IO, the Phoenix-based global leader in software-defined data centers, today launched its Asia Pacific operations with Singapore as regional headquarters. This initiative advances the company’s committed expansion strategy to serve its global customers in one of the fastest growing markets in the world.

IO chose Singapore to address customer demand for software-defined data centre technology in the Asia Pacific region. The Republic provides a robust partner ecosystem, business-friendly environment, global talent and advanced technology infrastructure that strongly position IO to meet the needs of the world’s most demanding clients.

At launch, IO has in place all the facets of the business – customers, technology innovation, ecosystem partners and talent – to position the company for regional success. As part of its long-term, strategic technology partnership with IO, Goldman Sachs is utilising the IO Intelligent Control platform at IO Singapore, the company’s first modular software-defined data centre outside North America.

Earlier this year, IO established a distribution partnership with Tractors Machinery International Pte. Ltd in Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei, and at the Singapore Innovation Forum in June, the company announced an engineering partnership with McLaren Applied Technology. IO has attracted top-caliber executive talent for its Asia Pacific operations, led by Adil Attlassy, Executive Leader, Global Operations of IO and Peter Goh, Group Leader, APAC of IO.

From its base in Singapore, IO will deliver Data Centre as a Service (DCaaS™), using the company’s software-defined data centre technology: IO.Anywhere® and IO.OS®. The IO Intelligent Control platform improves data centre agility, reliability, security and sustainability. It has achieved MAS Certified Green® certification, demonstrating ability to provide customers with highly-energy efficient and sustainable data centre infrastructure. IO DCaaS enables software-defined cloud deployments at any scale so customers deployonly the data centre capacity needed to support their business applications, while also having the agility to add more capacity quickly and without interruption to operations.

“We warmly welcome IO’s decision to expand its software-defined modular data centre business in Singapore. IO’s data centre and technology will add to the vibrancy of the infocomms ecosystem here, and reinforce Singapore’s position as a data management hub,” said Mr. Jayson Goh, Executive Director of Infocomms and Media of the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB). “We are confident that IO will be able to leverage Singapore’s market connectivity, global talent and business-friendly environment to enhance the delivery of technology to its clients.”

“IO’s long-term commitment to the Asia Pacific markets and to Singapore is demonstrable by the significance of our presence in Singapore. In preparation for our launch, IO has developed a world-class team of people, critical regional ECOSYSTEM partnerships, a centre of excellence for innovation in sustainability and most significantly, the deployment of the IO Singapore software-defined data centre,” said George Slessman, IO Chief Executive Officer and Product Architect. “The incredible growth of Singapore and the region is awe-inspiring, and we are proud to be a part of this extraordinary opportunity and community.”

According to Forrester Research, clients in Asia Pacific face increased pressure to build and run their IT systems in a sustainable and green manner. Forrester has forecasted that data centre services growth in the region would more than double GDP growth from 2010 to 2015, at 23% CAGR, with demand fueled by a need for reliable and cleaner power, escalating real estate costs, and a desire to move from fixed to circulating capital operating models. Forrester’s research shows that more than half of Asia Pacific firms want to move from capital expenditures (capex) to an operational expenses model (opex), and that third-party data centre providers are able to provide cost savings to both the CIO (in terms of immediate savings in the IT budget) and the CEO/CFO of the business (in terms of decreased risk of downtime).