Global data centre provider Equinix is to build its second international business exchange™ data centre, HK2, in Hong Kong. The new $63 million HK2 IBX data centre will provide total capacity for more than 1,450 cabinet equivalents.

Targeted for opening in the third quarter of 2011, the $20m first phase of the HK2 IBX centre will offer an initial 450 cabinet equivalents. The expansion enables Equinix to continue serving the Hong Kong market with business exchange services for global enterprises, banking and financial companies, and cloud and IT service providers.

The Hong Kong market is one of the largest concentrations of banking and financial companies in the region. The HK2 facility will have direct fibre connection with the HK1 IBX data centre.

This connectivity will enable prospective customers at HK2 to enjoy close proximity and direct access to the financial ecosystems, including trading venues, buy and sell side firms, market data providers, technology providers and financial networks, at the HK1 IBX data centre.

The HK2 is the fourth in a series of recently announced IBX data centre expansions in the Asia Pacific region. Equinix has recently announced the expansion of SY3 data centre in Sydney, the third phase expansion of the existing SG2 centre in Singapore, and launched a new market in Shanghai with its partnership with Shanghai Data Solution (SDS).