A GLOBAL IT firm has opened a first of its kind £20 million data centre in Co Derry.
5NINES has become the first tenant at the 40-acre Atlantic Link in Coleraine, Northern Ireland’s first Enterprise Zone. The business, which owns and operates a network of data centres across the world, including the Netherlands, Finland, France and the United States, has opened a new 45,000 sq ft facility, the largest in the north, creating up to 15 jobs.
The centre, situated just yards from the landing point of the Project Kelvin transatlantic fibre cables, is the first commercial carrier-neutral data centre anywhere in Northern Ireland.
5NINES NI general manager Paul Besley has described the new centre as a "world-class" facility, providing highly-efficient and exceptionally secure data storage.
“At a time when people and businesses are producing and consuming vast quantities of data, the security of that information has never been more important, especially following the introduction of the General Data Production Regulation (GDPR). This centre allows all data to be collected, stored and processed locally from a purpose-built modern facility."
“It will meet the growing need for data storage in Northern Ireland to support burgeoning data-heavy sectors such as fintech, pharmaceutical research and cyber security but storage is available to any business and we service clients from all industries across Northern Ireland and beyond," he said.
Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce chief executive Ann McGregor said the opening of the new centre is encouraging news.
"We hope that it is the first of many. It is also a very positive development for Northern Ireland businesses to have a data centre service on their door step.”
Brenda Chivers, Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, said the new data centre marks a significant milestone in the development of the Atlantic Link enterprise campus.
“As the first enterprise zone to be established in Northern Ireland, the ground-breaking campus is ideally placed to realise our vision for creating a digital and creative economy for home-grown businesses and international investment."
The £2.7m council-funded Atlantic Link Campus was launched last year, with a view to attracting major foreign direct investment, lured to the north coast by the prospect of Enhanced Capital Allowances and the fastest high speed connectivity point between North America and Europe.
