Huber+Suhner unveils new lab automation solution

Telecommunications carriers can now step away from time-consuming manual testing and benefit from an automated lab landscape for their networks, thanks to a new advanced lab automation solution from Huber+Suhner featuring optical circuit switching and RF-over-Fibre (RFoF). Replacing traditional coaxial interconnected and manually controlled labs, the innovation integrates fibre connectivity and optical circuit switching technologies to provide an automated, transparent and user-configurable fibre layer. For transport and core network labs, an optical circuit switch allows for flexible connection and measurement of optical network components in a test environment. The POLATIS optical circuit switch, featuring patented DirectLight beam-steering technology, enables continuous testing of multiple devices remotely, eliminating the need for physical presence and manual re-patching. This not only reduces labour costs but also frees up time. For RAN labs, RFoF modules can be deployed to convert signals from RAN radios into fibre optic signals which enables much greater transmission distances with significantly lower losses from Device Under Test (DUT) to test equipment. The optical circuit switching can then be utilised in the same way as with transport and core network labs. The high performance opto-electrical conversion ensures minimal impact on measurement results and provides bidirectionality for both the optical and the RF domains. As a result, an automated fibre optic network layer for device testing can be configured or reconfigured in seconds rather than hours or days, allowing customers to meet challenging test cycle turnaround times. “Carriers are under intense pressure to rapidly test and deliver enhanced network services, while validating new equipment,” says Claudia Bartholdi, Market Manager, Huber+Suhner. “The longer it takes to certify new equipment and services through manual operations, the further a business gets from increasing revenue and competitiveness. Through our end-to-end solution, we can ensure high reproducibility, traceability and increased efficiency, alongside a faster time to market.” Regression, feature and interoperability testing are all key procedures for carriers. Regression testing ensures software releases do not impact the existing functionality of a network but may require thousands of individual tests that must be run in cascaded sequences. Carriers must also look to enhance network performance and user experience, which requires new features like network slicing, while ensuring any new equipment, elements or interfaces within a network function according to predefined standards and can coexist in a network. The lab automation innovation for carriers enhances these procedures. For regression testing, it drastically reduces the time for test set-up and operation to introduce new software releases quickly and efficiently. It can also be implemented to allow agile feature testing, helping to verify that the new functionalities will work on an end-to-end basis before they are introduced into the live network. For interoperability testing, the innovation simplifies the testing of virtual RANs, as well as open standard software and hardware, to ensure all network elements work together effectively. “By automating test processes, labs can also share expensive equipment and reconfigure tests remotely and immediately,” Claudia continues. “Using readily available tools, resources can now be securely shared between labs dedicated to different elements of the network without conflict, quickening the testing process.” For more from Huber+Suhner, click here.

Subsea cable and data centre operator GCX to rebrand

Global Cloud Xchange (GCX) has today announced its rebrand to FLAG. With strong continued investment, FLAG looks to maintain its growth and status as one of the largest privately owned, global subsea cable operators. Following the rebrand, the company’s Managed Services division will continue to operate under its existing name of GCX Managed Services. FLAG provides end-to-end, high-speed digital connectivity services. These include flexible leased capacity, dark fibre and Layer 2 & 3 services for hyperscalers, telecom carriers, OTT content providers, new media providers and enterprises via an interconnected platform of seven subsea and six terrestrial cable systems. The company serves clients in over 180 countries, operating a diverse global network across key routes, powering the global telecommunications backbone with a unique infrastructure that spans Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the USA. This network ensures route redundancy and diversity for mission-critical dataflows, providing reliable connectivity and neutrality in hard-to-access regions, all while being engineered for optimal reliability, availability and continuity. To enhance the network capability and address the growing demand for data processing and storage, FLAG also provides modular data centres, offering scalable, resilient solutions for high-performance computing deployments where customers need it most, from the network edge to cable landing stations and across multiple geographies. “FLAG represents our renewed commitment to global connectivity," says Carl Grivner (pictured above), CEO of FLAG. "Working closely with our clients, we are constantly upgrading and expanding our network to stay at the forefront of technological developments and meet evolving market demands. This ensures our clients receive the most advanced connectivity solutions, enabling them to scale, secure and optimise their data in an increasingly interconnected world.” FLAG has shown strong year-on-year growth and has recently signed several material investments to enhance its Middle East and intra-Asia subsea capabilities. The rebrand is linked to FLAG’s focus on pursuing its long-term goals and prioritising investments across more geographies through subsea, edge data centres and cable landing stations. Overlaying these strategic pillars, FLAG is further developing its technology solutions to create customer-tailored propositions as demand for data traffic rises amid the growth in content, AI and digital services. The company will continue investing in digitisation to advance its customer offerings and deliver innovative solutions across the globe. Carl continues, “This rebrand of FLAG allows us to move forward with a clear vision and the flexibility to innovate and invest in our infrastructure in ways that provide unparalleled value to our customers and partners. With strong backing from our Board and 3i Infrastructure we are committed to delivering market-leading, high-performance solutions across the globe.” FLAG is run by a highly experienced management team, with Carl Grivner leading the company as CEO, supported by Brice Evin as CFO, Brad Kneller as CNO, Paul Abfalter as CS&RO, Nadya Melic as VP – Product and Marketing, and Asif Ghani – VP – Edge Data Centre Services. Both FLAG and GCX Managed Services will be jointly supported by the collective management team that includes Edward Parkin - General Counsel, Giancarlo Ferro - CIO, and MU Khan – VP of Human Resources.

