IT and telecommunications firm launches £1m metro data centre

A YORKSHIRE internet and telecommunications services supplier has invested £1m in a new data centre.

Sheffield-based ask4 Business, whose parent company ask4 supplies broadband internet services to multiple tenanted developments including student accommodation, luxury flats and managed offices, has opened the doors to the new centre in Sheffield, which aims to be the city’s premier hosting, co-location and virtualisation facility servicing the entire region.

The company said the centre, a 10,000 sq ft space housed over two floors, will deliver redundant power protection and industry leading fibre connectivity with the ability to host multiple carriers in a secure environment.

The centre aims to attract SME and corporate companies that need to protect critical company data and be able to respond quickly to an emergency event, as well as businesses whose in house IT is struggling to keep up the growing cost of owning its IT infrastructure or require a cloud based solution.

Ask4 is also hopeful to attract key cloud based services providers to the region.

Speaking to TheBusinessDesk.com, Jonathan Thornhill, director of ask4 Business, said: “Our customers demand fast, efficient and cost effective methods to access secure and industry leading broadband speeds and connectivity.

“Each floor of the centre holds 100 racks, the first 100 racks of the development are due to be completed in the second quarter of 2011.”

Mr Thornhill said he hoped the centre would rival others in major cities such as London and Leeds.

“This is a major strategic investment for the ask4 group, moving forward we aim to build another three or four facilities across the UK.

“The great thing is that, to do so, we don’t need to build a national network from scratch as we already have a comprehensive national network. Connectivity to Manchester, London, Amsterdam etc is already there.”

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Ask4 will seek to attract businesses nationwide and specifically within the Greater London area by offering a more economical and un-rivalled service, he said.

Mr Thornhill said: “We want to attract major businesses to Sheffield that require hosting services.

“We believe this inward investment will benefit the entire city’s economic growth and regeneration.”

He added: “As a company we are excited to provide South Yorkshire with a modern data centre in a convenient location, bringing a large space for business hosting, at a cheaper cost per rack than many other independent centres in the country.”

“South Yorkshire is fast becoming a hub for technology and regeneration, and we are enthused to be at the forefront of this.”