House of Lords AI summit highlights cyber threats

Technology industry leaders gathered in the House of Lords yesterday for a high-profile debate on the transformative role artificial intelligence (AI) will play in the UK jobs market. The discussion, chaired by Steven George-Hilley of Centropy PR, brought together experts to address key industry challenges, including the digital skills shortage and AI’s potential to enhance compliance and accelerate digital transformation across key areas of the UK economy. The debate highlighted the growing role of AI in reshaping traditional job roles and powering a new wave of relentless cyber threats which could damage British businesses. Key speakers, including Richard Cuda of Kasha, discussed the role AI and digital technology can play in helping entrepreneurs launch their own business. Leigh Allen, Strategic Advisor, Cellebrite, says, "In a world where police forces are under increasing strain to combat crime and national security threats, AI technology represents a key enabler in unlocking digital evidence and significantly reducing investigation times. Cellebrite delivers secure, ethical access to digital evidence, using AI to accelerate investigations while closing the digital skills gap for modern law enforcement. We don’t just respond to digital threats—we equip agencies to lead with confidence in a complex, tech-driven world." Dr Janet Bastiman, Chief Data Scientist, Napier AI, comments, "Financial crime is one of the biggest threats facing the UK economy right now, and in AI we have the answer. AI-driven anti-money laundering solutions have the capacity to save UK financial institutions £2.2 billion each year, helping to bolster compliance processes, improve the accuracy of transaction screening, and monitor transaction behaviour to more effectively identify criminal networks." Linda Loader, Software Development Director, Resonate, suggests, "AI has the potential to significantly enhance operations in the rail industry by enabling faster and more efficient services. But this must be underpinned by quality data to drive innovative solutions that prioritise security and robust protection for our critical national infrastructure. By exploring smaller AI use cases now, we can build a solid foundation and understanding for more extensive, secure transport applications in future." Chris Davison, CEO, NavLive, mentions, "By using cutting edge AI and robotics technology to create automated 2D and 3D models of buildings in real time, we can make retrofits, brownfield developments more efficient and contribute to sustainable building practices. NavLive saves architects, engineers and construction professionals time and money, by providing accurate real time spatial data across the lifecycle of a building." Richard Bovey, Chief for Data, AND Digital, states, "The AI winners are the businesses that have invested the most in AI experimentation, underpinned by years of strong data foundations, meanwhile, SMEs are quickly watching a widening AI gap. But all isn’t lost, investing in data and modern tooling can stop the slide, helping businesses to keep pace and preventing a significant competitive disadvantage from taking over." Arkadiy Ukolov, Co-Founder and CEO, Ulla Technology, says, "As AI adoption continues to skyrocket, we must ensure that privacy and data security remain a critical component of development. Most of the popular AI tools send data to third-party AI providers, which may use client data to train models. This is unacceptable for sensitive meeting discussions and confidential documents, as it opens them up to data leaks. Placing safety and ethics at the centre of the discussion is the only route that we can take forward as AI evolves." For more on cyber security, click here.

R&M launches latest inteliPhy software suite

R&M, the Swiss developer and provider of high-end infrastructure solutions for data and communications networks, has launched the sixth generation of the inteliPhy software suite on the market. The scope of application has been significantly expanded, and according to R&M, inteliPhy 6.0 thinks beyond the infrastructure of an individual data centre. This makes it easier to plan the expansion of fibre optic infrastructures between several data centres or at a larger site, the company states. To this end, R&M has equipped the software with geoinformation system (GIS) functions for geolocalisation in longitude and latitude. In particular, the software also offers a unique height service, which leads to significantly more precise values when calculating underground cable lengths. inteliPhy 6.0 can visualise telecom, provider and campus networks, as well as underground cable runs. The software from R&M also supports the local and remote management of the infrastructure of external sites such as edge data centres, for example. With inteliPhy, users can plan the infrastructure of a gray space and now also the cages in colocation data centres three-dimensionally. Components such as racks, patch panels, flexible enclosures, cable ducts, trunk cables and active equipment are added from the model library using drag and drop. Components can now also be searched for using part numbers. A new feature is the ability to design customised data centre spaces instead of using fixed-size tiles, thus increasing flexibility. R&M’s ActiPower connector strips for power distribution can now also be integrated using drag and drop. This means that with inteliPhy 6.0, iPDUs can be integrated at the click of a mouse. They are assigned to the object identifiers (OIDs) and their data is scaled or named in such a way that it is easy to understand. This allows the operator to manage the power distribution in the racks without errors. R&M offers the inteliPhy trial versions here. For more from R&M, click here.

