Dubai Internet City is the region’s largest hub for technology companies and talent. Photo: DIC
Dubai Internet City is the region’s largest hub for technology companies and talent. Photo: DIC
Dubai Internet City is the region’s largest hub for technology companies and talent. Photo: DIC
Dubai Internet City is the region’s largest hub for technology companies and talent. Photo: DIC

Dubai Internet City and Khazna Data Centres to build two data storage units


Alvin R Cabral
  • English
  • Arabic

Dubai Internet City has teamed up with Khazna Data Centres, one of the largest data centre providers in the Middle East and North Africa, to establish two data storage centres in Dubai that will support enterprises by enabling the integration of technology across business functions.

The services will feature data centre pods designed by Khazna, which allow the rapid scaling of operations when required, offering partners long-term growth benefits, the companies said on Tuesday.

Businesses involved in 5G, smart city projects and cloud computing can also leverage the technology

“Building data centres and enhancing the overall technological infrastructure plays a key role in providing an investment-friendly environment," said Ammar Al Malik, managing director of Dubai Internet City.

"This agreement marks the next chapter in our commitment to supporting widespread digital transformation to increase our economic competitiveness globally well into the future," he said.

Demand for data centres has risen in recent years as the volume of digital data generated in the region surges exponentially. The UAE government is also carrying out a major programme of transforming the country into a smart nation, which requires secure cloud infrastructure and data storage across all industries.

The Mena region's data centre market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of about 8 per cent and hit $5 billion by the end of 2026, a report by Arizton Advisory and Intelligence shows.

Rapid investments in new-generation 5G technology and its expansion across the region have led to the generation of a substantial amount of data, which, in turn, has further increased investments in data centres across the Mena region.

Ammar Al Malik, managing director of Dubai Internet City. Photo: Antonie Robertson / The National
Ammar Al Malik, managing director of Dubai Internet City. Photo: Antonie Robertson / The National

The UAE is one of the preferred data centre locations in Mena, attracting investments of about four co-location data centre facilities in 2020, data provider Research and Markets has said.

In October, Etisalat and artificial intelligence services provider G42 signed a binding agreement to merge their data centre services to create the UAE's largest data centre provider.

It will combine 12 data centres by the Abu Dhabi-based companies and will operate under Khazna.

Etisalat has its SmartHub data centres in Dubai and Fujairah while Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company, also known as du, began operations at its two data centres in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in September.

Global technology companies have also launched data centres in the UAE.

Microsoft opened two data centres, one each in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, in 2019 while Amazon Web Services, the world's largest cloud storage service provider, has said it will open three data centres in the UAE in the first half of 2022.

As digital adoption sweeps through the greater Mena region, the opening of data privacy and storage centres can enhance business activity. Wholesale storage providers such as Khazna can play a key role in catering to the recording, movement and security of increasingly large amounts of information.

“The partnership between Khazna and Dubai Internet City will further support the UAE’s digital ecosystem, with technology businesses such as cloud computing operators able to achieve the level of connectivity they need to more effectively deliver services to partners, customers and employees," said Hassan Al Naqbi, chief executive of Khazna Data Centres.

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Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut

Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”

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A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.

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Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

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Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.

They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.

“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.

He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.

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  • November 2021: First 17 volumes launched 
  • November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
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Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

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2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari - 235
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes - 212
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - 162
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari - 138
6. Sergio Perez, Force India - 68

How to play the stock market recovery in 2021?

If you are looking to build your long-term wealth in 2021 and beyond, the stock market is still the best place to do it as equities powered on despite the pandemic.

Investing in individual stocks is not for everyone and most private investors should stick to mutual funds and ETFs, but there are some thrilling opportunities for those who understand the risks.

Peter Garnry, head of equity strategy at Saxo Bank, says the 20 best-performing US and European stocks have delivered an average return year-to-date of 148 per cent, measured in local currency terms.

Online marketplace Etsy was the best performer with a return of 330.6 per cent, followed by communications software company Sinch (315.4 per cent), online supermarket HelloFresh (232.8 per cent) and fuel cells specialist NEL (191.7 per cent).

Mr Garnry says digital companies benefited from the lockdown, while green energy firms flew as efforts to combat climate change were ramped up, helped in part by the European Union’s green deal. 

Electric car company Tesla would be on the list if it had been part of the S&P 500 Index, but it only joined on December 21. “Tesla has become one of the most valuable companies in the world this year as demand for electric vehicles has grown dramatically,” Mr Garnry says.

By contrast, the 20 worst-performing European stocks fell 54 per cent on average, with European banks hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic, while cruise liners and airline stocks suffered due to travel restrictions.

As demand for energy fell, the oil and gas industry had a tough year, too.

Mr Garnry says the biggest story this year was the “absolute crunch” in so-called value stocks, companies that trade at low valuations compared to their earnings and growth potential.

He says they are “heavily tilted towards financials, miners, energy, utilities and industrials, which have all been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic”. “The last year saw these cheap stocks become cheaper and expensive stocks have become more expensive.” 

This has triggered excited talk about the “great value rotation” but Mr Garnry remains sceptical. “We need to see a breakout of interest rates combined with higher inflation before we join the crowd.”

Always remember that past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Last year’s winners often turn out to be this year’s losers, and vice-versa.

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Group B: Kidambi Srikanth (Ind), Shi Yugi (Chn), Chou Tien Chen (Tpe), Viktor Axelsen (Den)

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Group B: Tai Tzu Ying (Tpe), Sung Hi-hyun (Kor), Ratchanok Intanon (Tha), Chen Yufei (Chn)

Calls

Directed by: Fede Alvarez

Starring: Pedro Pascal, Karen Gillian, Aaron Taylor-Johnson

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Cyberbullying or online bullying could take many forms such as sending unkind or rude messages to someone, socially isolating people from groups, sharing embarrassing pictures of them, or spreading rumors about them.

Cyberbullying can take place on various platforms such as messages, on social media, on group chats, or games.

Parents should watch out for behavioural changes in their children.

When children are being bullied they they may be feel embarrassed and isolated, so parents should watch out for signs of signs of depression and anxiety

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FIGHT%20CARD
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Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

THE SPECS

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Power: 275hp at 6,600rpm

Torque: 353Nm from 1,450-4,700rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto

Top speed: 250kph

Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: Dh146,999

Updated: January 04, 2022, 12:33 PM