(Toronto and Kelowna) – The Ontario Research and Innovation Optical Network (ORION) is partnering with RackForce Networks, an internationally-renowned cloud services provider, to help keep Ontario’s research, education and innovation (RE&I) sectors competitive in the face of evolving technology needs.
“RackForce is not just an international cloud provider, but a thought leader as well with some of the most environmentally friendly technology available,” says Dr. Darin Graham, CEO and President of ORION.
“RackForce is already pushing the limits in providing cost-effective services for research and education institutions in Alberta and British Columbia. With their new, state-of-the-art cloud delivery centre in Barrie, Ontario, RackForce and ORION are breaking new ground in bringing the cloud industry and RE&I institutions together,” added Dr. Graham.
RackForce Networks, based in Kelowna, B.C., serves clients in over 100 countries and currently provides one of the most popular video platforms to schools in the U.S. and Canada. The company also has experience providing low-cost internet options to post-secondary institutions in Alberta.
RackForce is reputed for maintaining up-to-date and forward-thinking technology, sparing clients the expense of having to replace obsolete hardware every few years. With uptimes of over 99.9%, RackForce’s data centres also boast carbon footprints amounting to only 1/20th the size of most data centres.
Brian Fry, co-founder of RackForce, will also be speaking at ORION’s upcoming THINK conference on April 15, 2014. Mr. Fry will lead the discussion about the future of cloud services and shared resources, focusing on how Ontario institutions can take advantage of these opportunities.
“The cloud industry is in a fascinating state of dichotomy between both new and old technology and practices. This has some important implications for the research and education communities in Ontario,” said Mr. Fry. “The THINK conference brings a great opportunity to really talk with members of Ontario institutions and start creating unique cloud solutions tailored for their needs.”
RackForce’s world-class cloud services can be accessed through ORION’s Nebula program of cloud services, which allows Ontario’s research, education and innovation communities to work on secure, data-intensive projects from anywhere and on any device.
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For further information:
Ahmed Rammay
Director of Marketing
RackForce
403.618.2583
arammay@rackforce.com
http://www.rackforce.com
Cathy Bogaart
Director, Marketing and Communications
Ontario Research and Innovation Optical Network (ORION)
416.507.9860 ext. 250
cathy.bogaart@orion.on.ca
www.orion.on.ca
About RackForce:
RackForce is a leading provider of green enterprise cloud services, with strategically located facilities in Kelowna, Calgary and Toronto, Canada. Their superior datacenter design, automated systems and virtualization expertise, provide next-generation scalable colocation, cloud computing, server management, disaster recovery and network services to a worldwide customer base. RackForce recently brought the power of Mitel and Cloud Video as SaaS solutions to the RackForce cloud enabling clients to do more. For more information visit www.rackforce.com.
About ORION:
As Ontario’s backbone of innovation, the Ontario Research and Innovation Optical Network (ORION) is one of the largest Research, Education and Innovation (RE&I) networks in the world. We connect all of Ontario’s universities, most colleges, several teaching hospitals, public research facilities, and a growing number of Ontario’s school boards to one another and to a global network of RE&I connections. In addition to providing one of the world’s fastest broadband connections, we are a research and innovation partner for our members. Through our technology and support, ORION constantly strives to keep Ontario on the leading edge of innovation.