By Juliet Umeh

Provider of end-to-end Information Technology (IT) system solutions, Cloud Exchange, has launched Africa’s first uptime institute tier IV modular prefabricated data centre in collaboration with telecommunications giant, Huawei.

The centre is the highest level of availability threshold obtainable in the world of Data Centres so far.

Cloud Exchange said the state-of-the-art data centre which was unveiled in Lagos, was in line with its expansion of its service offerings from systems integration, hybrid cloud infrastructure to Tier IV data centre colocation, interconnects and cross-connects, managed network and security, private and public cloud services.

The Chief Executive Officer of Cloud Exchange, Mr Glad Dibetso said Nigeria’s growing digital economy drove the development of the data centre.

According to him, “the tier IV data centre vision was born from the burning platform we were on in 2016. We had an audacious vision to build the first African Tier IV Prefabricated data centre certified by Uptime Institute. We wanted to be part of the solution by finding tailor-made solutions fit for purpose and pragmatic for the continent.

“Infrastructure, especially in ICT has continued to hold the continent back. We knew that for Africa to fully participate in the future, we all need to improve ICT infrastructure as it is the bedrock of digitalization.

“We did not know how we will accomplish the Tier IV dream; however, we had the will which aligned with the quest to do meaningful work; it always seems impossible until it’s done.

The effort of our employees, partners, clients and industry stakeholders has achieved a green Tier IV data centre.

We not only achieved the best DC internationally, but we also made sure it’s good for the environment. We have built the very first tier IV Data Centre in West Africa, the first green one free of air and noise pollution and one that is also free of the effects of FM200 contamination,” he said.

Also, Head, Data Centre and Operation at Cloud Exchange West Africa, Adetoyese Oyerinde, explained that his company realized that the only guarantee for its operation was to go for the highest level of availability threshold obtainable in the world of Data Centers: A tier IV Data Centre, the facility that promises a minimum of 99.995% availability.

According to him, “this translates into total redundancy, continuous cooling, fault tolerance and unmatchable reliability that has not been witnessed before in sub–Saharan Africa”.

Also, the deputy MD of Huawei Technologies Company Nigeria Limited, Mr Eric Yang said Huawei has been delivering top ICT solutions for over 22 years in Nigeria.