Hitachi Vantara launches Virtual Storage Platform 360

Hitachi Vantara, the data storage, infrastructure, and hybrid cloud management subsidiary of Hitachi, today announced the launch of Virtual Storage Platform 360 (VSP 360), a unified management software solution designed to help customers simplify data infrastructure management operations, improve decision-making, and the delivery of data services. With support for block, file, object, and software-defined storage, VSP 360 consolidates multiple management tools and aims to enable IT teams, including those with limited storage expertise, to more efficiently control hybrid cloud deployments, gain AIOps predictive insights, and simplify data lifecycle governance. Organisations today are struggling to manage sprawling data environments spread across disparate storage systems, fragmented data silos, and complex application workloads, all while grappling with overextended IT teams and rising demands for compliance and AI readiness. A recent survey showed AI has led to a dramatic increase in the amount of data storage that businesses require, with the amount of data expected to increase 122% by 2026. The survey also revealed that many IT leaders are being forced to implement AI before their data infrastructure is ready to handle it, with many embarking on a journey of experimentation, hoping to find additional ways to recover some of the cost of their investments. VSP 360 seeks to address these obstacles by integrating data management tools across enterprise storage to monitor key performance indicators, including storage capacity utilisation and overall system health, helping to deliver optimal performance and efficient resource management. It intends to improve end-to-end visibility, leveraging AIOps observability to break down data silos, as well as streamlining the deployment of VSP One data services. “VSP 360 represents a bold step forward in unifying the way enterprises manage their data,” says Octavian Tanase, Chief Product Officer, Hitachi Vantara. “It’s not just a new management tool—it’s a strategic approach to modern data infrastructure that gives IT teams complete command over their data, wherever it resides. With built-in AI and automation and by making it available via SaaS, Private, or via your mobile phone, we're empowering our customers to make faster, smarter decisions and eliminate the traditional silos that slow innovation.” “VSP 360 gives our customers the unified visibility and control they’ve been asking for,” claims Dan Pittet, Senior Solutions Architect, Stoneworks Technologies. “The ability to manage block, file, object, and software-defined storage from a single AI-driven platform helps streamline operations and reduce complexity across hybrid environments. It’s especially valuable for IT teams with limited resources who need to respond quickly to evolving data demands without compromising performance or governance.” "VSP 360 hits the mark for what modern enterprises need," states Ashish Nadkarni, Group Vice President and General Manager, Worldwide Infrastructure Research, IDC. "It goes beyond monitoring to deliver true intelligence across the storage lifecycle. The solution's robust data resiliency helps businesses maintain continuous operations and protect their critical assets, even in the face of unexpected disruptions. By integrating advanced analytics, automation, and policy enforcement, Hitachi Vantara is giving customers the agility and resilience needed to thrive in a data-driven economy.” For more from Hitachi, click here.

