Microsoft Dublin data centre opens

Microsoft has opened a new "mega datacentre" in west Dublin to support growing demand for online services, the first such centre opened outside the US.

The centre is part of the company's strategy to build its cloud computing capacity and network infrastructure to meet the demand generated from its Online, Live, and Cloud services, such as Bing, Microsoft Business Productivity Online Suite, Windows Live, and the Windows Azure platform.

The 303,000 square-foot facility represents an investment of $500 million. Microsoft representatives said up to 35 jobs could be created as a result of the new centre.

The company is not publicising the exact location of the centre, citing security reasons.

Speaking at the centre's official opening, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said economy needed dynamic, innovative companies to help rebuild the economy.

"We envisage a high-value, export-led economy with companies creating the products and services of tomorrow and providing high quality employment for our people," he said.

Microsoft International president Jean-Philippe Courtois said the opening of the new centre was a "milestone" in the company's European investment and would provide critical infrastructure for local delivery of next generation online services for businesses and consumers.

The new services provided in the Irish economy by the centre will help drive efficiency and cost gains fro businesses here, Microsoft Ireland's managing director Paul Rellis said.

"The opportunity that the cloud represents to cut costs and completely transform how information technology is run within organisations is something that could have a significant impact on the overall economic recovery efforts," he said.

"A healthy indigenous business community will be at the heart of our future economic success. Already we have some of Ireland's brightest innovators and entrepreneurs who are working with us through the BizSpark programme - engaged and involved with the cloud. I would encourage all organisations of all sizes to look at the potential that this new platform offers and to consider how they might take advantage of it within their own operations."