Teraco completes Isando-based JB3 data centre facility

19th August 2021 By: Donna Slater - Features Deputy Editor and Chief Photographer

Vendor-neutral data centre and interconnection services provider Teraco Data Environments has completed the JB3 data centre facility, located within the Isando campus, in Ekurhuleni.

JB3 comprises 45 000 m2 of building structure, 12 000 m2 of data hall space and 29 MW of critical power load, which when combined with the existing Isando campus, totals a critical power load of 40 MW, and room for further growth.

The multibillion-rand facility represents a strategic addition to Platform Teraco, offering enterprises a scalable platform for information technology (IT) infrastructure deployment while sustaining performance, reliability, security and a wide network choice.

Teraco CEO Jan Hnizdo says the latest Isando campus expansion meets the growing demand by both cloud providers and enterprises for data centre capacity and enables Teraco to offer “highly resilient and secure” colocation facilities.

He adds that, while working towards ensuring its long-term vision of enabling digital transformation across the African continent, the investment also aligns with the support Teraco pledged to the South African government’s investment drive.

In addition, Hnizdo says the investment aligns with Teraco’s commitment to investing billions of rands into South Africa’s digital infrastructure.

“Teraco has over 600 clients, including key networks, cloud providers, global content, managed IT service providers and direct access to Africa’s largest Internet exchange – NAPAfrica ­– within its multitude of data centres.”

With over 200 telecommunications companies within Platform Teraco providing connectivity to Africa, Hnizdo says enterprises are now accelerating their digital transformation strategies and placing a greater focus on cloud adoption strategies.

“Teraco is making significant investments in providing access to digital infrastructure that is both resilient and highly flexible.

“This offers enterprises the ability to scale as network strategies evolve in a world where fast and secure interconnection with strategic business partners and cloud on-ramps are a source of competitive advantage,” he says.

Platform Teraco claims to provide low-latency interconnection points to both cloud and content. With a direct private connection to cloud providers, enterprises can deploy in a latency efficient, secure and resilient manner, the company says.

Enterprises can also deploy their public, private and hybrid cloud strategies from the Teraco platform and significantly reduce the time and cost to access these cloud platforms.

Hnizdo says Teraco has continued to see growth in cloud adoption strategies making its role significant for those who need access to robust digital infrastructure.

“Our clients use the data centre to scale their IT infrastructure, adopt hybrid and multi-cloud architectures and interconnect with strategic business partners within the Teraco ecosystem. Over the past year, we have seen a 48% increase in direct interconnects to public cloud on-ramps, reflecting the increasing trend of cloud adoption by enterprises.”