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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →In June 2017, news reports said Facebook planned to move WhatsApp workloads from IBM’s SoftLayer cloud to Facebook-owned data centers. The reports described an intended move, not a formal Facebook announcement. Later, a 2018 court complaint alleged that the migration had taken place, but it did not provide independent technical confirmation.
What did the 2017 reports say?
Data Center Knowledge reported on June 12, 2017, that Facebook planned to move WhatsApp from IBM’s cloud to its own data centers. Its account cited CNBC sources and an IBM case study. Data Center Dynamics reported the plan the following day, also attributing it to a CNBC source.
Those reports put the scale and cost in striking terms, but the figures are period-specific estimates reported at the time—not numbers independently confirmed in a Facebook filing:
| Reported detail | What the 2017 coverage said |
|---|---|
| Servers | More than 700 servers. Data Center Knowledge linked the figure to an IBM case study describing servers in San Jose, California, and Washington, D.C.; Data Center Dynamics also reported more than 700. Data Center Knowledge; Data Center Dynamics. |
| Monthly cost | Up to $2 million per month, as reported by Data Center Dynamics in 2017, citing CNBC. This was a reported upper estimate, not a verified ongoing bill. Data Center Dynamics. |
| WhatsApp users | About 1.2 billion at the time, according to Data Center Knowledge’s 2017 coverage. This is historical context, not a current user count. Data Center Knowledge. |
Data Center Knowledge also said WhatsApp had once ranked among IBM’s five largest cloud customers by revenue, citing CNBC sources. That describes the reported relationship at the time; it does not establish the value or duration of a contract.
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Why was Facebook moving WhatsApp off IBM’s cloud?
The contemporary coverage placed the reported plan in the context of Facebook bringing services onto infrastructure it owned. It also referred to a prior reported move of Instagram workloads from Amazon Web Services. That context suggests why consolidating infrastructure could be relevant, but the reports did not establish Facebook’s definitive WhatsApp-specific motive or quantify the business case. Data Center Knowledge.
IBM’s response, quoted by Data Center Knowledge, was that it was “completely natural for Facebook to seek synergies” across its business. The article did not name the IBM speaker, so the remark should not be attributed to a particular executive. Data Center Knowledge.
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In general, operating workloads in a company’s own data centers can give it direct control over infrastructure, while shifting workloads away from an external cloud provider can reduce reliance on that provider. But owning and operating infrastructure also means taking responsibility for the transition and ongoing operations. The available reports give no comparative cost, reliability, or operational data that would show one model was categorically better for WhatsApp.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Did WhatsApp leave IBM SoftLayer?
A 2018 BlackBerry court complaint alleged, “on information and belief,” that Facebook had migrated Instagram and WhatsApp messaging services from third-party servers to its own data centers between 2017 and the filing of the complaint. That allegation is later evidence consistent with a migration, but it is a claim in a legal pleading—not a Facebook confirmation, independent technical documentation, or an adjudicated finding. BlackBerry’s 2018 complaint.
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The available coverage and complaint do not establish the exact completion date, the migration stages, the resulting architecture, or whether every WhatsApp workload moved. The strongest supported account is therefore that the press reported a plan in June 2017 and a later complaint alleged that WhatsApp messaging services had been moved.
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