Contract win supercharges aql’s datacentre launch
Telecoms and data services company aql has won a major contract with UK universities and teaching hospitals following the launch its South Bank datacentre in Leeds.
The company said it represented a “significant” investment in data infrastructure which will help it charge the Northern Powerhouse.
aql designed the facility to support the high security processing and storing of ‘big data’ for sensitive applications such as health informatics, and the University of Leeds are one of the first tenants of the new facility.
A secure site on the South Bank was chosen where it was possible to connect to every UK fibre operator. The company said this had been “crucial” to the creation of IXLeeds, the first independent internet exchange outside of London.
The Leeds firm has also won the contract to serve the UK’s Universities, Colleges and Teaching Hospitals via a framework contract operated by Jisc, a not-for-profit organisation which operates the multi-terabit ‘Janet’ network used by all universities, colleges and teaching hospitals.
Founder and chief executive of aql, Adam Beaumont, said: “Big data storage is a growing requirement for the academic community as part of University-Business research projects, so we plan to continue our investment in the city and build further facilities, as needed by Jisc and our UK academic tenants.”
“More locally, we’re also able to interface our datacentres with the newly-planned district heating system in Leeds, so we can donate what will be megawatts of waste heat back to the city.”
Chairman of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership and former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rt Hon George Osborne MP, said: “The Northern Powerhouse Partnership’s first report identified the provision of high speed broadband as a critical priority for the region. Businesses and universities from across the North were clear – if the Northern Powerhouse is to compete with similar regions in the UK and across Europe then its internet infrastructure must be super-charged.
“I welcome aql’s ongoing investment into Leeds and the vital role the new datacentre will play in assisting academic institutions to benefit from faster, more reliable connections and also its contribution to the city’s renewable energy commitment.”
The Leeds Institute of Data Analytics (LIDA) is run by the University of Leeds and its director of research is Professor Sir Alex Markham: “The new datacentre is helping to meet our ever-increasing demand for high performance computing and the associated power and cooling requirements.
“Using the Jisc high capacity network means there are no barriers to data throughput between the University and the aql facilities.
“aql is also able to provide the security assurances we need. Part of our work involves leveraging better patient outcomes from clinical data, so it’s paramount that the data and the patients themselves are offered the best protection possible.”