CyrusOne to open second data centre in Milan

CyrusOne, a global data centre developer and operator specialising in delivering state-of-the-art digital infrastructure solutions, has announced plans to build its second data centre in Milan, named MIL2, which will deliver 54 megawatts of IT capacity to 18,000 square metres of technical space over three floors. The announcement follows the acquisition of a 19.68 acre site, strategically located within two Municipalities - Milan and Segrate - and four miles east of the city centre, close to Linate Airport. CyrusOne has prioritised creating opportunities for the community in the planning and development of the facility, offering approximately 30% of the overall site to the Municipality and working closely with the local authority to improve the area surrounding the data centre. The data centre will benefit from thoughtful landscaping, acoustic panels to reduce noise impact, and will be built 'heat reuse ready', offering the opportunity to distribute heat to local third parties where demand exists. “We are continuing to see significant demand from enterprise cloud and AI workloads, and are optimistic about the opportunities in Italy,” says Matt Pullen, EVP and Managing Director, Europe, CyrusOne. “The country has a strong historic industrial base and is welcoming of new industries. What’s more, Italy’s power infrastructure can potentially deliver more near-term utility power than many other EU countries and has planned effectively to ensure its power grid is resilient for the future. This latest acquisition further cements our commitment to providing modern infrastructure in Italy that provides jobs and benefits for the local area.” As part of the development, and subject to a purchase agreement, CyrusOne will transfer 8,300 square metres of land to TERNA to support the expansion of the Lambrate substation, situated on an adjacent plot of land. The site will receive a dual active power supply of 90 MVA at 220 KV for the facility from 2028, with the power generated from the substation feeding both CyrusOne MIL1 and MIL2 data centres. Additional power capacity from the substation will be made available to local businesses. Consistent with CyrusOne’s portfolio throughout Europe, sustainability is central to the development of the data centre, which is designed to achieve a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ certification as a minimum and will run on 100% renewable energy. Over 500 square metres of solar panels will provide power for ancillary areas and the data centre will achieve a low PUE through the use of a closed loop cooling solution and optimum chilled water temperatures to maximise free cooling hours. CyrusOne announced its entry into Italy in December 2024 following its acquisition of an 18.5 acre site, strategically located in the Municipality of Segrate, East Milan. The MIL1 data centre will deliver 27 megawatts of IT capacity across 9,000 square metres of technical space within a single building over three floors. For more from CyrusOne, click here.

