Microsoft plans data centre for Ireland

Microsoft has announced it will invest $500 million (£237 million) into a data centre in Dublin, it's first outside of America.

The data centre, described by Microsoft corporate vice president for Global Foundation Services Debra Chrapaty as "the place where the internet lives", will house tens of thousands of servers in its 51,000 square metre building.

The servers will be used to deliver Windows Live services and store data for the company's online services businesses such as MSN and Windows Live.

Microsoft opened a similar centre in Quincy, Washington in April, and construction is under way for another in San Antonio, Texas with an estimated cost of $550 million (£261 million).

Dublin's $500 million price tag only covers the cost of the construction phase, and will require "an additional substantial investment" to equip the centre with the proper server technology.

"We are excited about our expansion in Ireland and about the fact that Ireland will now play a significant role in the delivery of online services to customers across EMEA and beyond," said Joe Macri, managing director at Microsoft Ireland. "The fact that Ireland has been selected as the location for this strategic infrastructure is a very strong endorsement of the success of our operations here over the past 22 years."

"Our continued investment in data centre infrastructure should allow for Windows Live performance improvements across EMEA over the coming months," added John Mangelaars, Vice President, Microsoft Online Services Group, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Microsoft began its operations in Ireland in 1985, employing a 1,200 full-time workforce in the country. Construction of the centre will begin later this month and it is projected to be completed in Summer 2009.

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