TWO fast-growing Ipswich businesses have completed a ground-breaking project involving “cloud” computing.

Systems integration and software company Smart421, based within the Felaw Maltings complex close to the town’s Waterfront, has developed a disaster recovery system for Haven Power, which is based on Ransomes Europark and specialises in supplying electricity to business customers.

The project was unveiled yesterday ahead of a conference in London featuring Terry Wise, director for global alliances and channels at Amazon Web Services in Seattle, US, with which Smart421 has been working as a partner for two years.

Cloud computing uses remote computing capacity to provide platforms and services which would be significantly more expensive for businesses to run in-house.

Smart421 has used Amazon’s platform to duplicate Haven Power’s operating systems so that, in the event of an emergency such as a fire, a flood or any other event which puts its Ipswich centre out of action, the company will quickly be able to resume operations from an alternative location, so providing continuity of service to its customers.

Neil Miles, managing director of Smart421, which now employs more than 250 people, said the company’s partnership with Amazon was an important component of the “thought leadership” it was able to offer clients to help them make the most of the latest technology.

Paul Armstrong, business systems manager at Haven Power, which employs more than 300 people, added that the firm was now looking to apply “cloud’ computing in other areas, such as management accounts.