AIMS Data Centre

Bangkok, 24 June 2021 – The AIMS Group (“AIMS”), Southeast Asia leading carrier-neutral data centre services provider, has announced the appointments of Lim Peng Keong as Chief Executive Officer and Wiwat Srijaratsin as Head of Operations to drive the business growth and expansion of AIMS Data Centre (Thailand) Limited (“AIMS Bangkok”), its operations in Thailand.

As part of AIMS’ ASEAN expansion plans, AIMS Bangkok bolsters its local presence in Thailand and is a key component of a network of interlinked data centres that AIMS’ is building across the region. AIMS Bangkok is also modeled after AIMS’ proven and successful business model of a carrier-neutral ecosystem where its customers can interconnect with various carriers, service providers and their partners within the network.

AIMS Bangkok is also able to leverage off the knowledge and expertise gained from AIMS’ experience in the market as well as the connectivity offered via the international submarine and terrestrial fibre network of its parent company, TIME dotCom (“TIME”).

In the short time that AIMS Bangkok has been operating, it has received certifications for both the ISO/IEC 27001 Information Security Management System as well as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS), a testament of AIMS’ proven processes and security compliance. Compliance and certification according to the standards set by ISO/IEC 27001 means that effective security controls and policies are in place to ensure information security. Further to that, PCI-DSS certification holds organisations to the highest standards for the storage, processing, and transfer of cardholder information.

This means that even enterprises in industries such as banking and financial services can rest assured that the most stringent security measures and policies are in place to minimise risk and ensure business continuity.

“We extend our warmest welcome to both Lim and Wiwat. AIMS Bangkok is in capable hands and the AIMS Group looks forward to building on the presence that we have established in Thailand as we work on fortifying our business in ASEAN,” said Chiew Kok Hin, CEO of the AIMS Group.

Management Profiles

Lim Peng Keong was appointed to the position of CEO in April 2021 and is responsible for driving the strategic growth of the business in Thailand. Prior to this, he co-founded and held the position of CEO in a big data analytics company based in Bangkok. In the past, he has held board-level and senior management positions in a number of private and public-listed companies in both Malaysia and Thailand with primary responsibilities in the areas of strategic development and business intelligence analysis.

He holds an MBA, majoring in Human Resource Management, from the University of Nottingham Trent and a BSc (Hons) in Computing from the University of Portsmouth.

Wiwat Srijaratsin was appointed as Head of Operations in October 2020. He is responsible for the management of data centre operations processes, service delivery and the service support team. He has extensive experience in the IT and telecommunications industries covering the areas of network operations, risk management and strategic planning. In the past has worked for companies such as True Corporation, IBM and Dell.

He holds a Bachelor of Computer Science degree from the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce.

For more information, please visit www.aimsdatacentre.com/thailand.

Kuala Lumpur, 24 November 2020 – Menara AIMS, headquarter of AIMS Data Centre (“AIMS”), Malaysia leading interconnection hub, has achieved the TIA-942 Rated-3 data centre facilities certification, strengthening AIMS status as an unrivaled data centre provider with world-class facilities.

The TIA-942 Rated-3 certification validates that AIMS infrastructure is concurrently maintainable. It can undergo any planned maintenance without downtime which means that AIMS is able to fully support mission critical customers 24×7 operations. Menara AIMS, an award-winning data centre site, is also ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 20000-1, ISO 9001, Payment Card Industry and Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) certified and Threat and Vulnerability Risk Assessment (TVRA) compliant. In addition, it is also compliant with the latest Risk Management in Technology (RMiT) guidelines for financial institutes as issued by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) to ensure data centre resiliency.

According to Chiew Kok Hin, Chief Executive Officer of AIMS, “Our core commitment is to provide our customers, including BFSIs, with mission critical facilities infrastructure that is concurrently maintainable with high-availability. The TIA-942 Rated-3 certification is a validation that we have met the standard for all nine critical aspects of the data centre infrastructure.”

Based on the TIA-942 guidelines, mission critical infrastructure with 24×7 availability is determined by nine critical aspects. The TIA-942 covers these nine areas which are electrical, mechanical, telecommunication infrastructure, fire detection/suppression, safety, physical security, site location, architecture, and monitoring. It also stands out as the only data centre facilities standard in the world to have an official accreditation scheme of which EPI is an accredited Conformity Assessment Body (CAB). This ensures the audit and certification process is carried out by certified professionals and follows documented processes as per the ISO requirements for certification bodies.

Chiew continues that with the TIA-942 Rated 3 Facilities Certification, AIMS will continue on the road to enhance its dynamic digital ecosystem with technically supported infrastructure for the best connectivity and interconnection services. This will support Malaysian businesses to accelerate deployment of their digital transformation strategies as well as facilitating global companies to expand their operations in Malaysia and subsequently, other ASEAN countries in which AIMS is present.

