Investor Updates
Geraldton’s regional hub targets get boost from IBM cloud data centre contract
21 August 2013
US technology icon IBM and Australian business solutions provider Market Creations have agreed to design and build the first cloud-enabled data centre in Geraldton, Western Australia to help the city become energy efficient and enhance its economic competitiveness.
The multi-million dollar deal will underpin the rapid growth projected for Geraldton and the surrounding Mid-West region where investments totalling A$27 billion have been planned, enabling the area to become completely carbon neutral and emerge as a hub for sustainable and renewable energy.
Geraldton, located 424 kilometres north of Perth, is at the centre of Mid-West region’s diverse base of industries, which includes mining, fishing, manufacturing, construction, agriculture and tourism. It also aims to become a hub for the resource-rich Pilbara region to its north.
"Geraldton needs to be able to best leverage scalable and resilient technology to support our vision of becoming a technologically advanced and carbon-neutral hub,” said Ian Carpenter, Mayor, City of Greater Geraldton.
“The new data centre will help provide that platform as the first stage of this exciting digital evolution for our city and citizens."
The Geraldton Data Centre will help meet demand for high-speed business internet services and cloud computing, as well as voice and data services, data management and disaster recovery provisions.
Under the contract, IBM will design and construct a scalable modular data centre, which will be designed for a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) rating of 1.3 or less, making it one of the most energy-efficient data centres in Australia.
The data centre will have the flexibility to scale up to four times its capacity, providing a solid foundation for the City of Greater Geraldton's projected growth.
IBM made a range of recommendations, including the data centre, to Geraldton in 2012, when the technology giant performed pro bono consultation there as part of its IBM Smarter Cities Challenge, a US$50 million competitive grants program.
In applying for the program, Geraldton had asked IBM to evaluate its vision to become a digital and carbon-neutral regional hub.
IBM is a US-based global technology and innovation company that brings together key cloud technologies, deep process knowledge, a broad portfolio of cloud solutions, and a network of global delivery centres. It assists clients in banking, communications, healthcare and government to build their own clouds or securely tap into IBM cloud-based business and infrastructure services.
Geraldton-based technology company Market Creations is a full-service marketing and technology agency. It will wholly own the Geraldton Data Centre.
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