Vertiv unveils scalable power solution, Vertiv PowerDirect Rack 

Vertiv has announced the launch of the Vertiv PowerDirect Rack, a 1U high-density 50V DC power system shelf designed to bring resilience to even the most demanding AI and high-performance computing (HPC) environments. This modular system scales up to 132kW per rack by integrating multiple power shelves, enabling expansion while minimising space requirements. Available globally, Vertiv PowerDirect Rack offers a complete infrastructure power solution, supporting two times the power capacity in the same footprint, compared to alternative solutions.   The Vertiv PowerDirect Rack is designed to help data centres maximise power efficiency and scale with ease. Built for Open Compute Project (OCP) ORv3 High Power Rack (HPR) environments, it delivers high-density power while reducing energy waste and simplifying operations. With flexible AC and HVDC input support, real-time monitoring and modular scalability, the power shelf enables seamless expansion to allow IT teams to meet growing power demands without increasing rack space or complexity, compared to traditional AC uninterruptible power supply (UPS) with separate rectification and power distribution, or lower density DC power shelves. “Today’s data centres face increasing pressure to deliver more power in less space while supporting the rapid growth of AI and HPC applications,” says Kyle Keeper, Senior Vice President of the Power Business Unit at Vertiv. “Vertiv PowerDirect Rack addresses these challenges with a scalable, energy-efficient DC power design that equips operators with the flexibility to adapt to evolving workload demands and build future-ready infrastructure.” Built for performance and adaptability, the Vertiv PowerDirect Rack delivers benefits that simplify power management and improve data centre energy efficiency. Key features include:  · Delivers up to 132kW per rack with N+N redundancy, enabling high-density deployments with a scalable, space-saving power architecture. · Achieves 97.5% peak energy efficiency, minimising power waste, reducing cooling demands and lowering operating costs. · Supports both AC and HVDC input, for seamless integration into diverse power infrastructures for future-ready data centres. · Hot-swappable, modular design for uninterrupted operations and effortless scalability as power needs grow.  · Advanced power management and reliability, with built-in safeguards to maintain continuous performance and prevent disruptions.

Trane sets new data centre cooling standards

Trane, by Trane Technologies, is revolutionising mission critical operations with the development of two new data centre cooling offerings - Magnetic Bearing chillers and Ascend chillers for facility chilled water cooling applications. Trane’s Magnetic Bearing Chiller provides unparalleled cooling capacity to address the escalating capacity needs of data centre thermal management systems. The introduction of the Ascend chiller platform for data centres provides even greater efficiency for high ambient temperature operations. “Next-gen microprocessors are expected to exponentially increase rack density, elevating demand for efficient, higher capacity and higher ambient air-cooled chillers,” says Steve Obstein, Vice President and General Manager, Data Centres & High-Tech, Trane Technologies. “Building on our leading platforms, in close collaboration with our customers, gives us the ability to redefine the standards of cooling efficiency, capacity and environmental sustainability for data centre owners and operators, helping them stay ahead of rapidly advancing thermal management needs.” Magnetic bearing chiller helps maximise cooling capacity The new air-cooled chiller, based on Trane’s Magnetic Bearing compressor platform, produces up to 850 tons, 3MW at data centre conditions on a single unit frame. The new chiller helps maximise cooling capacity per square foot of unit footprint, often allowing for a reduction in the number of chillers needed onsite and helping to lower installation costs. Replacing multiple chillers with a single larger capacity chiller can help reduce sound transmission to the local environment, helping reduce the impact in sound sensitive locations.  Ascend chiller enables higher ambient temperature operations Through the extended capabilities of the Ascend screw-compressor chiller platform, Trane is leading with solutions that meet customer needs to address escalating ambient temperatures from greater heat density generated by modern GPUs and AI adoption. Expansion of the Trane Ascend Air-Cooled Chiller with integrated indirect free cooling, supports data centre uptime with efficient operation at up to 145oF. Free cooling reduces reliance on mechanical cooling and helps reduce energy consumption and operational costs. Designed for higher efficiency and serviceability The new air-cooled chillers use refrigerants with lower global warming potential, supporting reduced energy costs and carbon footprints. Both chillers are equipped with Trane’s Symbio 800 unit controller with AdaptiView user interface, offering secure enhanced connectivity, flexibility and serviceability. Trane supports operations and uptime throughout the lifecycle of the data centre with thousands of local service experts across North America, strategically located in proximity to customers, and Smart Service options for proactive monitoring, predictive maintenance and improved thermal management systems.

