Galaxy Backbone (GBB), the technology services company owned by Federal Government, says it has achieved a significant milestone with its second data centre receiving Uptime Tier IV certification.
According to Galaxy Backbone, the feat makes it the first data centre in Nigeria to secure both Tier IV design and facility certifications. The Uptime Tier IV certification, the technology company says, represents the highest international standards for data centers, ensuring unparalleled reliability and availability.
Tier IV data centres are designed to offer 99.995% availability with maximum redundancy and fault tolerance, according to Galaxy Backbone, which sees the certification as a confirmation that its data centre meets these stringent criteria, setting a new benchmark in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.
“Achieving this Tier IV certification from Uptime Institute is a testament to our unwavering dedication to excellence in cloud, data center, and business continuity services. This certification assures our clients that they can rely on us for the highest levels of service availability and security. We remain committed to driving innovation and delivering world-class services to support the digital transformation of Nigeria and beyond.”
Professor Ibrahim Adeyanju, Managing Director and CEO of Galaxy Backbone.
Galaxy Backbone data centre supports ‘Nigeria’s broader digital transformation goals’
The technology company says that the certification enhances its ability to deliver advanced cloud, disaster recovery, and business continuity services to both public and private sector organisations. It also supports Nigeria’s broader digital transformation goals, positioning the nation as a leading digital economy in Africa.
“In designing the data centre, GBB drew on the exterior and interior layout of the industry’s best data centers and pre-integrated the equipment and power distribution rooms. And for the first time, peripheral power supply and distribution equipment, air conditioner indoor and outdoor units, and maintenance and visitor’s passages are prefabricated into modules. As a result, the data centre achieves an industry-leading prefabrication rate and passes the Uptime Tier IV certification in both design and facilities,” says GBB in a statement.
While most data centers in Nigeria are Tier III, GBB affirms that the new facility has achieved Tier IV certification. This highest level of certification demonstrates GBB’s commitment to advancing industry standards through innovative design and construction practices.
“Achieving this Tier IV certification from Uptime Institute is a testament to our unwavering dedication to excellence in cloud, data center, and business continuity services. This certification assures our clients that they can rely on us for the highest levels of service availability and security. We remain committed to driving innovation and delivering world-class services to support the digital transformation of Nigeria and beyond,” Professor Ibrahim Adeyanju, Managing Director and CEO of Galaxy Backbone says.
Traditionally, constructing a data center can take up to 30 months, however Galaxy Backbone says it expedited this process by partnering with Huawei and adopting the FusionDC1000B prefabricated modular data centre solution. This approach, the technology company says, combines concurrent onsite construction with factory prefabrication, allowing for rapid deployment. The data centre, composed of 17 prefabricated containers, features advanced systems including smart modules and modular UPS, achieving a record construction time of just one month.
“The data centre,” Galaxy Backbone explains, “consists of 17 prefabricated containers and integrates multiple systems such as the smart module, modular UPS, lithium battery, data centre infrastructure management (DCIM), and iCooling. Through engineering productization, prefabrication, and pre-commissioning, only simple hoisting and assembly are required onsite, significantly reducing onsite construction waste and achieving dust-free construction. It takes only one month to hoist 17 containers and complete equipment installation and testing, making it the fastest construction time among local data centre projects of similar size.”
GBB says that the prefabricated containers were built to last 50 years, withstanding magnitude 3 earthquakes and scale 12 winds. These containers meet IP55 standards for dustproof and waterproof performance, ensuring long-term reliability and high-quality construction, according to the technology company.
Supporting Nigeria’s Digital Growth
The global digital economy is booming, says GBB. “As Africa’s largest economy and most populous country, Nigeria has been promoting the digital economy. Recent initiatives include the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy 2020–2030 and the National Broadband Plan 2020–2025. These efforts aim to accelerate digital infrastructure construction, increase broadband penetration, narrow the digital divide, and promote sustainable economic growth,” the ICT services provider says.
Home