IBM is opening the first IBM Cloud Data Centre in Johannesburg to support the adoption of IBM’s portfolio of cloud-based services for running enterprise and as-a-service workloads across the continent.
The centre reinforces the joint partnership between IBM and SAP, which was created to accelerate their customers’ ability to run core businesses in the cloud.
“We’re working to drive cloud adoption that best leverages a customer’s existing IT investments,” said Hamilton Ratshefola, IBM country general manager, South Africa. “Our new Cloud Data Centre gives customers a local onramp to IBM Cloud services, including moving mission critical SAP workloads to the cloud with ease. It also gives customers the added flexibility of keeping data within country, which is a key differentiator for IBM.”
The centre is the result of IBM’s collaboration with Vodacom and Gijima, combining IBM’s cloud platforms and expertise with Vodacom’s network and Africa footprint as well as Gijima’s local knowledge and SAP enterprise expertise.
The collaboration is designed to provide affordable cloud service excellence, while resolving data latency and in-country regulatory issues. Gijima and Vodacom will both resell IBM’s Cloud Managed Services to the SAP enterprise customer base in the region.
“The increase of enterprise cloud computing on the continent is being driven by large enterprise and multinational organisations expanding their presence and IT requirements across Africa,” said Vuyani Jarana, chief officer, Vodacom Business.
“Gijima, as a 100 per cent black-owned South African company, is proud to be the cloud partner of choice for these unique IBM services,” said Eileen Wilton, CEO, Gijima.
