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.arkannis.net/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.arkannis.net/cloud/azure/courses/az900-course/core-azure-architectural-components/regions-and-availability-zones.md).

# Regions & Availability Zones

## Regions

Split in more then +60 Regions: (Not all regions are available for everyone) 

![](/files/uUoczwzZMwJQpXw9Yn8x)

{% hint style="info" %}
Some Regions do have some normal access to them like China. The China region is run by a different Chinese company and in order to be able to access it you would need to have an agreement with that company.
{% endhint %}

## Region Pairs

### What are Paired Regions?

* Each region has one other region which is treated as it's "pair"
* Almost always in the same geography - data storage laws
* The data connection between region pairs is the highest speed available
* Software rollouts are deployed to one region of a pair and the other is not touched
* if multiple regions go down, one region of each pair is treated as a priority

### Example Pairs

**Canada:** Canada Central - Canada East 

**Europe:** North Europe - West Europe 

**USA:** East US - West US 

**USA:** East US2 - Central US 

**USA:** North Central US - South Central US 

**Brazil:** Brazil South - South Central US

***

## Availability Zones

![](/files/8T6EPlf4Eo2HKDHak2B9)

**Regions are broken up further into Availability Zones** You can choose to which Availability Zone in the Region you want to deploy too.

**Each Availability Zone is separated from each other running on it's own power, cooling and network**

* So if there are issues with power or other similar stuff it's likely only to affect one of the Availability Zones but not the other/others