Cisco and SharonAI Holdings have launched what they describe as Australia’s first Cisco Secure AI Factory with Nvidia, a sovereign AI infrastructure platform designed to deliver high-performance compute while keeping all data processing within the country.
The deployment, announced in Sydney, is built around 1,024 Nvidia Blackwell Ultra GPUs and is hosted in NextDC’s S3 in Sydney. The partners say the platform is intended to support enterprise and government AI adoption in line with Australia’s National AI Plan.
The infrastructure stack combines Cisco UCS servers, security and networking technologies, and Nexus Hyperfabric under the Nexus One management framework. Storage is provided by VAST Data systems to support high-throughput AI workloads.
Sharon AI, which describes itself as an Australian neocloud focused on high-performance computing and GPU infrastructure, will offer industry-specific AI solutions on top of the platform, alongside sandbox environments for proof-of-concept testing. Cisco Australia & New Zealand vice president and general manager Stefan Leitl said the Secure AI Factory is designed to provide the infrastructure foundation for organisations looking to deploy AI while maintaining control over data and compliance.
“The Cisco Secure AI Factory enables enterprises and governments to harness their data for differentiation, unlocking innovation and competitive advantage, by strengthening sovereign capabilities and building a trustworthy AI ecosystem,” he said.
James Manning, co-founder and CEO of Sharon AI, said the 1,024-GPU Blackwell Ultra cluster had been architected and deployed in collaboration with Cisco to support high-performance AI and machine learning workloads across the Asia-Pacific region. “We look forward to further collaboration with the Cisco team to drive enterprise AI adoption and additional clusters in 2026 and beyond,” he said.
Nvidia country manager – enterprise ANZ Sudarsharn Ramachandran described secure, sovereign AI infrastructure as a critical resource for enterprises in the region and said the deployment would accelerate AI-driven innovation.
The partners position the Secure AI Factory as a sovereign alternative for organisations concerned about data residency and security, with compute, storage and networking infrastructure integrated within Australian borders. The move also reflects a broader trend of hyperscale-grade AI clusters being deployed in national markets to support regulatory requirements, data sovereignty concerns and the growing demand for localised high-performance compute.