Merging cloud, big data and smart cities

Liu Chuanzhi (right), founder and former president of Lenovo Group Ltd, at the signing ceremony of Zhongguancun Science Park in Guiyang. In 2013, the Big Three telecom carriers agreed to build regional data centers in Guiyang because of lower land and power prices. Provided to China Daily

During a recent Saturday, Shenzhen was preparing for the strongest thunderstorm in years to strike the city.

Less than 24 hours later, China's information technology hub in Guangdong province was deluged by torrential rain and hail.

But for Edward Tian it was another bright day for his business.

Tian, founder and chairman of China Broadband Capital Partners LP, is probably the best-known venture capitalist in the country and one of the first players in China's big data business.

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"Data is the most valuable asset in the 21st century. We can build a long industry chain based on data-related businesses such as analytics, information security and statistics exchange," Tian said during the opening of the Shenzhen data center on March 30, which was built in less than six months.

Data centers are the fundamental hardware infrastructure for cloud computing technology. Enterprises, governments and individuals can store all kinds of data and let the powerful data-processing computers organize and analyze the information.

Data centers then send back the results to any devices its customers request, making sure the information is shared by the right person on the right devices.

The idea of storing data on a centralized platform will improve efficiency, reduce cost and - most of the time - limit security risk, says Jouni Hakanen, China head of technology consulting and IT strategy at global consultancy firm Accenture Plc.

China embarked on a massive data construction project last year after the central government placed its bets on information technology to lift the slowing economy.

Demand for data centers has increased because major information consumption boosters, such as cloud computing and mobile Internet, are powered by data analytics and storage services.