Digital communications firm IFB, of Aberdeen, has unveiled details of a £500,000 investment aimed at future-proofing internet and cloud services for its customers.
Altens-based IFB – founded in 1995 as Internet for Business – said its move to accelerate expansion was built around a new partnership with Scottish data centre operator and cloud service provider Brightsolid.
IFB added the “long-term agreement” gave it access to new and “considerable” data centre hosting capacity.
Together with core network upgrades, the investment is also expected to give the firm’s business customers 10 times the UK average internet speed, better cyber security and additional support for office and homeworking.
This development fuels our ambitious growth plans as we continue to elevate our position as one of Scotland’s leading data management and preferred network connectivity providers.”
Graeme Gordon, chief executive, IFB.
IFB – controlled by north-east businessman John Michie, as of February 2021 – has more than 700 business customers in the public sector, as well as the business services, education, and industrial industries throughout the UK.
The firm said it had enjoyed “substantial” interest in its business-critical services since the coronavirus pandemic, which ushered in a new era of remote working.
Many businesses have become more data-driven in order to continue operating productively.
Growing demand
Organisations scaling up or using technologies which require more and better access to data and cloud-based software and IT infrastructure, have also sparked increased demand across IFB’s service range, the company said.
The firm added its collaboration with Dundee-based Brightsolid was part of an ongoing growth strategy to “further fortify its operational excellence in delivering digital transformation and adoption for businesses across the country”.
IFB’s increased data centre capacity and storage, as well as its new cloud services, are supported by an investment in full-fibre, “ultrafast” gigabit internet access.
Businesses have evolved and working practices have changed.”
Graeme Gordon, chief executive, IFB, said: “In the last couple of years businesses have evolved and working practices have changed.
“This has resulted in a rapid upsurge in the need for essential and secure data management, with dependable network connectivity, so people can remain productive, conduct meetings and collaborate virtually, email securely, and protect and store confidential company documents with confidence.
“Through this £500,000 long-term investment and the partnership with Brightsolid, we have bolstered existing services delivering a substantial increase in data centre hosting capacity.”
More bandwidth
Mr Gordon added: “Our investment also enables us to increase our capacity to deliver greater internet bandwidth – meaning we are able to provide and support speeds 10 times faster than the UK average, assisting customers to connect with their data in less than a millisecond.
“This development fuels our ambitious growth plans as we continue to elevate our position as one of Scotland’s leading data management and preferred network connectivity providers.”
Brightsolid chief executive Elaine Maddison, said: “Brightsolid and IFB have worked together for some time, providing complementary services to customers, and this is a natural extension of our existing partnership.”
Earlier this year, IFB launched its Threat Intelligence Platform to help companies identify and mitigate potential system vulnerabilities.
Scottish businesses need to act on Log4j vulnerability to avoid ‘catastrophe’