According to Edward van Leent, Chairman & CEO, EPI Group of Companies, “We applaud AIMS commitment to protect their customers mission critical infrastructure hosted at AIMS, and their unwavering focus on pushing the boundaries and creating a high-standard complete end-to-end IT and data centre solution. This focus on quality extends also to the investment in training and certification of their people on such certifications as CDCP, CDCS, CDCE, CDFOM, CTDC, CTIA, etc. It is our honour to award AIMS the certificate which they fully deserve.”

Kuala Lumpur, 21 October 2020 – AIMS Data Centre @ Bangkok, a subsidiary of the AIMS Data Centre Group (“AIMS”) located in the heart of the Bangkok central business district, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (“MoU”) with Bangkok Neutral Internet eXchange Co. Ltd. (“BKNIX”) to collaborate in enhancing the efficiency of Thailand’s internet connectivity and to support the future growth of communication traffic exchange in Thailand.

The MoU, which was signed on 6 October 2020 in Bangkok, sees AIMS working along with BKNIX to set up the 3 rd site for BKNIX that will enhance AIMS ASEAN data centre network as BKNIX is the first neutral Internet Exchange Point (IXP) in Thailand and has members comprising local and global carriers and Internet service providers, fitting in well with the carrier-neutral ecosystem that AIMS has built. BKNIX serves as the peering point for these local and international Internet service providers (ISPs), cloud service providers along with content providers, to exchange Internet traffic between each other.

With BKNIX, AIMS Data Centre @ Bangkok customers can now peer with BKNIX members to take advantage of improved routing performance by optimising local route and achieving lower latency, improved user experience while also enjoying reduced transit cost for local traffic.

AIMS Data Centre @ Bangkok is a key component of the AIMS Data Centre Group’s interlinked network across Southeast Asia that offers the same highly diverse ecosystem that is synonymous with the AIMS brand name. In addition, AIMS Data Centre @ Bangkok is also able to leverage on the extensive international submarine and terrestrial network of its parent company, TIME dotCom, providing its customers with connectivity for a comprehensive international reach.

“As a point of connection for both local and international Internet Service Providers and content providers, AIMS Data Centre @ Bangkok offers direct peering privileges for an improved customer experience at a lower latency and cost to both domestic and international customers via this partnership,” said Chiew Kok Hin, Chief Executive Officer of AIMS.

With nearly 30 years of experience to draw from, AIMS sees the partnership as a starting point for attracting even more international telcos and subsequently, both content and cloud providers, to the region. AIMS is an ideal co-location partner for MNCs and content and cloud providers looking to expand in the Southeast Asian region with its ability to offer co-location services in multiple locations given its points of presence in major Southeast Asian cities.

For more information, please visit www.aimsdatacentre.com/thailand.

Kuala Lumpur, 26 August 2020 – AIMS Data Centre (“AIMS”) has been named Malaysia Data Centre Service Provider of the Year in Frost & Sullivan 2020 Best Practices Award, the fifth recognition received from the global market research company.

As Malaysia’s leading carrier-neutral data centre service provider and home to the Malaysian Internet Exchange (MyIX), AIMS has been acknowledged for addressing industry needs in providing end-to-end integrated cloud data centre solutions and co-location services in a dynamic ecosystem. Supported by purpose-built infrastructure, an extensive network and comprehensive solutions designed for business, AIMS is well-positioned to facilitate the enterprise market’s drive toward digital transformation.

“We are proud to be recognised for our comprehensive and integrated approach in providing our data centre services. At AIMS, we constantly strive to offer a superior product with a strong customer support system. This award strengthens our position as the go-to brand for hyperscale facilities, direct cloud connection and made-for-business solutions and bolsters our expansion efforts into the ASEAN region,” said Chiew Kok Hin, Chief Executive Officer of AIMS.

AIMS was evaluated on two key benchmarks: visionary innovation and customer impact. By investing in intelligent data centre management and operations solutions, AIMS is able to enhance network efficiency and streamline processes to provide customers with a superior product and experience tailored to their needs.

“AIMS offers a robust value proposition to its customers by delivering carrier-neutral data centre services, resulting in significant growth in the co-location business. Its focus as a gateway for business expansion in Southeast Asia and a telecommunications hub creates a compelling value for businesses. AIMS has also demonstrated continued focus on driving operational efficiency with initiatives to lower PUE. Providing a direct connection to major public cloud service providers, AIMS is well-positioned to address the infrastructure needs of enterprises in the evolving IT landscape,” said Frost & Sullivan Nishchal Khorana, Senior Director of ICT Practice.

