APAC Gets Digital Boost as NEXTDC Opens USD $80M Darwin D1 Data Centre in NT

Leading data centre provider NEXTDC Ltd has officially opened the first-of-its-kind data centre facility in Darwin (Darwin D1), developed in close partnership with the Northern Territory Government and Vocus.

With a target capacity of 7MW, Darwin D1 is a next-generation facility that will play a leading role in supporting the rapid emergence of technology innovation driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI) in addition to hosting high-speed and secure networking infrastructure to connect the Northern Territory (NT) and the broader APAC region.

Darwin D1 provides world class digital infrastructure combined with secure, low latency access to a national partner ecosystem which interconnects the region to global cloud platforms, telecommunication providers and digital service providers. Importantly, the facility has been designed to maximise the benefits of technology innovation and position the Northern Territory to take advantage of the fourth industrial revolution powered by the development and adoption of AI.

“Darwin D1 will play a pivotal role in accelerated computing and represents the next step towards achieving national digital equity for the Northern Territory. This facility will enable organisations operating in the Northern Territory to embrace digital innovation and compete in new and dynamic growth markets across the APAC region,” said NEXTDC CEO Craig Scroggie.

“The close proximity to Darwin’s CBD and direct access to major subsea cable infrastructure will enable real-time responsiveness to operational and mission-critical requirements across all sectors, including government, mining, resources and defence industries,” he added.

Northern Territory Chief Minister Hon Eva Lawler said: “NEXTDC’s D1 Darwin marks an exciting milestone for the Territory’s accelerating digital economy, providing numerous local and global organisations with mission critical infrastructure combined with access to global cloud platforms to drive and implement their digital growth strategies.

“Northern Territory business and government will be able to significantly boost the capability of their current digital footprint, actively supporting our Digital Territory Action Plan to enable all Territorians to reach their potential and thrive in a digital economy,” Chief Minister Lawler added.

Darwin D1 Enables Critical Infrastructure Development

Leading Australian specialist fibre and network solutions provider Vocus, has also partnered with NEXTDC for the Darwin D1 facility, integrating its Terabit Territory fibre network within the data centre to connect the high-capacity, low-latency networking required for highly resilient digital infrastructure and mission-critical operational centres in Darwin.

“D1 Darwin is a major data centre in Australia’s north and enables the deployment of critical infrastructure which plays an integral role for expanding the Vocus’ network coverage into new and dynamic growth markets. Connecting to the Vocus’ Darwin-Jakarta-Singapore Cable (DJSC) submarine system will unlock Darwin as a major new digital hub for the Asia-Pacific, delivering unparalleled redundancy and reliability to the region,” said Vocus CEO Ellie Sweeney.

Importantly, several organisations are also involved as Foundational Partners in the Digital Development Program at Darwin D1 to further expand and connect the NT digital economy to critical infrastructure in addition to a nationwide ecosystem of service providers and global cloud platforms. These partners include Aussie Broadband, GSL Networks, and NetVault.

Key technical specifications of Darwin D1 include:

• 7MW target capacity
• 3,000m2 technical IT space
• 100% Uptime
• 1,000 rack capacity
• 2,000m2 mission critical space (MCX)

For details on NEXTDC’s D1 data centre, and other facilities please click here.