Data Centre Marketing Club formed to champion best practice

Senior leaders from the digital infrastructure sector have formed a first of its kind Data Centre Marketing Club - enabling PR, Marketing and Social Media professionals to collaborate, share knowledge, and champion branding, marketing, and storytelling best practices across the data centre community. Co-founded by Giuseppe Caltabiano, Senior Marketing Director, AVK; Andy Davis, Director, DataX Connect, and host of the Inside Data Centre Podcast; Nicola Hayes, Chief Marketing Officer, Platform Markets Group; Adam Nethersole, Vice President Marketing, Kao Data; and Rory Flashman-Wells, Managing Director, Spa Communications, the open community aims to address the negative perception of data centres by improving marketing and communications about the industry's role in technological innovation and sustainability, as well as its position as a global platform for economic growth. Further, by encouraging cross-industry learning and providing members with both the foundational tools and a forum to enhance their skillsets, the community plans to help marketers better understand their strategic value to digital infrastructure organisations, and develop the confidence to create campaigns that deliver demonstrable outcomes for leadership teams. On 22 May 2025, the Data Centre Marketing Club hosts its first, free-to-attend Masterclass event, ‘Cutting Through the Noise’, at legal firm Norton Rose Fullbright – exploring the critical role of brand in business growth, and how marketers can accelerate impact by delivering a joined-up approach to sales, marketing, and communications strategies. Open to marketing, PR, and social media professionals across the industry, key sessions will include ‘The ROI of Brand Building in B2B’, led by Prof. Charles Graham of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute; ‘Building a standout brand in the data centre sector’ featuring James Dunn, Co-Founder and Creative Director WeDoCo, and Giuseppe Caltabiano, Senior Marketing Director, AVK; and ‘The ROI of Storytelling’ by Tim Love, Founder, CFH London. Additionally, Andy Davis, Director, DataX Connect, and host of the Inside Data Centre Podcast, and Josie Hughes, Director of Marketing, Strategy, and Culture, DataX Connect, will discuss ‘The role of marketing in attracting talent’, while Adam Nethersole, VP Marketing, Kao Data, and Rory Flashman-Wells, MD, Spa Communications, will present on ‘Making Markets’, exploring the role of PR in propelling business growth. The day ends with ‘The Storytelling Panel’, featuring Georgia Lewis Anderson, Co-Founder, Lantyn, and previously Generative AI Content Strategist, Meta, Katryna Turner, Global Brand Strategist, PwC, and Duncan White, Senior Director of Communications & Marketing at AtlasEdge. This is followed by an ‘Ask the Experts’ session moderated by Kristy Harrower, Partner at Norton Rose Fullbright, featuring key insights from Sue Jones, Senior Vice President, Global Marketing, Digital Realty, Katryna Turner. “Feedback from the initial discussions at Data Centre Marketing Club found that brand and content strategies are often overlooked when it comes to digital infrastructure marketing,” says Nicola Hayes, CMO, Platform Markets Group. “As such, we developed the key themes for our first masterclass to meet these challenges head on - explaining the strategic role of brand, PR, and storytelling in business growth and enabling marketers to justify budget allocation directly to these areas.” “Today there’s this misconception that marketing in the digital infrastructure sector must be overly technical and driven by activation, but that’s absolutely not true. The foundations of marketing - brand building, positioning, and storytelling - don’t change just because your product is more complex,” explains Giuseppe Caltabiano, Senior Marketing Director, AVK. “Our first event brings together a host of speakers to encourage cross-industry learning, and I’d like to extend our collective thanks to Norton Rose Fullbright for hosting us.” “When I first started the Inside Data Centre Podcast I don’t think I realised the potential that building a personal brand would have on our business, or how quickly it would transform our growth trajectory,” notes Andy Davis, Director, DataX Connect. “This event will enable attendees to understand what it takes to cut through the noise and learn how different organisations approach PR, marketing and brand - the only question now is, are you in?”

NetApp builds AI infrastructure on NVIDIA AI data platform

NetApp, the intelligent data infrastructure company, has announced that it is working with NVIDIA to support the NVIDIA AI Data Platform reference design in the NetApp AIPod solution to accelerate enterprise adoption of agentic AI. Powered by NetApp ONTAP, NetApp AIPod deployments built on the NVIDIA AI Data Platform aim to help businesses build secure, governed, and scalable AI data pipelines for retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and inferencing. As an NVIDIA-Certified Storage partner leveraging the NVIDIA AI Data Platform, NetApp gives NetApp AIPod users data infrastructure with built-in intelligence. NetApp intends to give customers confidence that they have the enterprise data management capabilities and scalable multi-tenancy needed to eliminate data siloes so they can develop and operate high-performance AI factories and deploy agentic AI to solve real-world business problems. “A unified and comprehensive understanding of business data is the vehicle that will help companies drive competitive advantage in the era of intelligence, and AI inferencing is the key,” says Sandeep Singh, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Enterprise Storage at NetApp. “We have always believed that a unified approach to data storage is essential for businesses to get the most out of their data. The rise of agentic AI has only reinforced that truly unified data storage goes beyond just multi-protocol storage. Businesses need to eliminate silos throughout their entire IT environment, whether on-premises and in the cloud, and across every business function, and we are working with NVIDIA to deliver connected storage for the unique demands of AI.” The NetApp AIPod solution built on the NVIDIA AI Data Platform incorporates NVIDIA accelerated computing to run NVIDIA NeMo Retriever microservices and connects these nodes to scalable storage. Using this reference design enables customers to scan, index, classify and retrieve large stores of private and public documents in real time. The intention is to augment AI agents as they reason and plan to solve complex, multistep problems, helping enterprises turn data into knowledge and boost agentic AI accuracy across many use cases. “Agentic AI enables businesses to solve complex problems with superhuman efficiency and accuracy, but only as long as agents and reasoning models have fast access to high-quality data,” says Rob Davis, Vice President of Storage Technology at NVIDIA. “The NVIDIA AI Data Platform reference design and NetApp’s high-powered storage and mature data management capabilities bring AI directly to business data and drive unprecedented productivity.” For more from NetApp, click here.

