IBM has opened its first cloud multi-zone region in Madrid, consisting of three data centres located in Alcobendas, Las Rozas and the city of Madrid, which have started to operate synchronously. The aim is to support Spanish and European companies in the process of digital transformation and adoption of the hybrid cloud and AI model.

Without going into specifics, the company says that the launch of this infrastructure represents its largest investment to date in Spain, and one of its largest in the whole of Europe. At the same time, IBM expects the number of jobs created to be in the hundreds. The MZR is expected to provide services to more than six hundred customers in Europe.

Regulatory requirements
Confirmed customers of the new cloud multi-zone region include CaixaBank and Rural Servicios Informáticos (RSI), two examples of companies operating in highly regulated industries. These examples serve to highlight the fact that IBM's infrastructure is designed to facilitate compliance with the regulatory and digital sovereignty requirements established by the European Union, and to enable companies to address security and compliance requirements in their own industries.

The company has launched an IBM Cloud For Financial Services, designed specifically for the financial industry. It has been created with the support of more than 130 technology and fintech partners, and includes security and compliance controls to address potential systemic risks throughout the supply chain.

Sustainable energy supply
Data centres consume large amounts of energy, and power supply is a critical operational issue, essential in fact in terms of presenting a sustainable image to customers. In recognition of these concerns, IBM's new cloud region is powered by 100% renewable energy. In addition to helping customers to advance towards their sustainability goals, it offers them specific AI-based tools to address tasks such as tracking greenhouse gas emissions across various workloads and cloud services.

Horacio Morell, president of IBM Spain, Portugal, Greece and Israel, highlights his company's commitment at a time when, “In the era of AI and hybrid cloud, companies need to be able to create solutions and services that respond to customer demands under an umbrella of frictionless innovation, with the highest security standards and ensuring compliance with changing regulatory frameworks”.

IBM's cloud multi-zone region in Madrid is the company's third to be opened in Europe, following those in Paris and Frankfurt. This new commitment is in addition to the recently announced launch of a quantum computing centre in the Basque Country, and the ‘Future of Computing’ initiative, in collaboration with the Barcelona SuperComputing Center.

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