SLA Insurance offers financing perks for data centres

Parametrix has launched an innovative insurance product specially designed for data centres which covers their commitments under Service Level Agreements (SLAs). The groundbreaking insurance provides immediate financial compensation for SLA defaults, significantly reducing overall risk exposure. The protection, underwritten at Lloyd’s of London, enables data centres to secure more favourable credit ratings, directly enhancing financing terms – including lower interest rates. As a result, data centre projects are more financially attractive to lenders, operators,and tenants alike. Downtime has a direct impact on a data centre’s revenue and financial stability. This challenge can limit financing options, making it difficult for operators to optimise funding structures. SLA Insurance for Data Centers from Parametrix directly addresses this issue by providing immediate financial compensation if an insured’s SLA is breached. This new parametric insurance coverage provides critical financial benefits across the data centre ecosystem. Operators can unlock pre-paid or escrowed funds, and reduce financing costs by demonstrating secure, insurance-backed SLAs. Data centre developers can secure better financing terms and a lower total cost of capital by mitigating operational downtime risk. For investors, SLA insurance from Parametrix enhances confidence and provides financial certainty in cases of downtime by ensuring rapid financial recovery. Meanwhile, data centre tenants benefit from stronger, insurance-backed SLA terms, which improve reliability and reinforce trust in their infrastructure provider. “Parametrix SLA insurance is a game-changer for the financial structuring of data centres,” says Jonathan Hatzor, CEO of Parametrix. “By removing the financial uncertainties associated with downtime, we help investors, developers and operators optimise capital efficiency, lower financing costs, and increase confidence in the stability of their assets.” He continues, “With the rapid expansion of cloud services, AI computing and digital infrastructure, financing data centres is more critical than ever, impacting stock market valuations and institutional investment strategies. Our coverage serves as a strategic enabler, safeguarding investments against performance-related financial risks and driving long-term growth.” With this new solution, Parametrix continues to redefine the role of insurance in technology infrastructure, making data centres more financially resilient and unlocking unprecedented growth opportunities.

Pulsant set to acquire two SCC data centres

Pulsant is set to acquire two data centres from European technology solutions and services provider SCC. This strategic investment will strengthen Pulsant’s unique edge infrastructure, platformEDGE, and marks the next phase in geographical expansion, enhancing its growing network of 12 data centres across the UK.The carve out deal will include SCC’s Birmingham and Fareham data centres, as well as the transfer of a high-quality roster of colocation-only clients to Pulsant, ensuring long-term stability, development and growth for clients, team members and the facilities themselves. In addition, the companies will form a new strategic partnership for critical colocation services across the UK, which includes access to Pulsant’s national network of data centres for all SCC clients. Based in Birmingham, the Cole Valley data centre benefits from a central UK location and proximity to a city of economic importance, making it a significant addition to Pulsant’s existing data centre network. It has a power capacity of around 2MW with potential for expansion. Meanwhile, the Fareham data centre is a modern carrier-neutral facility, with a mix of exceptional corporate and service provider colocation customers with a slightly higher power capacity of around 3MW. Both sites offer 25,000ft2 of data centre white space.Pulsant has a strong history of acquiring and integrating regional data centres to expand its coverage and capabilities, and the SCC investment will further strengthen its presence in the UK market. Rob Coupland, CEO of Pulsant, comments, "With the addition of two new data centres, we’ve expanded our UK coverage, strengthening our presence near key economic hubs that have traditionally been underserved in terms of digital infrastructure - particularly Birmingham, the UK’s second city. This will enable more businesses to benefit from Pulsant’s unique network of data centres and platformEDGE to reach new markets and grow their organisations. We’re excited to welcome and support the high-quality client base transitioning to Pulsant and look forward to fostering their continued growth. “SCC has an outstanding reputation, and we’re delighted to partner with them to support clients with their future colocation requirements. We are also excited to welcome the new team members, working together to deliver high availability services." James Rigby, Co-CEO of SCC, says, “SCC has been carefully reviewing options for the future of our data centres for some time. A clear priority was to find a specialist partner that will continue to invest in and operate these facilities for the long-term and with whom we can build a strategic relationship for the provision of these services to our clients. “Ensuring continuity for our customers, opportunities for our people, and a future-proofed infrastructure was critical in our decision. Pulsant’s expertise and commitment to growing its UK data centre footprint made them the ideal choice, and we look forward to working closely with Pulsant during this transition.” The data centre engineers and operational team members from both locations will be transferred to Pulsant on completion of the deal, expected in in April 2025. Fore more from Pulsant, click here.