The Company of the Year award places AIMS as a leader not just in the data centre industry, but demonstrates excellence in growth, innovation and leadership to non-industry peers. This award follows the previous year recognition as Company of the Year for the Cloud Infrastructure Service Industry.

For more information and to download the full analyst report, visit https://aims.com.my/frost-and-sullivan-2020/.

Kuala Lumpur, 18 October 2019 – The government needs to look into providing incentives and exemptions for local players in the online and digital sectors to create a more competitive and conducive business environment.

AIMS Data Centre Sdn Bhd (AIMS) chief executive officer Chiew Kok Hin said while the 2020 Budget has indicated a promising outlook for advancing digital infrastructure and there is still room for Malaysia to grow into a more sustainable and prosperous digital nation.

He said the government is building the right foundation for a digital Malaysia following its recent announcement towards implementing the National Fiberisation and Connectivity Plan (NFCP) and promoting more digital application pilot projects utilising fibre optics and 5G infrastructure.

“The government is focusing on incentives for small and medium enterprises and other new digital applications like blockchain and similar technology that leverage Malaysia investments in fibre optics and 5G infrastructure, but it lacks incentives for one of the core infrastructures that supports the development of a digital Malaysia, namely data centre.

“Data centres are not just fundamental to the development of cloud and digital applications, they also serve as an important element in attracting foreign direct investments into the country to enable the creation of jobs and knowledge transfer,” he said in a statement.

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng (pix), when tabling the 2020 Budget last Friday, said the government will develop the infrastructure needed to form Digital Malaysia via the implementation of the NFCP over a five-year period.

He also announced an allocation of RM210 million to accelerate the deployment of digital infrastructure for public buildings, especially schools and high-impact areas as industrial parks.
-Bernama

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng presents the 2020 Budget in the Dewan Rakyat at Parliament House, Kuala Lumpur on Oct 11, 2019. – Sunpix by Norman Hiu

Shah Alam, 2 July 2019 – AIMS Data Centre (“AIMS”), Malaysia leading carrier-neutral data centre service provider, has been recognised with the Frost & Sullivan 2019 Company of the Year award in the Cloud Infrastructure Service Industry category.

As home to the Malaysia Internet Exchange (“MyIX”), AIMS boasts a diverse ecosystem of market leaders and major industry players, which has facilitated the growth of AIMS into the cloud connectivity space. Its extensive footprint in the region with presence in key Southeast Asian countries like Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam means that AIMS is also able to offer customers the capability to expand into the region.

“It is an honour for AIMS to be the first to be recognised in this new category of Cloud Infrastructure Service Industry,” said Ang Thing Jiun, Head of Technology. “The award serves as both a recognition and validation of AIMS as more than just a data centre service provider – we provide comprehensive solutions to customers who require cloud connectivity.”

“Our ability to cater to the cloud connectivity needs of our customers is what makes AIMS the top choice among clients who require a carrier-neutral data centre service provider in the region. Our customers can achieve direct and secured connections to major service providers through the enablement of Cloud Exchange, which allows AIMS to provide direct connectivity to hyperscale cloud vendors,” said Chiew Kok Hin, Head of AIMS business.

“AIMS achieved outstanding financial success in cloud infrastructure services in 2018. The company has established a significant brand presence in Malaysia as a key infrastructure service provider, offering integrated cloud and data centre services. Its focus on providing public, private, and hybrid cloud services with its multiple strategic initiatives, including building a cloud exchange has made cloud services more seamless for customers,” said Siddhesh K. Hule, Research Analyst, ICT from Frost & Sullivan, Asia Pacific. “Moreover, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced its direct connect location in Malaysia at Menara AIMS aiming to reduce customers network costs, increase bandwidth throughput, and provide a more consistent network experience than Internet-based connections. AIMS overall development has earned it the Frost & Sullivan 2019 Company of the Year Award.”

The Frost & Sullivan Malaysia Excellence Awards recognise local companies that have surpassed market expectations and exhibited exceptional performance in their respective industries. It is the fourth time AIMS has received an award from Frost & Sullivan, with the previous awards received in the Data Centre Service Provider category.

Cloud computing and digitalisation are expected to be the main drivers of Malaysia data centre industry in 2019.

Kuala Lumpur, 04 March 2019 – The AIMS Group believes that a stronger focus on both cloud computing technology and the digitalisation of businesses will drive the current growth of the local data centre industry, and data centres must adapt with the times to succeed in a competitive space.

Scalable cloud technology allows businesses to be agile and flexible, and their affordability makes them an excellent foundation for companies to build their operations on in the digital age. For these reasons, cloud plays a vital role in facilitating the rise of emerging technologies such as online payment gateways, e-wallets, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT).

