IO Launches AsiaPac Operations With Singapore Data Center

IO-Anywhere-Modular-System

A row of IO Anywhere data center modules.

IO has launched its Asia Pacific operations with Singapore as regional headquarters. The company is looking to capitalize on the demand for software-defined data center technology in the region, and believes its Intelligent Control Platform is a perfect fit for APAC.

IO will deliver Data Centre as a Service (DCaaS) from Singapore using its IO.OS software to track and manage IT assets housed within its IO.Anywhere data center modules.

Goldman Sachs was named as a flagship IO Singapore customer, a continuation of a long-term strategic technology partnership between the two companies. Goldman Sachs is utilizing the IO Intelligent Control platform at IO Singapore, the company’s first modular software-defined data center outside of North America. IO announced it was building in Singapore when the partnership was initially founded.

The company’s increased push into AsiaPac has been hinted at throughout the year. Earlier this year, IO established a distribution partnership with Tractors Machinery International (TMI) in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. It helped IO provide some of the local presence needed to further enter the market.

At the Singapore Innovation Forum in June, IO announced an engineering partnership with McLaren Applied Technology.

Singapore Emerging as AsiaPac Data Hub

Singapore is increasingly a beachhead for companies looking to set up an initial AsiaPac presence in a business-friendly, neutral location. It is one of the region’s leading financial and business centers, with many customers looking to deploy critical business applications there.

However, there has historically been a limited supply of enterprise data center quality supply, which has led many major providers looking to set up shop in Singapore to address growing demand. According to the Singapore Economic Development Board, Singapore is currently home to approximately 50 percent of South East Asia’s data center capacity.

"The incredible growth of Singapore and the region is awe-inspiring and we are proud to be a part of this extraordinary opportunity and community," said George Slessman, IO Chief Executive Officer and Product Architect.  "In preparation for our launch, IO has developed a world-class team of people, critical regional ecosystem partnerships, a center of excellence for innovation in sustainability and most significantly, the deployment of the IO Singapore software-defined data center."

“We warmly welcome IO’s decision to expand its software-defined modular data centre business in Singapore,” said Jayson Goh, Executive Director of Infocomms and Media at the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB). “IO’s data centre and technology will add to the vibrancy of the infocomms ecosystem here, and reinforce Singapore’s position as a data management hub. We are confident that IO will be able to leverage Singapore’s market connectivity, global talent and business-friendly environment to enhance the delivery of technology to its clients.”

Forrester: AsiaPac Primed for Third Party Providers

According to Forrester Research, clients in Asia Pacific face increased pressure to build and run their IT systems in a sustainable and green manner. Forrester has forecasted that data centre services growth in the region would more than double GDP growth from 2010 to 2015, at 23% CAGR, with demand fueled by a need for reliable and cleaner power, escalating real estate costs, and a desire to move from fixed to circulating capital operating models.

Forrester's research shows that more than half of Asia Pacific firms want to move from capital expenditures (capex) to an operational expenses model (opex), and that third-party data centre providers are able to provide cost savings to both the CIO (in terms of immediate savings in the IT budget) and the CEO/CFO of the business (in terms of decreased risk of downtime).