Cloud computing remains an obscure concept for most people but it’s sufficiently tangible to be the driving force behind increased investment in data centres in Western Australia.
Cloud computing remains an obscure concept for most people but it’s sufficiently tangible to be the driving force behind increased investment in data centres in Western Australia.
A combination of acquisitions and greenfields investments are delivering more options and superior services to the market. This week, Sydney company Vocus Communications agreed to pay up to $7 million to acquire data centre operator PerthIX.
That followed Datacom (WA)’s $10 million purchase last May of MetroIX, which had shared the same private owner as PerthIX. Listed Perth company ASG Group has chosen to invest $5.5 million establishing its own data centre, which is due for commissioning early this year.
Another investor in the local market is Fujitsu, which opened its WA data centre in October, with Bankwest as its anchor client. On a smaller scale, privately owned Osborne Park company aCure Technology has been upgrading its boutique data centres.
These operators could be joined by NEXTDC, a new player stirring up the national market after rapidly progressing the development of data centres in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
Managing director Bevan Slattery, who previously ran successful IT infrastructure operator PIPE Networks, said Perth was on his radar.
“NEXTDC is committed to becoming Australia’s most trusted data centre brand; as such I can confirm that NEXTDC is actively investigating location options in Perth,” he said.
The company is understood to be assessing a facility of between 2,000 and 4,000 square metres of raised floor. That would make it larger than most of the locally owned data centres; PerthIX, for instance, operates a 536 square metre facility in the Perth CBD and has 86 customers.
Vocus said the acquisition was expected to add $1.5 million to its underlying earnings (before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) in the 2012 financial year.
PerthIX’s general manager Adam Gardner will continue to run the Perth facility.
At the other end of the size spectrum, Fujitsu’s 8,000sqm complex provides more than 3,000sqm of Tier III, highly secure raised floor space; three main data halls suitable for cabinet and cage installations; and three smaller data halls to be customised for companies requiring dedicated private suites.
Datacom managing director Basil Lenzo said he was pleased with the performance of the company’s data centre, where it plans to invest $2.1 million expanding its capability.
The common theme for data centre managers is to provide highly secure, energy efficient facilities that meet the needs of their clients, including telecommunications carriers, internet service providers and other businesses.
As Mr Slattery puts it, NEXTDC’s data centres will be “all concrete bunkers, with very smart brains and a green heart”.