Industry experts react to World Backup Day

Today, 31 March, marks this year's World Backup Day, and industry experts say that it once again offers a timely reminder of how vulnerable enterprise data can be. Fred Lherault, Field CTO at Pure Storage, says that businesses cannot afford to think about backup just one day, every year, and predicts that 2025 could be a record-setting year for ransomware attacks. Commenting on the day, Fred says, “31 March marks World Backup Day, serving as an important reminder for businesses to reassess their data protection strategies in the wake of an ever-evolving, and ever-growing threat landscape. However, cyber attackers aren’t in need of a reminder, and are probing for vulnerabilities 24/7 in order to invade systems. Given the valuable and sensitive nature of data, whether it resides in the public sector, healthcare, financial services or any other industry, businesses can’t afford to think about backup just one day per year. “Malware is a leading cause of data loss, and ransomware, which locks down data with encryption rendering it useless, is among the most common forms of malware. In 2024, there were 5,414 reported global ransomware attacks, an 11% increase from 2023. Due to the sensitive nature of these kinds of breaches, it’s safe to assume that the real number is much higher. It’s therefore fair to suggest that 2025 could be a record setting year for ransomware attacks. In light of these alarming figures, there is no place for a ‘it won’t happen to me’ mindset. Businesses need to be proactive, not reactive in their plans - not only for their own peace of mind, but also in the wake of new cyber resiliency regulations laid down by international governments. “Unfortunately, while backup systems have provided an insurance policy against an attack in the past, hackers are now trying to breach these too. Once an attacker is inside an organisation’s systems, they will attempt to find credentials to immobilise backups. This will make it more difficult, time consuming and potentially expensive to restore.” Meanwhile, Dr. Thomas King, the CTO of global internet exchange operator, DE-CIX, offers his own remarks about the occasion. Thomas explains, “World Backup Day has traditionally carried a very simple yet powerful message for businesses: backup your data. A large part of this is 'data redundancy' – the idea that storing multiple copies of data in separate locations will offer greater resilience in the event of an outage or network security breach. Yet, as workloads have moved into the cloud, and AI and SaaS applications have become dominant vehicles for productivity, the concept of 'redundancy' has started to expand. Businesses not only need contingency plans for their data, but contingency plans for their connectivity. Relying on a single-lane, vendor-locked connectivity pathway is a bit like only backing your data up in one place – once that solution fails, it’s game over. “In 2025, roughly 85% of software used by the average business is SaaS-based, with a typical organisation using 112 apps in their day-to-day operations. These cloud-based applications are wholly dependent on connectivity to function, and even minor slow-downs caused by congestion or packet loss on the network can kill productivity. This is even more true of AI-driven workloads, where businesses depend on low-latency, high-performance connectivity to generate real-time or near real-time calculations. “Over the years, we have been programmed to believe that faster connectivity equals better connectivity, but the reality is far more nuanced. IT decision-makers frequently chase faster connections to improve their SaaS or AI performance, but 82% severely underestimate the impact of packet loss and the general performance of their connectivity. This is what some refer to as the 'Application Performance Trap' – expecting a single, lightning-fast connection to solve all performance issues. But what happens if that connectivity pathway becomes congested, or worse, fails entirely? “This is why 'redundant' connectivity is essential. The main principle of redundancy in this context is that there should always be at least two paths leading to a destination – if one fails, the other can be used. This can be achieved by using a carrier-neutral Internet Exchange or IX, which facilitates direct peer-to-peer connectivity between businesses and their cloud-based workloads, essentially bypassing the public Internet. While IXs in the US were traditionally vendor-locked to a single carrier or data centre, neutral IXs allow businesses to establish multiple connections with different providers – sometimes to serve a particular use-case, but often in the interests of redundancy. Our research has shown that more than 80% of IXs in the US are now data centre and carrier neutral, presenting a perfect opportunity for businesses to not only back up their data, but also back up their connectivity this World Backup Day.” To read more about World Backup Day, visit its official website by clicking here. For more from Pure Storage, click here. For more from DE-CIX, click here.

