Iomart powers up cloud computing network

CLOUD computing group Iomart yesterday announced a multimillion pound investment in an optical fibre network to link its six data centres.

Under the ten-year agreement with Geo Networks, Glasgow-based Iomart will have full control over its own data network rather than using third-party providers.

Iomart chief executive Angus MacSween said the investment would enable Iomart to take its network “right up to our customers’ doors”.

“It will significantly increase our current capacity and national reach, ensuring that we can provide customers with unlimited bandwidth and greater reliability and security, increasing their capability and potential to grow,” said MacSween.

The fibre network to be installed by London-based Geo will be 1,860 kilometres long and link Iomart’s data centres in Glasgow, Leicester, London, Maidenhead, Manchester and Nottingham. Connectivity between the company’s Glasgow and London data centres will be four times faster than the current industry average.

Last month, Iomart said revenues and profits were running “substantially ahead” of last year.

In a pre-close trading update before its half-year results, it said it was confident that its financial performance for the full year would be ahead of market expectations.

Iomart said the potential for its cloud computing services remained “substantial”, with estimates suggesting that approximately 85 per cent of all servers are still located at a company’s own premises rather than remotely.

It also said the two businesses it acquired in August, Melbourne and Skymarket, were being integrated successfully and would soon be contributing to profits. It is continuing to pursue further opportunities for acquisitions.