The hyperscale-fit facility will leverage the latest security and efficiency standards to meet insatiable global cloud demand
Macquarie Data Centres, part of Macquarie Telecom Group (ASX: MAQ), today broke ground on its new Intellicentre 3 (IC3) data center in Sydney.
The initial investment for IC3 East will be an A$80 million (approx. US$55 million) facility located in the Macquarie Park Innovation District within the Sydney North Zone, due for completion within H2 2020. It will be an ideal facility for hyper scalers, software-as-a-service (SaaS) providers and global enterprises looking to capitalize on the expanding technology hub of Sydney and increasing adoption of cloud infrastructure in Australia.
The development comes as IDC recently revealed public cloud services in Australia expanded by more than 30 percent to $4 billion (approx. US$2.75 billion) in 2018, with SaaS accounting for two-thirds of spending as organizations seek to “remain competitive in today’s digital economy”.[1]
“This facility will leverage our experience, industry-leading customer service and security credentials – which are already trusted by 42 percent of Australian Federal Government agencies,” said David Hirst, Group Executive of Macquarie Data Centres.
“Sovereignty, cybersecurity and compliance standards are more vital than ever to protect the data and infrastructure of businesses in Australia. Our 18-year data center experience and security posture make IC3 an ideal inroad for US and other multinational companies to enter the thriving Australian market.”
IC3’s credentials upon opening will include SCEC Zone 3 or higher, SOC 2, Uptime Institute Tier III, PCI-DSS and ISO 27001 certifications*. Macquarie Data Centres will achieve a five-star NABERS rating and will have an industry-leading power usage effectiveness (PUE) number of just 1.28 to maximize energy efficiency.
“The scale of this facility recognizes the increased demand across both our colocation and dedicated multi-megawatt IT loads,” added Hirst. “IC3 has been designed to meet the specific technical requirements of global multinational businesses whilst offering the highest security standards required of the Australian Federal Government.”
The facility is being developed on the existing Macquarie Park Data Centre Campus and will increase the capacity of the campus to 43 megawatts (MW). Macquarie’s data center customers include professional services company Accenture, marketing automation leader Marketo, the Parliament of Australia and a Fortune 100 corporation.
“Macquarie Park is a technology and employment powerhouse and this new center will deliver a boost to the local community,” said Minister for Customer Service Victor Dominello MP, who attended the ceremony. “Rapid technological change is the new norm and this center will play a pivotal role in helping organizations prepare for future challenges and opportunities.”
IC3 will create approximately 1,200 jobs in construction, engineering, and architecture and require around 400,000 working hours to complete. FDC will complete the construction using 250,000 kilometers (155,000 miles) cable to be built into the facility. When complete, it will be able to power the equivalent of 12,500 homes.
“FDC is proud to partner again with Macquarie Data Centres on its IC3 facility in Macquarie Park,” said Ben Cottle, Managing Director, FDC Construction. “As our fourth project together, we look forward to being part of the Macquarie Data Centre’s growth and success strategy going forward.”
