BEIJING and ARMONK, N.Y., Dec. 18, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IBM and 21Vianet Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: VNET ) ("21Vianet") announced today that they have entered a definitive agreement to introduce IBM's premier private cloud infrastructure service and accelerate high value managed private cloud services to China.
This partnership brings IBM SmartCloud Enterprise+, a powerful, secure and scalable private cloud built on open standards, to China to keep up with the rising demand for managing more complex, mission-critical workloads and applications in the cloud for large enterprises throughout China. Pursuant to the agreement, IBM will provide the physical point of distribution (POD) and service while 21Vianet will host the POD facility at its data centers in Beijing.
Mr. Josh Chen, Chairman and CEO of 21Vianet, said, "IBM is a global leading enterprise-level cloud computing provider. What's more, IBM is a sincere partner, not only sharing its own technologies and services, but also growing together with us in business insights, management experience, operation and marketing etc. Through this cooperation, 21Vianet Group, Inc has not only strengthened its ability to accelerate business growth, but also comprehensively enhanced the service capability of its cloud computing."
Laurie Tropiano, General Manager of GTS, IBM GCG said: "Today, IBM and 21Vianet create the new era of enterprise cloud computing in China. Our clients, the pillars of China's economy, will see IBM further accelerating its efforts around driving innovation in China with enhanced IBM cloud offerings as a platform. We are setting a new benchmark for cloud computing performance in China."
Cloud computing has become a mainstream delivery mechanism for information technology (IT) globally but is still in a nascent stage of adoption at the enterprise level. IBM's premier private cloud infrastructure and managed services can adapt to accommodate any workload with real-time performance and integrity that is trusted by enterprises around the world to enable business innovation and transformation.
SCE+ is a customizable cloud infrastructure service built on open standards for the most demanding workloads. IBM's cloud capabilities can deliver a comprehensive, yet flexible enterprise private cloud environment within a few hours, with the highest levels of security. It uses a virtual private network to provide access to the cloud infrastructure.
About 21Vianet
21Vianet Group, Inc. is the largest carrier-neutral internet data center services provider in China. 21Vianet provides hosting and related services, managed network services, cloud infrastructure services, and content delivery network services, improving the reliability, security and speed of its customers' internet infrastructure. Customers may locate their servers and networking equipment in 21Vianet's data centers and connect to China's internet backbone through 21Vianet's extensive fiber optic network. In addition, 21Vianet's proprietary smart routing technology enables customers' data to be delivered across the internet in a faster and more reliable manner. 21Vianet operates in 44 cities throughout China, servicing a diversified and loyal base of more than 2,000 customers that span many industries ranging from internet companies to government entities and blue-chip enterprises to small- to mid-sized enterprises.
About IBM Cloud Computing
IBM is the global leader in cloud with an unmatched portfolio of open cloud solutions that help clients build, rent or tap into cloud capabilities. IBM cloud supports 30 percent more top-level websites than any other cloud computing provider. Among the Fortune 500, 24 of the top 25 companies rely on IBM cloud computing. Through the first three quarters of 2013, IBM's quarterly revenue for cloud computing grew by 70 percent, reaching $1 billion (US) in the third quarter alone. No other company has the ability to bring together unique industry knowledge and unmatched cloud capabilities, that have already helped more than 20,000 clients around the world. Today, IBM has more than 100 cloud SaaS solutions, 37,000 experts with deep industry knowledge helping clients transform and a network of more than 25 global cloud delivery centers. Since 2007, IBM has invested more than $6 billion in acquisitions to accelerate its cloud initiatives. For more information about cloud offerings from IBM, visit http://www.ibm.com/smartcloud . Follow us on Twitter at @IBMcloud and on our blog at http://www.thoughtsoncloud.com . Join the conversation #ibmcloud.
Safe Harbor Statement
This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, quotations from management in this announcement, as well as 21Vianet's strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. 21Vianet may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual reports to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about 21Vianet's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: 21Vianet's goals and strategies; 21Vianet's expansion plans; the expected growth of the data center services market; expectations regarding demand for, and market acceptance of, 21Vianet's services; 21Vianet's expectations regarding keeping and strengthening its relationships with customers; 21Vianet's plans to invest in research and development to enhance its solution and service offerings; and general economic and business conditions in the regions where 21Vianet provides solutions and services. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in 21Vianet's reports filed with, or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and 21Vianet undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.
Investor Relations Contact: 21Vianet Group, Inc. Joseph Cheng +86 10 8456 2121 ICR, Inc. Jeremy Peruski +1 (646) 405-4922
