Etisalat’s new data centre in Jebel Ali has welcomed its first customer, with leading UAE bank Al Hilal Bank signing an agreement to host their disaster recovery functions at the facility.

The signing with the Abu Dhabi-based Islamic bank confirms Etisalat’s status as a key strategic provider of information and communications technology (ICT) in the region, said a senior official.

Its capabilities have been significantly increased through the Dh400 million ($109 million) data center in Jebel Ali, which is the largest data centre of its type in the Middle East, remarked Abdulla Ebrahim Al Ahmed, the senior VP, business solutions at Etisalat.

The agreement with Al Hilal demonstrates that the biggest companies in the UAE trust and rely on Etisalat to provide their critical ICT services, he stated.

“Al Hilal Bank is one of the fastest emerging banks in the UAE. We are delighted to have them as the launch customer for our brand new data centre,” said Al Ahmed.

“ICT is a major growth area for Etisalat which is demonstrated by our commitment to this new facility in Jebel Ali. Our technical expertise in this field is world-class, and, with the new data centre, we are confirming our market-leading position as a full ICT provider for the business sector,” he added.

Saif Al Dhaheri, the executive VP at Al Hilal Bank, said, "Disaster recovery is a sensitive and critical aspect of Al Hilal's business that helps maintain its corporate integrity, security and confidence. So we had to ensure that the right partner was chosen to handle this crucial function."

"Etisalat is one of the largest companies in the UAE with a long history of successful business relationships and innovative ICT solutions.We are delighted to be the first corporate client to occupy their new data centre, the largest in the Middle East," he added.-TradeArabia News Service