Riverina gains Leading Edge data centre

On 2 September, Leading Edge Data Centres (LEDC) opened a new data centre site in Albury Wodonga to serve the greater Riverina region. The new site aims to provide regional Australian businesses and communities with greater access to distributed cloud networks through reliable, cost-effective connectivity.

Powered by Schneider Electric, the modern, scalable and secure Tier III data centre will reduce network latency and increase internet speed, while providing continuous power and high security. The data centre has been designed for Australian conditions, thus providing additional environmental protections.

“We are excited and privileged to be a partner on this project, allowing Australians in regional areas to access high-speed connectivity and direct cloud fabric. The opening of this new data centre in the Riverina region will provide the digital infrastructure needed for Australians for generations to come,” said Joe Craparotta, Vice President Segments & Secure Power at Schneider Electric.

“Schneider’s Tier III certified edge data centres have been designed and constructed in line with [LEDC CEO] Chris Thorpe and LEDC’s vision. They are built for Australian conditions, designed for regional locations with both sustainability and greater direct cloud access as a priority,” he said.

The LEDC team in front of the new Albury Wodonga data centre. Image: Supplied.

The data centre will be part of a highly connected network of data centres across regional NSW, providing new connectivity options and greater opportunities for local business growth. LEDC has invested over $7 million to open the facility with new state-of-the-art technology, easily accessible to local businesses.

The new data centre will effectively lower the region’s dependency on Sydney’s data centres, bringing direct benefits to a wide range of communities and businesses across the Riverina and allowing national enterprise to reach a regional market that has traditionally been ignored.

LEDC CEO Chris Thorpe said the opening was a milestone for regional areas. “We are thrilled to launch the Albury Wodonga data centre, providing more choice for local consumers and businesses when it comes to high-speed internet and direct cloud connectivity. It’s more important than ever before for our metropolitan and regional communities to be digitally connected with equivalent capabilities.”

The data centre has garnered strong support from local stakeholders, including Business NSW and Albury City Council.

“This new facility will give existing businesses more options for innovation and growth, whilst enhancing our attractiveness as an investment location,” said AlburyCity Mayor Kylie King.

“It will bring us up to speed with capital cities like Sydney and Melbourne and allow us to operate more effectively in a global market.”

Albury Wodonga Leading Edge Data Centre. Image: Supplied.

Schneider Electric said the collaboration would enable LEDC to offer the following:

• Accessibility and choice — by providing a greater range of direct cloud access options, customers can enjoy faster connectivity through the network of edge data centres across regional Australia.
• Stability and reliability — with secure, Tier III certified edge data centres, customers can withstand even the most extreme Australian weather conditions, providing redundancy and fault tolerance, as well as power outage protection.
• Benefits to regional Australia — measurable benefits to local and national customers include improved connectivity, competitive hosting, and development of IoT and regional smart cities across Australia through innovative growth infrastructure. The investment will also create new jobs and improve the local economy.
   

Connecting all the devices is Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure IT Expert software, which provides proactive insights on critical assets that impact the health and availability of an IT environment. With customisable dashboards, remote device management, and device health and security vulnerability assessments, the software provides LEDC with continuous site-wide visibility.

To learn more about Leading Edge Data Centres, visit https://leadingedgedc.com/about/.

Top image caption: Albury Wodonga Leading Edge Data Centre. Image: Supplied.