L2Tek brings 800G transceivers to UK data centres

L2Tek, a leading distributor of high-performance broadcast and AV components and sub-assemblies, has introduced a portfolio of 800G optical transceivers from leading manufacturers Eoptolink and Gigalight. These modules are aimed at UK broadcasters and data centre operators seeking to future-proof their networks and meet the rigorous demands of increasingly bandwidth-intensive applications. As data volumes surge and broadcast infrastructure continues to evolve, the need for faster, more efficient interconnect solutions has never been greater. L2Tek’s distribution of new 800G solutions seeks to ensure UK customers can access reliable, high-performance transceivers that support a wide range of deployment scenarios, from short-reach data centre interconnects to long-haul transport links. Both manufacturers offer complementary technologies built around industry-standard OSFP and QSFP-DD form factors, ensuring integration with existing network infrastructure. Modules are compliant with CMIS 4.0 or newer and fully support IEEE 802.3 and QSFP-DD MSA specifications, delivering interoperability, network stability and responsiveness, especially suitable for AI applications. For high-density data centre environments, short-reach modules utilise 850nm VCSEL technology to support multimode fibre (MMF) connections up to 100 metres. For longer distances, silicon photonics-based DR8, DR8+, and DR8++ transceivers offer single-mode fibre (SMF) connectivity at 1310nm, ranging from 500 metres to 10 kilometres. For greater flexibility, both manufacturers provide dual-channel modules such as 2xFR4 and 2xLR4, enabling two independent 400G channels per module over SMF. These would be suited to staged migrations or cost-sensitive projects. Eoptolink additionally offers features such as OSFP ZR coherent modules, compliant with OIF-800ZR standards for transport up to 120km, and liquid-cooled OSFP modules for high-density installations where thermal performance is critical. “The availability of 800G modules from both Gigalight and Eoptolink represents a significant step forward in high-speed optical networking for the UK market,” says Mark Scott-South, Director at L2Tek. “We expect many new and existing customers to leverage the next generation of transceivers, empowering them to scale efficiently, reduce latency, and manage overall network resilience, whether they are broadcasting live UHD content or managing hyperscale data operations.”

