JSE improves cloud-based colocation offering

Africa’s largest bourse, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), has partnered with international managed cloud computing and analytics company Beeks Group to expand its cloud-based colocation service to Colo 2.0.

According to the JSE the improved service offering will allow clients to access on-demand private cloud computing as well as low-latency analytics.

“The launch of Colo 2.0 will further entrench our position as a centre of innovation for financial markets on the African continent,” JSE’s head of equities and equity derivatives Langa Manqele said in a statement on Monday.

“We will provide our clients with leading edge innovative hosting and connectivity solutions for their colocation needs.  This collaboration with two global market leaders is paramount to fostering innovation at the JSE.”

Growth strategy

The expansion to the Colo 2,0 service forms a major part of the bourse’s growth strategy across services.

According to the JSE statement, Colo 2.0 will reduce time to market and total cost of ownership, while offering PTP (precision time protocol) time stamping, improved flexibility and scalability, a built-in analytics server, and a single point of contact for support and invoicing.

Beeks Group CEO Gordon McArthur said: “Africa is fast emerging as an influential global player and this is a huge opportunity for Beeks, IPC and the JSE to help drive capital markets innovation and development in Africa.”

“By reducing capex (Capital Expenditure) spend and operational barriers to entry, our flexible solution allows the JSE to offer a branded cloud service in their own facility, and control that infrastructure easily at scale, turning a cost centre into a profit centre,” McArthur said.

“By leveraging our solution, JSE’s clients can reduce time to market, decrease capital expenditure and ease their dependency on working with multiple vendors. As a continent experiencing rapid transformation and one of the fastest expanding economic regions globally, the role of Africa’s capital markets for economic development has never been more critical.”

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