Sophisticated communications, IT facility up and running

High-tech port: Hod (left) and Ho stand outside the new TSG International Cyberport in Cyberjaya.

Malaysia’s first fully-integrated carrier-neutral cyberport that includes a satellite communications station, IP gateway and Tier 3 data centre in Cyberjaya has gone live.

Owned and operated by TSG International (TSGI), the RM100mil purpose-built data and network facility offers a wide spectrum of telecommunication options and flexibility ranging from satellite communication, teleport, full-service broadcasting capabilities, access to the widest range of satellites in geostationary orbit, global connectivity, regional VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) services and server co-location applications hosting on site.

TSG International is a wholly-owned subsidiary of TSGlobal Network Sdn Bhd (TSGN), a Malaysian satellite commmunications technology and solutions provider with an evolving presence in Indonesia, Brunei and the Asean region.

According to TSGN chairman Datuk Hod Parman the Cyberport offers a 24/7 network monitoring centre serviced by up to 17 large antennas and a 40,000 sq ft data centre connected to all major telco/fiber operators.

The facility’s data centre hosting capacity is projected to be doubled by 2017.

“Our Cyberport offers a number of facilities for data transmission and reception via satellite and fiber. With all-year round monitoring and operations support provided by a team of experienced operating and engineering staff, we enable customers to hub their network, application and content needs, all in one location.

“We offer a complete spectrum of satellite teleporting, data centre and managed services. Our offerings range from data centre space, infrastructure, connectivity, technical support, full and diverse range of managed services to disaster recovery,” Hod added.

TSGN chief executive officer Kent Ho said with its high quality satellite services, the Cyberport offers customers a flexible and effective tool to grow and scale their operations regionally in a rapid and cost effective manner.

“Entry Point Project 3 (EPP 3), under the Business Services National Key Economic Area of Malaysia’s Economic Transformation Programme, has identified the data centre business as a significant contributor to the country’s economic growth, with a projection that this sector will contribute RM2.4bil to Gross National Income and create about 13,000 jobs by 2020.

“Our aims are in tandem with the national objective to be a leader in this market and contribute towards the expansion of data centre space and ICT services hubbing to five million sq ft by 2020 and establish Malaysia as the preferred destination for regional investors,” he added.

According to statistics from the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC), Malaysia’s data centre industry continued its upward trend recording over RM630mil in revenue last year — a 40% increase from 2012.

As of 2013 there were 23 data centre providers under the ETP’s EPP3 which generated the RM630 million, surpassing the targeted projection of RM563mil by 12%.

The Malaysian data centre market has evolved and undergone expansion, and improved efficiency to offer potential clients and investors a secure and safe hosting location that is politically stable and free from natural disasters.

TSGI Cyberport facilitates the hosting of major networks, multinational and local corporates to connect with each other via foreign and Malaysian telco carriers.

“We aim to have the majority of Malaysia’s active service providers connected,” Ho said.

Highlighting TSGI‘s carrier-neutral data centre capability, Ho added that the cyberport was able to host a wide range of carriers and Internet Service Providers, providing unrivalled access to peering and transit connectivity to its facility.

“This connectivity-rich environment offers our customers a greater choice, flexibility, network resilience, cost savings and speed to market,” he said.

Ho said, with multiple carriers on board, TSGI as a carrier neutral facility provides a unique value-added proposition facilitating customers ability to work with any carrier of their choice instead of being tied down to a particular telecommunications service provider.

“As a carrier-neutral facility, we are also more adept at providing higher network redundancy due to our non-reliance on any single telco provider — thus attracting a wider array of customers from industry sectors such as media, multi-nationals, tourism, content, gaming and more,” added Ho.