EXFO introduces new line of 'always-on' testers

EXFO, a network test, monitoring, and analytics expert, has introduced a new series of always mobile-connected testers designed to increase field efficiency, compliance, and collaboration when deploying and maintaining fibre networks. The FTB Lite 700 series of OTDRs (optical time domain reflectometers), with seamless connectivity to EXFO’s Exchange cloud-based solution, was revealed at the FTTH Conference 2025 in Amsterdam earlier this week. “EXFO’s innovative FTB Lite 700 series is not just another test platform - it’s a game-changing tool built to enhance efficiency and performance in the field,” says Etienne Gagnon, Senior Vice President, Test & Measurement at EXFO. “Given the expansive growth in fibre networks as well as data centre proliferation, driven by AI applications, it’s imperative for deployments to be completed right the first time, and operators can now see their entire operation unfold in real time.” Automated access to comprehensive live data enabled by EXFO Exchange means being able to perform analytics and extract insights for better informed decision-making and planning, EXFO says, which in turn can accelerate project timelines. Real-time job tracking and reporting ensures that methods of procedure are adhered to for compliance with testing standards, while reducing errors and administrative time. Collaboration is enhanced given ease of connecting with team members in the office, on the road, or on-site in the field. Real-time data sharing, automated uploads, and cloud-based reporting all contribute to seamless and efficient teamwork. EXFO is an expert in OTDRs, and whether technicians are experienced or new to the role, EXFO believes they can excel at their jobs with user-friendly FTB Lite 700 series OTDRs for faster task completion and faster time to payment.

Keysight and Coherent to enhance data transfer rates

Keysight Technologies and Coherent Corp have collaborated on a 200G multimode technology demonstration that will be showcased for the first time at the OFC Conference in San Francisco, California. The 200G per lane vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) technology provides higher data transfer rates and addresses industry demand for higher bandwidth in data centres. It will enable the industry to deliver AI/ML services while reducing power consumption and capital expense of short-reach data interconnects. AI/ML deployment is driving extreme growth in the amount of data transfer in data centres. The cost of optical interconnects is an ever-growing portion of the Capex of the data centre, while the power consumption of the optical interconnects is an ever-growing portion of Opex. 200G multimode VCSELs revolutionise data transfer and network efficiency, offering the following benefits compared to single-mode transmission: · Increased bandwidth: 200 Gbps/lane doubles the data throughput of the current highest speed multimode interconnects.· Power efficiency: Significantly lower power-per-bit relative to single-mode alternatives driving down electrical power operational expense and helping large-scale data centres minimise their environmental impact.· Cost efficiency: Multimode VCSELs are less costly to manufacture than single-mode technologies, providing lower capital outlay for short-reach data links.· Compatible network architecture: AI pods and clusters require many high-speed, short-reach interconnects to share data amongst GPUs, aligning well with the strength of 200G multimode VCSELs. The 200G multimode demonstration consists of Keysight’s new wideband multimode sampling oscilloscope technology, Keysight’s M8199B 256 GSa/s Arbitrary Waveform Generator (AWG) and Coherent’s 200G multimode VCSEL. The M8199B AWG drives a 106.25 GBaud PAM4 electrical signal into the Coherent VCSEL, and the PAM4 optical signal output from the VCSEL is measured on wideband multimode scope displaying the eye diagram. The demo showcases the feasibility and capability of Coherent’s new VCSEL technology, as well as Keysight’s ability to characterise and validate this technology. Lee Xu, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Datacom Business Unit at Coherent, says, “Keysight has been a trusted partner and a leader in test instrumentation technology, providing advanced test solutions to us. We rely on Keysight products, such as the M8199B Arbitrary Waveform Generator, to validate our latest transceiver designs. We look forward to continuing our collaboration as we push the boundaries of optical communications with products based on 200G VCSEL, silicon photonics, and Electro-Absorption Modulated Laser (EML).” Dr. Joachim Peerlings, Vice President and General Manager of Keysight’s Network and Data Centre Solutions Group, adds, “We are pleased with the progress the industry is making in bringing 200G multimode technology to market. Our close collaboration with Coherent enabled another milestone in high-speed connectivity. The industry will benefit from a more efficient and cost-effective technology to address their business-critical AI/ML infrastructure deployment in the data centre.” Join Keysight experts at OFC, taking place 1-3 April in San Francisco, California, at Keysight's booth (stand 1301) for live demos on coherent optical innovations. For more from Keysight Technologies, click here.