IBM sets up first public cloud data centre in Chennai

In a bid to tap the growing opportunity offered by Indian financial services sector and the government, IBM has opened its first public cloud data centre in India. Located in Chennai, the new IBM Cloud data centre offers local customers and end users increased performance and speed for data traveling to and from the region, the company said. The centre will support India’s growing customer demand for in-country cloud solutions and offers the full range of SoftLayer infrastructure services from IBM. [caption id=“attachment_9870” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Reuters[/caption] The data centre is part of IBM’s $1.2 billion investment to expand its global cloud footprint into every major financial market. The Chennai data center joins IBM’s Mumbai cloud centre and is part of an expansive network of data centres that blanket the globe. “India’s cloud market is poised for exponential growth, which makes it essential for Indian businesses to have local access to the resources and skills they need to help guarantee success,” said Robert LeBlanc, senior vice president of IBM Cloud**.**  In an effort to accelerate digital transformation both at the enterprise and startup level, IBM is also partnering with Nasscom to launch Techstartup.in – a digital hub wherein the entire Indian startup ecosystem, including angels, mentors, investors, academia and venture capitalists, can interact with each other to grow the cloud market. Techstartup.in will provide 10,000 startups with a level playing field in India to develop new ideas and technologies. “Techstartup.in will be a comprehensive online platform connecting and supporting India’s expanding tech-entrepreneurship ecosystem. Building it together in support with IBM, it will be an embodiment of a shared commitment to increase jobs, train the workforce of the future, support new business, and ultimately ensure India is at the center of technology innovation," said Rajat Tandon, Vice President of 10,000 Startups, a NASSCOM initiative. In addition, IBM is launching two initiatives for developers—developerWorks Premium and a cloud certification program—to enable developers with the right tools and skills to compete and innovate in the global marketplace.