Leading Edge DC Chris Thorpe
Schneider Electric has inked a new partnership to deliver prefabricated data centre modules for the first six sites across Leading Edge Data Centre’s regional network during the next 18 months.
The total project is set to be worth $30 million and follows on the heels of Leading Edge DC’s plans to nationally roll out more than 20 Tier 3 data centres to provide faster internet speeds and direct cloud connectivity for regional areas.
The privately owned edge data centre network provider secured $20 million in funding to help grow its regional data centre network from publicly listed investment firm Washington H. Soul Pattinson.
Leading Edge DC was also awarded investment as part of SparkLabs Cultiv8 2020 accelerator group - an Asia Pacific acceleration program based out of regional NSW.
According to Leading Edge DC CEO and founder Chris Thorpe, the company's modular Tier 3 data centre design is prefabricated and built locally offsite, in Newcastle, NSW, with footprints that scale in 30 or 75 rack configurations, with all data centre hubs connected.
Each of the first six sites will host 75 racks featuring 5kW per rack power density, designed to optimise the local computer networks by minimising delay in data exchange – low latency and high internet speed.
The roll-out will start in Newcastle and Tamworth, which are expected to be ready towards the end of the year.
Albury, Wagga Wagga, Parkes, Dubbo and Coffs Harbour are planned to go live by May 2021, with strategic real estate acquisition well underway.
“Schneider is dedicated to upgrading digital infrastructure from capitals to townships across Australia. Impressed with Leading Edge’s regional focus in particular, we had recognised the great synergy between Schneider’s expertise and Leading Edge’s ambitions in the very early stage of its development,” Schneider general manager of data centres Mark Deguara said.
“Not only do we deliver typical benefits associated with prefabricated data centres, such as faster local deployment, pre-tested reliability and improved predictability, we also achieve ongoing cost savings due to consistency of build in many cases compared with traditional built data centres.”