However, many companies in the region still prefer the hybrid IT infrastructure model, where they use cloud services but still keep mission-critical data on-premises. Data centres with a high presence of hyperscale cloud service providers are crucial in linking the two areas and will be able to capitalise on this parallel growth.

“With this insight, AIMS has created a cloud exchange to address the symbiotic needs of both end users and cloud providers within AIMS. End users will enjoy direct, secured connections to major global cloud service providers for a much-improved user experience, while cloud service providers hosting with AIMS get direct access to the community for cost and operational efficiency,” says Chiew Kok Hin, Head of Data Centre.

The influence of digitalisation on the data centre industry, which enables businesses to establish international footprints and penetrate global markets more easily, also cannot be dismissed. This convenience comes with various challenges, not least of which is providing reliable and secured connectivity across the globe.

Data centres are instrumental in connecting, supporting and safeguarding an international business network, so choosing the right partner is important. “These businesses need data centres that provide comprehensive global points of presence and connectivity. Additionally, data centres that host Internet exchanges as well as major global cloud and content providers will always be first choice because of the indisputable reputation and the ecosystem needed within the community,” says Chiew.

“When emerging technologies involve massive consumer data and monetary transactions, the requirements for the data centres hosting them will get more stringent,” he says. “Customers should consider data centres that not only comply with global ISOs and PCI DSS standards, but also provide complete security scrutiny.”

Thanks to supportive government policies and the continued push for digital transformation, Chiew believes that Malaysia data centre industry will continue to enjoy robust growth and remain a frontrunner to become a data centre hub in the ASEAN region.

In 2018, Alibaba launched its new office (first country office in Southeast Asia) in Malaysia), Microsoft listed Kuala Lumpur as a Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute site and Amazon Web Services announced a new Direct Connect location in Menara AIMS. This shows that Malaysian data centres are gaining traction from global players as an alternative to Singapore for them to establish their footprint in Asia, and we should see continued momentum in that respect this year.

About AIMS Data Centre

AIMS Data Centre (AIMS) is Malaysia and Southeast Asia leading carrier-neutral data centre and managed services provider. As the anchor site for the MyIX, it handles traffic for over 88 peers and networks with international connectivity for customers from various industries. AIMS is headquartered in Malaysia with data centre presence in Kuala Lumpur, Cyberjaya and Penang. AIMS also counts data centre presence in key ASEAN cities in Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Visit aims-prod.time.com.my for more information.

About TIME dotCom Berhad

TIME is a telecommunications provider that delivers domestic and global connectivity, data centre and managed services to customers across ASEAN. Powering TIME businesses are its fibre optic network assets that span Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam countries in which it has an established operational presence. TIME network extends beyond the region via its stakes in Unity, Faster, Asia Pacific Gateway (APG) and Asia-Africa-Europe-1 (AAE-1) subsea cable systems that cover two-thirds of the globe. TIME is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur. Visit www.time.com.my for more information.

KUALA LUMPUR, 15 JANUARY 2019 – AIMS Data Centre recently announced that it was named as one of the ‘Companies to Watch Out For’ in Frost & Sullivan’s Analysis of the ASEAN and Taiwan Infrastructure-as-a Service Market, Forecast to 2024.

Published in November 2018, the report states that AIMS has focused on developing strategic partnerships to create differentiation and develop a compelling value proposition for Malaysian enterprise.

Key highlights about AIMS in the report include:

• Only provider to have a Direct Connect Point of Presence (PoP) in Malaysia for Amazon Web Services (AWS).
• Established strategic partnerships with leading hyperscale cloud service providers across the Asia-Pacific region.
• Focused on augmenting consulting services to enable easier cloud transition of Malaysian companies.
• Achieved significant year-on-year (YoY) revenue growth in the cloud services segment (2016-2017).
• Achieved significant success with global over-the-top (OTT) providers, including Chinese social media/content providers.
• Expanded infrastructure capacity by 15,000 sqft and initiated a further expansion of 18,000 sqft of data centre capacity, to be completed by the end of 2018.

According to Frost & Sullivan, AIMS ensures coverage for local and international connectivity with its submarine and terrestrial cable network, while its carrier-neutral value proposition gives it a competitive edge against established players in the market.

AIMS’ strong focus on infrastructure services has created a unique positioning for itself in the digital transformation space, while its strategic partnership-driven growth strategy ensures significant growth potential in the cloud services segment.

In the report, Malaysia was listed as one of three countries that dominated the ASEAN IaaS services market in 2017. Moving forward, Indonesia and Malaysia are considered high growth markets and are projected to lead ASEAN cloud infrastructure market growth until 2024.