In 2014, IBM will open 15 new data centers worldwide to expand its global cloud hosting services offering, adding to the existing global footprint of 13 global data centers from SoftLayer and 12 from IBM. Big Blue is committing more than $1.2 billion to expand its global cloud hosting data center infrastructure.
Among the newest cloud data centers to launch are China, Washington, D.C., Hong Kong, London, Japan, India, Canada, Mexico City and Dallas. With this announcement, IBM plans to have data centers in all major geographies and financial centers with plans to expand in the Middle East and Africa in 2015.
The new cloud investments IBM is making will provide business clients the ability to place and control their data globally. IBM SoftLayer gives clients the ability to choose a cloud hosting environment and location that best suits their business needs and provides visibility and transparency to where data reside, control of data security and placement.
$2 billion acquisition of SoftLayer
The announcement is another major step in driving a global expansion of IBM’s cloud footprint. Last year, IBM made a big investment adding the $2 billion acquisition of SoftLayer to its existing cloud hosting services portfolio. Since its acquisition in 2013, IBM SoftLayer has served nearly 2,400 new cloud hosting clients.
IBM plans to establish SoftLayer as the foundation of its wide ranging cloud portfolio. The SoftLayer infrastructure will provide a scalable, secure base for the global delivery of cloud hosting services spanning IBM’s extensive middleware and SaaS solutions.
