IBM is working on a joint initiative with Dubai Internet City to build two managed Internet data centers, offering a wide range of e-business hosting facilities, reported the Gulf News on Monday.
The first center will be based in DIC's existing co-location hosting facility and will go operational in the third quarter, said Mohammed Gergawi, chairman of DIC.
The establishment of the second center will be subject to market inducement, he added.
Both will be fully scalable, with the partners having made a 10-year commitment to the venture. DIC will build the infrastructure, and IBM will provide the skills and initially manage the facility.
Terms of the agreement include knowledge transfer to UAE nationals, with local citizens managing most of the key technical jobs within three years, he told the paper.
"We aim to offer the best possible e-business facilities in the region," Gergawi said.
"Our collaboration with IBM is designed to deliver a secure, reliable and scalable hosting facility that is world class."
No details on the investment outlay were revealed, but the initiative is "addressing a $50 million plus market" that stretches from Morocco to Pakistan, as well as Europe, and hopes to have the major chunk of this business in three years, DIC chief executive Ahmed bin Byat said – Albawaba.com
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