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IBM builds cloud-based disaster recovery service at Dubai’s Port, Customs Free Zone

IBM builds cloud-based disaster recovery service at Dubai’s Port, Customs Free Zone

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(Left to right) Amr Refaat, General Manager, IBM Middle East and Pakistan; and Juma Al Ghaith, Executive Director of Customs Development Division at Dubai Customs.

IBM and Dubai’s Port, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, and its technical arm, DUTECH, announced an agreement to launch a cloud-based disaster recovery service in Dubai. As part of the agreement, IBM will implement a Cloud-based Disaster Recovery as a Service solution at DUTECH’s datacentre. The new service will provide organisations in Dubai with cloud-based business continuity capabilities and faster disaster recovery of critical IT systems and the ability to store its data in-country.

Port, Customs and Free Zone Corporation is a global trade and logistics enabler and a Government of Dubai corporation which facilitates the advancement of trade and logistics in Dubai.

The new service will enable Port, Customs and Free Zone Corporation entities and other government agencies as well as private businesses in Dubai, and potentially, the region, to benefit from a cloud-based disaster recovery as a service. This will help protect them against data loss from their own servers or from other cloud services, and can maintain readiness, without the need to invest in physical space or stand-by hardware.

The service will also provide the replication of critical applications, infrastructure, data and systems to the IBM Cloud-based DRaaS environment, enabling recovery from an IT outage within minutes.

The resiliency team will monitor developing disaster events 24/7 and ensure that the clients’ infrastructure is equipped to keep data, applications and transactions secure from threats. The service will also enable customers to adjust their resiliency strategies based on specific requirements.

“IT disruptions are inevitable and they can stem from a number of sources. Whether it is natural disaster, human error or unplanned downtime or outage, all these risks are surrounding businesses today,” said Sultan bin Sulayem, DP World Group Chairman and CEO and Chairman of Port, Customs and Free Zone Corporation.

“The new service that we are launching in collaboration with IBM can protect organisations from considerable financial loss as well as irreparable damage from brand reputation. It is very important to keep abreast of technological advancements in order not only to survive but to thrive and stand out in today’s market. We are embracing this service to sustain and protect the data of our clients and to help other organisations do the same in fulfilment of UAE leading and ambitious plans including Dubai 10X and UAE Centennial 2071 following the vision of our country’s wise leadership.”

According to Markets&Markets, the DRaaS market size in the Middle East is expected to see huge growth during the forecast period 2016 to 2021 with a compound annual growth rate of 44.8%. The Middle East region is experiencing significant adoption of DRaaS with increasing number of cyber-attacks and threat of data loss. The major factors driving the adoption of DRaaS in Middle East comprises security breaches, software failures, hardware failures, and power outage.

“It is important for organisations to always stay one step ahead of any potential internal or external threats,” said Juma Al Ghaith, Executive Director of Customs Development Division at Dubai Customs. “Through the new service, organisations will benefit from faster detection and removal of vulnerabilities as well as speedier data recovery and reduced downtime.”

“In today’s always-on world, IBM offerings like DRaaS and Cloud Resiliency Orchestration are built to simplify and automate the disaster recovery process, increase workflow efficiency, and reduce risk, cost, and system testing time,” said Amr Refaat, General Manager, IBM Middle East and Pakistan. “This new service underscores IBM’s expanding business continuity and resiliency services portfolio.”

IBM has over 300 resiliency centers across 68 countries. Port, Customs and Free Zone Corporation today employs more than 3,600 employees across all its entities. These entities have grown in number and diversity and now include Dubai Customs, Dubai Maritime City Authority, DUTECH, Trakhees, JAFZA, PandO Ports, and major ports such as Port Rashid and Jebel Ali.

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