February 2006

Revera Hosting deal worth millions

Minter Ellison Rudd Watts has put its IT operations in the hands of data centre and storage specialist - Revera.

Wellington-based IT services firm Revera has won a five-year deal worth $5-10 million to host the IT infrastructure of corporate law firm Minter Ellison Rudd Watts.

The law firm has moved its entire IT operations into Revera's Albany data centre, including its servers network management, and core applications such as Microsoft Office , document management software and its client billing system.

Chief Financial Officer Duncan Smith expects to cut 20% from the law firm's IT operations budget as a result of the arrangement.

Revera has hired the firm's five IT staff, who will continue to support the firm's 250 employees in Wellington and Auckland. IT staff will be on site at both of the firm's offices.

The deal coincided with the law firm's move into new offices in the newly-completed Lumley Centre in Auckland's Shortland St.

The company is planning to give smatphone i-mate devices to partners and senior managers for secure remote access to its network.

Revera began life as Hitachi Data Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi.

In 2002 New Zealand management bough a 51 percent stake in the company and renamed it HdS, for Hosting and Datacentre Services.

Late last year management bought the remaining 49 percent and re-branded the business Revera.

Chief executive Wayne Norrie says the firm is close to other deals and expects about 35 percent growth in the business this year.