Shaw Data Centre and Cloud Solutions, a Shaw Communications business unit powered by ViaWest, has announced the opening of its flagship Calgary data center to offer business customers a full suite of private cloud, colocation, security, DevOps and managed services. To enhance its hybrid IT offerings, Shaw also announced a new partnership with Microsoft to offer customers access to managed public services on the Microsoft Azure platform.
The new, purpose-built data center facility in Calgary features 40,000 square feet of raised floor space and “state-of-the-art” security, power and cooling solutions. It is a carrier-neutral facility, allowing businesses to utilize the extensive fiber network from Shaw and ViaWest, the network of a carrier of their choice, or a combination of both.
“The Shaw Hybrid IT model is designed to give customers total flexibility as they deploy their IT platforms, providing future-proofed solutions spanning public cloud, private cloud, colocation, managed services or customized hybrid solutions,” said Nancy Phillips, president of Shaw Data Centre and Cloud Solutions. “Additionally, our new partnership with Microsoft offering the Azure suite of services now gives our customers throughout North America the added ability to quickly deploy workloads across multiple locations and markets globally.”
Consultative experts from Shaw Data Centre and Cloud Solutions will be available to help simplify the migration to a cloud environment and give customers a single hybrid IT provider that supports their business growth. Shaw also offers customers security and DevOps capabilities and is set to expand its portfolio of managed cloud services in the U.S. East Coast and in Europe with the recently announced acquisition of INetU.
“Companies like Shaw are helping to bring innovation to North American businesses by expanding hybrid cloud capabilities in Calgary,” said Janet Kennedy, president of Microsoft Canada. “The integration of Microsoft Azure with Shaw will enable our mutual customers to collaborate, compete and ultimately achieve more in an increasingly mobile world.”
Shaw Communications acquired ViaWest in 2014, and since then Shaw Data Centre and Cloud Solutions, which operates under the ViaWest brand in the U.S., has continued to expand both its portfolio of hybrid IT solutions and its geographic footprint. In June 2015, ViaWest acquired Applied Trust, a provider of security, compliance, DevOps, and infrastructure consulting services, and the company recently opened a new U.S. data center in Portland, Oregon.
