Why was Host in Ireland established?

Host in Ireland is an industry-led initiative highlighting why Ireland is a great place to host digital assets. Offering both U.S. and global-based organizations premium options as well as timely and accurate information relating to digital asset hosting, Host in Ireland demonstrates why Ireland is more cost-effective, efficient, reliable, secure and accessible than other region across Europe. 

What are digital assets and what types of digital assets make sense to host in Ireland?

Simply put, a digital asset is any item of text or media that has been formatted into a binary source that includes the right to use it, while on the other hand a digital file without the right to use it is not an asset. Digital assets can include individual files such as images, photos, videos, and text files. It also includes other digital content (perhaps as data in a database). These assets are stored either on a device owned by an individual (“locally”), or on devices accessed via the Internet (“in the cloud”). 

Why do digital assets need a physical home/location?

Part of digital asset management, digital assets need to reside either locally or in the cloud to properly manage, control, centralize and properly secure the assets. 

Why is Ireland a good place to host digital assets?

The initiative is sustained by five core values – or the five reasons why companies should consider Ireland to host their digital assets. Dubbed the “5 Ps” it is Ireland’s Policy, People, Pedigree, Pipes and Power, which offer both U.S.-based and global organizations premium options relating to digital asset hosting in Ireland. Diving deeper, Ireland’s 5Ps provide global companies the following benefits: 

Policy

- 100% EU Data Protection compliant legislation

- Politically stable

- Pro-business Irish Data Protection Act

- Eliminate double-taxation and pay competitive corporate tax rate at 12.5%

- Embraces the U.S./EU Safe Harbor Legislation

People

- Tech-savvy workforce

- Amongst top 10 most educated countries

- Low labor costs

* As ranked by the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2012 

Pedigree

Companies like Adobe, Amazon, Dropbox, Facebook, Google, Innovative, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Minds + Machines, Salesforce, Twitter and Zendesk understand that Ireland is ideal for digital asset hosting

Pipes

- Latency: Ireland is the closest connecting point from the U.S. at 51 ms

- Capacity: 100G native services available from U.S. to Ireland

- Diverse network topology and transatlantic connectivity from Ireland to the U.S.

- Top international operators

- Competitive pricing for global, high bandwidth connectivity

Power

- 19% of electricity comes from wind sources

- Business electricity prices below EU average

- 40% of all energy to come from renewable sources by 2020

- IEA considers Ireland as a world leader in the development of smart grids

- Ireland is an innovator in reducing energy use 

What companies host their digital assets in Ireland currently?

Ireland has evolved over the last five decades as a digital asset hosting ecosystem and essentially paving the way for global SMBs.

(Resource: 451 Research) 

How easy is it to move digital assets around?

From a technical perspective, digital assets can be transferred from one geographic area to another. However, the key aspect is data security and maintaining its integrity at all times, whilst complying with data protection, national and international legislation (policy), security of the energy supply (as well as a commitment to renewable energy) and premium global connectivity has to be available to support global businesses grow in the EMEA and beyond.

Is Host in Ireland a not for profit or for profit venture?

Host in Ireland is a marketing and sales initiative funded by the Irish Digital Hosting Ecosystem. All sponsorship and support raised goes directly into the costs that directly and indirectly promote Ireland’s capabilities as a global powerhouse in digital asset hosting.