BANGALORE, INDIA: Wipro subsidiary Infocrossing signed a five-year deal with the US-based Cliffs Natural Resources Inc, an international mining and natural resources firm, to provide IT infrastructure services, the global software major said Thursday.

As part of the deal, Infocrossing will deliver service desk and desk-top support to about 2,000 employees across Cliffs' multiple administrative and operating locations in North America besides providing a server, storage and architecture services from its data centres.

As North America's largest producer of iron ore pellets, the Cleveland-headquartered Cliffs is a major supplier of direct-shipping lump and fines from Australia and producer of metallurgical coal.

Wipro acquired the US-based leading IT infrastructure management firm Infocrossing for $600 million in August 2007.

The company, however, did not disclose the value of the multi-year contract with Cliffs.

"By offering robust IT infrastructure and data centre services, we are committed to creating real business value for Cliffs and be its strategic IT partner," Infocrossing president Sameer Kishore said in a statement.

According to Cliffs' chief information officer Ron Aderhold, the selection of Infocrossing as its business partner was based on its ability to deliver on its brand promise of superior IT infrastructure services, delivery capabilities and industry expertise.