30.08.2009 Weinheim – The international IT service provider Freudenberg IT (FIT) today announced it has constructed a new data center at the Freudenberg Group industrial park in Weinheim. This investment is the company’s response to growing demand from midmarket customers for IT outsourcing and application hosting. At the new center, Freudenberg IT will provide services in support of SAP® solutions, including exchange, portal, file, print and directory hosting services. This new center will complement FIT’s existing industry-acclaimed Dual-Data Center capabilities in providing customers with high availability and data security at low cost. Following the completion of the project, 2x2 data centers for outsourcing and hosting will be available at Weinheim. At the same time, since January Freudenberg IT has been expanding the capacity of its existing data center in Durham, North Carolina, USA, to meet strong demand for IT outsourcing and application hosting in the US market. With the construction and expansion of these centers, the company continues the systematic expansion of its Information Services business which offers services for hosting and infrastructure consulting.
"There is steady growth in demand for IT outsourcing and application hosting. Small and medium-sized companies in particular are increasingly outsourcing IT processes, especially in global business. As an IT service provider, we support medium-sized companies' efforts to achieve global success. In the light of this, we are expanding our global presence and investing in new data centers,” Michael Fichtner, CEO of Freudenberg IT, commented. "In troubled economic times, we are deliberately channeling investment to future-oriented markets so that we and our customers are well-prepared for the upturn."
High technical and quality standards
Two separate, fully air-conditioned server rooms plus separate rooms for the center’s network, power supply, air conditioning and fire protection systems are planned for the new data center, which will have total floor space of 750 square meters and will be designed on the n+1 principle. The data center, which will be largely be operated by remote automatic control, is due to be operable in about six months' time. Through the almost complete automation of processes, Freudenberg IT ensures high security standards. The Dual Data Center Concept means that all the data of the center are mirrored by a second center. Data storage and back-up facilities are installed in separate rooms. Customers can therefore expect the same high-quality levels from all Freudenberg IT facilities throughout the world. Certification to DIN ISO 9001 and ITIL/ITSM and auditing to SAS / II are further seals of quality, underscoring the comprehensive process expertise and high-quality services that are available.
Site selection
The new facility is to be built to the latest safety and quality standards in the Freudenberg Group's Weinheim industrial park. In line with the Dual Data Center concept, the centers will be interconnected by geographically separate fiber-optic cables. Access to communications networks will be provided by several independent, and again geographically separate, broadband cables to different providers. The Freudenberg Group power plant will supply power to the center, which will also feature an autonomous battery buffering system and a water-cooled emergency generator set to ensure a continuous power supply.
Global partner for small and medium-sized companies
Freudenberg IT is one of only 11 certified SAP global hosting partners and offers a clear focus on medium-sized businesses. Freudenberg IT focuses on communication between equal partners and constructive cooperation with its customers, which are internationally active medium-sized companies. At its data centers, Freudenberg IT runs SAP solutions for about 50,000 productive users. Freudenberg IT's outstanding market position in IT outsourcing and the successful 2007 fiscal year were among the main reasons why the company was nominated as a finalist for an SAP Pinnacle Award 2008 in the hosting category. SAP Pinnacle Awards – SAP's global partner award program – recognizes SAP partners that have excelled in developing their partnership with SAP and mutual business by providing high-quality products, solutions and services to customers.
http://www.freudenberg-it.de