New Zealand-owned data centre operator Data Vault plans to build a 3MW facility on Auckland’s North Shore, with 11 connectivity and service partners confirmed ahead of its planned opening in the second half of 2027.
The development forms part of a wider expansion programme targeting approximately 6MW of additional capacity across Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington over the coming years. Data Vault said the building for the North Shore facility has already been acquired, with fitout scheduled to begin in 2027 and capacity to be brought online in stages as customer demand grows.
The company has identified 5.3MW of additional capacity across four projects: the new North Shore facility, a further 1MW at its existing Grafton data centre in Auckland, another 1MW at its Te Rapa facility in Hamilton, and approximately 300kW in Wellington. Further opportunities are under consideration to meet its broader 6MW expansion target.
The announcement follows continued growth at Grafton, where Data Vault said Data Hall 3 is fully contracted. Data Hall 4, backed by an international anchor tenant, is scheduled to become operational in the first quarter of 2027, followed by Data Hall 5 in the third quarter.
“We’ve seen significant demand from network operators, cloud providers and international technology companies looking for high-quality colocation in New Zealand,” said Peter White, general manager at Data Vault. “The North Shore development is the next logical step. We’ve secured the building and expect to start bringing capacity online next year, giving our customers another Auckland location and greater geographic diversity.”
Data Vault has operated in New Zealand since 2004, with facilities in Auckland and Hamilton. It expanded into Wellington through an operations and management agreement with service provider Vital, announced in 2025, extending its reach across the country’s three major data centre markets. The arrangement was intended to bring the Wellington facility into Data Vault’s operations, with modernisation planned to align it with the company’s existing standards.
Connectivity partners lined up for launch
The North Shore facility will open with 11 confirmed connectivity and service partners: Eon Fibre, Devoli, EdgeIX, Verge Infrastructure, WaveSquared, Hostpearl, Vetta Group, Mercury, Purelink, Vital and Megaport. Data Vault expects to announce additional partners before the facility opens.
The partners will provide access to fibre networks, internet services, internet exchanges, cloud connectivity and other network solutions. The operator said it would maintain a carrier-neutral model, allowing customers to choose their preferred providers.
“We’re not building a facility and then hoping the network providers turn up,” White said. “We’ve already confirmed 11 launch partners, with more to come. Customers will have access to a wide range of services and providers from day one.”
Data Vault said its Grafton facility is approaching 70 autonomous system numbers (ASNs) across its network ecosystem, with access to internet exchanges including EdgeIX, NZIX and MegaIX.
Connectivity is a central part of the company’s positioning. Its existing Auckland facility offers access to more than 50 network providers, according to its website, alongside carrier-neutral colocation and connections to major network and peering services.
Efficiency and mid-density colocation
Data Vault said energy efficiency would be a focus across its expansion programme, with modern cooling systems, aisle containment and efficient power infrastructure intended to increase the proportion of available power that can be used by customer IT equipment.
The company already operates rooftop solar installations at its Grafton and Hamilton facilities and plans further installations, including at North Shore. Its website reports a power usage effectiveness (PUE) of 1.14 for its existing operations. The company has not provided a target PUE for the new facility.
“Power efficiency is becoming increasingly important for our customers,” White said. “We’re investing in modern cooling technology and better facility design to maximise the amount of power available for customer IT equipment.”
While much of the data centre market’s attention is on hyperscale and AI infrastructure, Data Vault said it sees demand for mid-density colocation from network operators, cloud providers, managed service providers and enterprises. “There’s a significant market for reliable, well-connected mid-density rack space, and that’s where we see a real opportunity,” White said.
“We want to provide flexible infrastructure that works for customers of all sizes, whether they need a single rack or a larger dedicated environment.”
The operator said it was also nearing completion of a SOC 2 readiness programme, with enhanced physical security, monitoring, operational procedures and governance controls planned for rollout across its facilities alongside the North Shore development. The programme is intended to support progression towards independent SOC 2 attestation.
Data Vault said it would continue to focus on carrier-neutral connectivity, energy efficiency and flexible colocation as it expands its footprint. “We’re not trying to be the biggest data centre operator in New Zealand,” White said. “Our focus is on building highly connected, efficient and reliable facilities, providing good service and making sure we have capacity available as our customers grow.”