By laying the first stone of Omega 1, Nazir Goulamaly, Chairman and CEO of the Océinde group, has made it official, the 4th from, the creation of a new neutral data center offer, i.e. open to all local and international companies, as well as public and government organizations. This project provides an international level Reunion solution for data hosting, positioned in the heart of the Indian Ocean between Africa and India.
The ambition of the Océinde group to make Réunion a digital hub is known. Digital data hosting was a service that the group already provided to some of its clients. It becomes a profession in its own right with the construction of the first neutral data center in the region, Omega 1. “We must succeed in opening up our overseas territories, which passes by sea, the aerial, but also digitally. We announced, a few years ago, commit ourselves to the fight for fiber for all : Réunion is today the first fiber department in France, with more than 95% of Reunion Islanders having access to fiber. With the realization of this data center project, started more than ten years ago, our ambition is to make Réunion a global digital hub, at the crossroads between the African and Asian continents”, said Nazir Goulamaly, surrounded by Emmanuel André, CEO of THD Group, by Emmanuel Séraphin, president of the TCO and Olivier Hoarau, mayor of the Port. Many guests attended the event, including Julien Mauras, CEO of the Exodata group, minority partner of the project.
Reservations are open
The laying of the first stone was also an opportunity to announce the opening of reservations for the data center (see end of article). Omega 1 will be put into service in the third quarter of 2024. Supporting the growth of digital uses of local stakeholders, the proposed service offering meets the needs of local and international companies, as well as public and government organizations in matters of accommodation, connectivity and services. “The neutral Omega 1 data center will have a capacity of approximately 120 computer bays and an electrical supply of 1MW. It will be of a TIER 3* level, that is to say electrically and climatically designed on rebuilt and completely autonomous emergency systems. All data center maintenance operations will be carried out without interruption of the IT systems”, explains Emmanuel André, CEO of THD Group.
Double energy and environmental efficiency
Located in the town of Port, neighbor of Zeop headquarters, Omega 1 will be a data center with reduced carbon impact. Created by the Réunion architecture agency L’Atelier Architectes et Ingénieurs, Omega 1 implements an environmental approach that deserves to be highlighted. This is based on the plant layout of the place to combat the heat with plant hedges at the edge of the property., plant islands of endemic species on permeable surfaces, tall trees to create a plant canopy and plant walls on the facade which will help insulate the walls. The energy efficiency indicator (PUE) of Omega 1 is estimated at 1,38. PUE is an indicator designed specifically to measure the energy efficiency of data centers. The average PUE of French data centers is 2.
An ultra-secure environment
A neutral data center is by nature an infrastructure that is subject to numerous external threats, whether human or natural in nature. With its in-depth expertise in deploying and securing network infrastructures, the Océinde group is implementing a specific Omega 1 security program to guarantee customers the protection of their data. Fire detection and extinguishing using neutral gas. Access control : five checkpoints before accessing the computer bay. Water detection : water, considered the number one danger, is the reason for choosing an unburied building, as is often the case elsewhere in the world. Supervision technique, 24-hour video surveillance and intrusion detection, seven days on seven, completes the security system.
Territorial equipment
The name Omega is inspired by the old antenna of the Omega radio navigation network., which was located in Cambaie in the space of the future ecocity. The idea comes from the president of the TCO, Emmanuel Séraphin : “You should know that 42% of Reunion’s business zones are located in the heart of the TCO, and that we have 300 hectares of undeveloped land. Our challenge is therefore to continue to develop this land to double the surface area with the jobs and services that go with it. » “It is an honor to welcome the first neutral data center in Reunion Island to the Port. Here in the city of the Port, we are fully consistent with the link dimension, of connectivity and openness to the world carried by this project, declared for his part Lemaire du Port, Olivier Hoarau. As for the number 1, he recalls that the Océinde group mentioned the project, eventually, a second data center in Saint-Denis on the Reunion Island technology park.
Information and reservations on : reservations@omegaone.re
* There are four TIER quality levels. They assess the degree of fire protection, supply performance and availability of data centers. They meet international ISO/IEC 22 237 and European ANSI/TIA-942 standards..
