IBM to build gigantic cloud plant

IBM and the China-based Range Technology will build a cloud computing data centre near Beijing that the companies claim will be Asia's largest by floor space, writes PC World.

The 620 000 square metre facility, which is to be owned by Range Technology, is expected to be completed in 2016, the companies said on Tuesday. The data centre aims to mainly serve government departments from China's capital and across the country, but will also be open to banks and private enterprises.

The cloud computing centre will be built in Langfang, a city between Beijing and Tianjin, in northern China. The data centre is meant to support the development of a new information technology hub being built in the area, said IBM spokeswoman Harriet Ip.

Ireland could create almost 20 000 jobs by rebranding itself a world leader in 'cloud computing', a report has found, reports Herald.ie.

Cloud computing allows people to store applications and software with companies and access them on demand over the Internet.

"The potential of this thing is big and there really is a great opportunity, if there is some speed and urgency put behind this, to take a disproportionate share of the global cloud computing market in Ireland," said Paul Rellis, managing director of Microsoft Ireland. He added that 'the cloud' could be worth EUR9.5 billion to the economy by 2014.

Cloud computing could help spread more government ICT contracts to SMEs and save money for the public sector, government officials are reported to have said, notes PS.co.uk.

According to Computer Weekly, Martin Read, government efficiency adviser at the Cabinet Office told an audience at the Government ICT event that cloud based IT could allow more innovation through better competition.

Read said: "Cloud computing will help achieve more space for small companies [to be awarded] government contracts. And there are a lot of companies with innovative solutions that we need to make more space for."