By Kim Yoo-chul
Golfzon, the country’s leading provider of golf simulators, signed an agreement with International Business Machines (IBM) Korea to use the latter’s cloud technology.
Under the contract, the Korean subsidiary of the U.S.-based computing giant will sell its cloud data virtualization (CDV) system to Golfzon for use in golf simulator chains nationwide.
Financial terms were not released due to a nondisclosure agreement (NDA).
“IBM Korea’s CDV system is cost-effective as the data virtualization technology is based on IBM’s rich cloud infrastructure. The CDV technology also improves data management and will save time in data backup,” Meta Communications, a local public relations (PR) agency representing IBM Korea, said in a statement.
The statement highlighted the virtual technology’s “disaster recovery” system, which will help clients save cost of managing data stored in corporate servers.
“Under the agreement, Golfzon’s data will safely be stored within IBM’s corporate servers. As the CDV system will use existing storage assets, you don’t have to spend more on installing new systems for data management,” it said.
Established in 2000, Golfzon has prowess in golf simulators used in “screen golf.” In 2014, its annual revenue was some 400 billion won, according to the company.
It supplied equipment to more than 5,500 shops out of an estimated 8,000 screen golf operations here through last year, according to officials.
Golfzon's gold simulators receive regular updates, with the company investing more to sharpen sensor technology and software; therefore, its products are more responsive and can be customized.
“The latest deal could be win-win for both. Golfzon clients will experience differentiated services throughout IBM’s CDV technology,” Kim Yong-hoon, an executive at IBM Korea who is in charge of handling the affiliate’s infrastructure business, said.
Golfzon plans to sell more golf simulation services to its customers in Korea and those in target markets from China to Southeast Asia.
It recently installed its VISION Golfzon Driving Range (GDR) system at Hong Kong International Airport Terminal 2.