IBM today announced that construction has commenced on a state-of-the-art IBM Reliability Level 3+ data center in Auckland, New Zealand which is being built to support clients' mission critical applications and operations. The announcement marks the beginning of a more than NZD $80 million investment in the data center over the next decade.

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Working in collaboration with New Zealand developer Highbrook Development Limited through a long term leasing and operating commitment, IBM will locate the data center at Highbrook Business Park in East Tamaki. The 56,000 square foot facility, built to IBM global specifications, will include a 16,000 square foot data center and is expected to become fully operational by late 2010. Expansion options allow for further stages to be developed as demand rises.

IBM's new state-of-the-art facility will be the only commercially available data center of its calibre in New Zealand. The data center will be cloud computing enabled, highly resilient and have the environmental protection advantages of IBM's industry-leading data center design characterised by energy efficiency, green technologies, scalability and the latest power and cooling technologies. For instance, the data center will include a cooling system which, during cold months, will leverage outside air, reducing the need for chillers.

"This is a highly significant investment in New Zealand's future technological infrastructure," said Jennifer Moxon, Managing Director of IBM New Zealand. "It is the result of long term strategic planning and signals IBM's commitment to enable New Zealand to become a world class technology center and advances the growth of the digital economy."

Offering innovative and advanced enterprise wide strategic outsourcing solutions, the state-of-the-art data center will also include new technologies and services that will enable IBM to deliver cloud computing capabilities to New Zealand clients. Cloud computing uses advanced technologies and global delivery mechanisms to enable individuals to access information and services from any device with extremely high levels of availability and quality of experience.

"On completion, IBM's new data center will not only give New Zealand businesses access to world class computing facilities, but provide a platform to enable New Zealand to become an internationally recognised provider of outsourcing services," said Matt Oostveen, Data Center Research Manager, IDC Australia and New Zealand. "Highly reliable and resilient data centers are an important feature in a modern business environment, and IDC expects to see growth in IT services that will directly benefit the local economy as a result of this investment."

"IBM's new facility is core infrastructure for the 21st century digital economy that the Government and ICT industry are mutually striving to develop," said Brett O'Riley, Chief Executive Officer, NZICT Group. "It heralds the explosion of software as a service and cloud enabled computing which will drive a step change in productivity and innovation, while its design establishes the benchmark for green ICT in this country."

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Highbrook Business Park is a world class development estate that combines 107 hectares of landscaped commercial area with 40 hectares of recreational parklands in Auckland's East Tamaki. The Park is jointly owned and developed by NZX-listed Goodman Property Trust, ASX-listed Goodman Group and the Fisher family. For more information on Highbrook Business Park, please go to www.highbrook.co.nz/.

IBM is a world leader in data center design and implementation. IBM has built over 30 million square feet of raised floor for its clients, and have assembled and run over 8 million square feet of raised floor for itself and our SO clients. For more information on IBM, please go to www.ibm.com/nz.

  Media Contacts:

  Kirsty Shaw
  IBM Communications (N.Z.)
  + 64 21 618 757
  kirstys@nz1.ibm.com

  Tara Sucato
  IBM Media Relations (U.S.)
  917-472-3701
  tjsucato@us.ibm.com

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: tjsucato@us.ibm.com

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SOURCE: IBM