How is Australia & Cisco First Secure AI Factory Linked?

Cisco and Sharon AI have launched Australia’s first Cisco Secure AI Factory in partnership with NVIDIA, in order to provide high-performance AI infrastructure while keeping all data processing within the country. 

The initiative supports Australia’s National AI Plan and aims to accelerate enterprise AI adoption across the Asia-Pacific region.

Powered by 1024 NVIDIA Blackwell Ultra GPUs, Cisco UCS servers and Nexus Hyperfabric technology, the facility gives businesses and government agencies the ability to build advanced AI applications while maintaining full control over data sovereignty.

Data centre design for sovereign AI

The Cisco Secure AI Factory will provide a centralised hub for AI development and deployment, ensuring all operations occur within Australian borders. 

Sharon AI offers customers tailored solutions across multiple industries and a sandbox environment for experimenting with proof-of-concepts.

At the foundation of the factory are Cisco UCS servers, designed to deliver high-performance computing. 

These are combined with Cisco security and networking solutions and Nexus Hyperfabric technology, which integrates multiple network fabrics into a single unified management plane.

VAST Data storage systems supply fast, reliable and scalable access for AI workloads, while NEXTDC’s Australian data centres provide resilient and sovereign hosting for all critical infrastructure.

Stefan Leitl, Vice President and General Manager of Cisco Australia & New Zealand, says: “AI innovation is moving faster than ever and Cisco is delivering the critical infrastructure Australia needs to move fast and adopt AI safely and securely. 

“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. 

“This collaboration positions Australia at the forefront of secure, responsible AI.”

Stefan emphasises that the facility ensures that enterprise AI adoption occurs within a secure, localised environment, meeting both regulatory requirements and operational needs.

Enterprise AI and high-performance compute

James Manning, Co-Founder and CEO of Sharon AI, adds: “We are excited to have partnered with Cisco and NVIDIA to accelerate enterprise AI and high-performance compute adoption throughout Asia-Pacific. 

“This 1024 NVIDIA Blackwell Ultra deployment has been architected and deployed alongside Cisco to ensure together we can bring unprecedented value to customers. 

“We look forward to further collaboration with the Cisco team to drive enterprise AI adoption and additional clusters in 2026 and beyond.”

James explains that the combination of Cisco infrastructure with NVIDIA GPUs allows Sharon AI to deliver scalable AI environments capable of running complex machine learning models and large-scale AI simulations. 

Enterprises can use the factory to experiment, test and deploy AI solutions without relying on external cloud providers.

Regional Impact and Collaboration

Sudarsharn Ramachandran, Country Manager – Enterprise Australia & New Zealand at NVIDIA, says: “Secure, sovereign AI infrastructure is a critical resource for enterprises across the Asia-Pacific region. 

“Sharon AI and Cisco are accelerating the next wave of innovation with NVIDIA Blackwell Ultra GPUs to provide Australia with its first Secure AI Factory with NVIDIA.”

Sudarsharn highlights that combining NVIDIA GPUs with Cisco servers and networking technology enables rapid scaling of AI workloads while maintaining compliance with national data requirements.

The Cisco Secure AI Factory also supports the objectives of Australia’s National AI Plan by promoting responsible AI adoption. 

Enterprises gain access to a controlled environment for testing and deploying AI, enhancing operational efficiency and innovation potential.

By combining high-performance compute, advanced storage and resilient data centre hosting, Australia now has its first dedicated facility for secure, sovereign AI operations. 

The launch offers organisations a reliable platform to build and deploy AI within local oversight, advancing both enterprise AI adoption and national digital infrastructure.