IBM opens social enterprise data centre

IBM has set up a data centre to support social enterprise apps including networking, analytics and content management.

Located in Ehningen in Germany, it will provide support for the European market, joining IBM's facilities in the US and Asia.

It says it will provide one-click access to tools such as online meetings, email, calendaring and instant messaging. Businesses will be able to invite external partners, clients, suppliers and more to take part in these interactions.

In 2012, IBM announced support for EU and Swiss Safe Harbor frameworks and model clause agreements to address EU data privacy requirements for the cloud.

Research firm Forrester has recently estimated that the market for social enterprise apps and related services will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 61% to be worth $6.4 billion (£4.2 billion) in 2016.

It has also announced that its revenue from cloud services grew by 80% in 2012.