Metronode has officially launched its Unanderra data center in the state of New South Wales which will be used by the government as part of a wider data center consolidation program, according to a report by zdnet in Australia.

Andrew Constance, minister for finance and services, said the data center, which it has invested AU$182m in as part of a ten-year lease, will be one of two Sydney facilities the government will use moving forward - the other is in Silverwater.

Although its first steps into migrating to the Unanderra data center began in October this year, it has now officially opened the doors, providing more details on how it will benefit government and industry.

"Approximately 500 jobs were supported during the construction and set up phases of the two facilities, with a number of permanent jobs established once the two centers become fully operational," Constance said.

Over AU$200m (US$181.34m) of government-owned assets will reside at the two facilities, which are expected to bring benefits of halving electricity costs while increasing security and connectivity.

A dual fiber connection will link the two sites and, if a power outage occurs at one site, backup operation from the other site can be performed in near-real time.

"The data centers incorporate the latest technology and security, using direct free air-cooling and modular design to deliver world-leading power utilization efficiency," Constance said.

Like many modern data centers, Metronode has adopted a modular building system, allowing them to improve the efficiency of constructing the building while retaining quality control.

Known initial tenants include NSW Health and the Departments of Education and Communities, Corrective Services and Finance and Services.