Technology

In phase 2 of the project, GBB adopted Huawei’s FusionDC1000B prefabricated modular data centre solution. (Image source: GBB)

Galaxy Backbone (GBB), a digital transformation company, has achieved Uptime Tier IV certification for a data centre in Nigeria, the first facility in the country to obtain such a certification

GBB was established by the Federal Government of Nigeria in order to provide ICT facilities and services for government ministries departments, and agencies. It is responsible for building and operating the National Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure Backbone (NICTIB), a fiber optic network that spans the country.

In delivering this new facility which will help meet growing network demands, GBB partnered with Huawei, adopting the company’s FusionDC1000B prefabricated modular data centre solution. This transforms the traditional sequential construction mode into one that features concurrent onsite construction and factory prefabrication, achieving fast delivery and on-demand deployment.

In support of Nigeria’s digital transformation

The data centre consists of 17 prefabricated containers and integrates multiple systems such as the smart module, modular UPS, lithium battery, data centre infrastructure management (DCIM), and iCooling. Through engineering productisation, prefabrication, and pre-commissioning, only simple hoisting and assembly are required onsite, significantly reducing onsite construction waste and achieving dust-free construction. It takes only one month to hoist 17 containers and complete equipment installation and testing. Additionally, the prefabricated containers have a service life of 50 years and can withstand magnitude 3 earthquakes and scale 12 winds. They meet IP55 dustproof and waterproof standards, providing building-like quality and experience.

With most of the existing data centres in Nigeria being Tier III, the introduction of the first Tier IV facility will represent a welcome boost to efforts to end the country’s digital divide.

In designing the data centre, GBB drew on the exterior and interior layout of the industry’s best facilities and pre-integrated the equipment and power distribution rooms. And for the first time, peripheral power supply and distribution equipment, air conditioner indoor and outdoor units, and maintenance and visitor’s passages are prefabricated into modules. As a result, the data centre achieves an industry-leading prefabrication rate and passes the Uptime Tier IV certification in both design and facilities.

“Achieving this Tier IV certification from Uptime Institute is a testament to our unwavering dedication to excellence in cloud, data centre, and business continuity services,” remarked Ibrahim Adeyanju, managing director and CEO of Galaxy Backbone. “This certification assures our clients that they can rely on us for the highest levels of service availability and security. We remain committed to driving innovation and delivering world-class services to support the digital transformation of Nigeria and beyond.”

Elsewhere in Africa's flourishing data centre market, the DRC has just welcomed its first Tier III carrier-neutral data centre and Schneider Electric has also indicated its readiness to  help meeting rising data centre demand.

East and West Africa are emerging as pivotal hubs in the data centre market. (Image source: Schneider Electric)

Schneider Electric, an energy equipment and solutions provider, has identified an ideal opportunity emerging from the rising demand for data centre facilities in Africa

According to the company, this demand is being driven by increasing Internet penetration and a growing digital economy, which is laying the groundwork for East and West Africa to emerge as pivotal hubs in the market. This is creating an opportunity for Schneider Electric to offer support to partners and resellers within the region through a twofold approach aimed at engaging directly with end-user data centres and driving sales opportunities through channel partners, simultaneously fostering demand.

“Schneider Electric is a channel-driven business, with about 70% of our order fulfilment done through the channel,” commented Rohan de Beer, end user sales director – Anglophone Africa at Schneider Electric. “The growth in the African data centre space is therefore an opportunity for our partners to upskill themselves and strengthen their relationships with the local data centre end users. Connectivity on the content is growing massively, the economy is becoming a bit more stable overall, so this provides the environment for our resellers and distributors to further grow these data centre opportunities for themselves.”

Previously, the company has relied entirely on external channels to develop its prospects on the market, de Beer explained. However, this can result in missed opportunities and having to share the market with competitors.

“With the two-pronged approach, we can get closer to the end user for two reasons – to influence the technology and innovation at an earlier stage in the lifecycle of a project and then to also improve our share of the wallet at the customer base,” he explained. “Obviously, we would then take these opportunities and share them with our channel and fulfil them through the channel.

“So, it's a direct cut of the pie, but it’s still fulfilled through the channel. We are not going to increase our direct business, that's not the idea. The idea is to increase our share in the wallet while fulfilling orders through the channel and this approach seems to be working great.”

Power to partners

At the same time, Schneider Electric is also undertaking specific initiatives to empower its channel partners with the skills and competencies necessary for commissioning cutting-edge solutions in the data centre market.

“There are a couple of things that we are doing,” de Beer added. “Firstly, this is where our channel programme that we revised and relaunched this year plays a big role. So, partners who want to participate in this influx of business can register on the partner portal and get free access to online training from a sales perspective and the pre-sales solutions side. This includes all our technical tools, videos and training.

“Secondly, we also drive instructor-led solutions and design training sessions through the Anglophone cluster. We have so far completed East, West and South in the first half of the year. That is purely focused on technical training solutions for our channel partner and our distributors.”

He adds that the next step will be to drive focused end user and channel executive roundtables and customer events to further help the channel and end users gain the requisite skills