Vertiv accelerates AI infrastructure evolution

Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure, today confirmed its strategic alignment with NVIDIA’s announcement of an AI roadmap to deploy 800 VDC power architectures for the next generation of AI-centric data centres. Paving the way for future-ready designs, Vertiv’s 800 VDC power portfolio is scheduled for release in the second half of 2026 - ahead of NVIDIA Kyber and NVIDIA Rubin Ultra platform rollouts. Vertiv aligns with the NVIDIA AI roadmap to stay one GPU generation ahead, enabling customers to deploy their power and cooling infrastructure in sync with NVIDIA’s next-generation compute platforms. Vertiv provides end-to-end power, cooling, integrated infrastructure and services to support AI factories and other data centre deployments. As rack power requirements in AI environments scale beyond 300 kilowatts, 800 VDC enables more efficient, centralised power delivery by reducing copper usage, current, and thermal losses. Vertiv’s upcoming portfolio will feature centralised rectifiers, high-efficiency DC busways, rack-level DC-DC converters, and DC-compatible backup systems, expanding its broad, end-to-end power management portfolio that already includes a robust AC power train. “As GPUs evolve to support increasingly complex AI applications at giga-watt scale, power and cooling providers need to be equally innovative to provide energy-efficient and high-density solutions for the AI factories. While the 800 VDC portfolio is new, DC power isn’t a new direction for us, it’s a continuation of what we’ve already done at scale,” says Scott Armul, Executive Vice President of Global Portfolio and Business Units at Vertiv. “We’ve spent decades deploying higher-voltage DC architectures across global telecom, industrial, and data centre applications. We’re entering this transition from a position of strength and bringing real-world experience to meet the demands of the AI factory.” Vertiv’s experience in DC power spans more than two decades of ±400 VDC deployments, broadened by strategic acquisitions during the early 2000s. These solutions support critical loads in global telecom networks, integrated microgrids, and mission-critical facilities. Vertiv says that this foundation establishes the company as a trusted leader in the safe design, deployment, and operation of higher-voltage DC architectures, with proven scale, portfolio, and long-term serviceability. Designed for homogeneous AI zones in hyperscale environments, Vertiv’s 800 VDC portfolio is a key pillar of its 'unit of compute' strategy - a systems-level design engineered to enable all infrastructure components - to interoperate as one modular and scalable system, matching infrastructure demands of next-generation GPUs. Vertiv’s support for both AC and DC architectures is a strategic differentiator in the evolving AI data centre landscape. For more from Vertiv, click here.

Duos Edge AI confirms edge data centre deployment goal

Duos Technologies Group, through its operating subsidiary Duos Edge AI - a provider of adaptive, versatile and streamlined edge data centre solutions tailored to meet evolving needs in any environment - has announced that the company is on pace to have 15 edge data centres under contract by the end of 2025. The company states that the additional deployments are a contributor toward solving the United States' growing demand for low-latency data processing through localised digital infrastructure. Duos Edge AI continues to advance its partnership with Accu-Tech, whose US-based project management of manufacturing partners and distribution capabilities provide a reliable and cost-effective supply chain. This alignment not only accelerates deployment timelines but also helps shield Duos Edge AI from global supply chain disruptions and tariff-related pressures, further strengthening its delivery commitment. “Through our partnership with Accu-Tech, we are executing with speed, precision, and reliability,” says Doug Recker, President and Founder of Duos Edge AI. “We’ve commercially identified at least nine EDC placements and are finalising real estate and contractual agreements across multiple markets. These facilities will serve as high-density, resilient digital hubs that support education, emergency services, AI development, and more - right where they're needed most.” Accu-Tech’s strategic involvement has been vital to Duos Edge AI’s rapid deployment model. “We’re proud to support Duos Edge AI with project management of domestic manufacturing and supply solutions that keep their deployments agile and shielded from global volatility,” notes Nathan Ball, Senior Director of Data Centre Infrastructure Solutions at Accu-Tech. “This partnership showcases the power of collaboration in accelerating innovation while remaining resilient in today’s dynamic market.” Duos Edge AI’s modular edge data centres are SOC 2 Type II compliant, built with N+1 architecture and robust dual backup generators. These facilities are designed to bring reliable, localised computing power closer to users, enabling real-time data processing and improving digital access where it is needed most. The company’s 2025 deployment plan focuses on underserved communities in the US across Texas, the Midwest, and the Southeast - supporting critical infrastructure, education networks, healthcare systems (including telemedicine and EHR), and AI workloads. For more from Duos Technologies Group, click here.

Datacloud Global Congress to mark its 20th anniversary

techoraco, a provider of global digital infrastructure events, has once again partnered with Spa Communications, an award-winning PR, social media and content marketing agency for B2B technology, sustainability, and Fortune 500 digital infrastructure businesses, to support its media relations strategy for Datacloud Global Congress, the industry event for data centre, cloud, edge, and AI infrastructure professionals worldwide. As part of its work, Spa has been tasked with building brand awareness, establishing new media partnerships and securing journalists from a host of national and business titles to join the event. “We’re excited to partner with Spa Communications to mark our 20th anniversary for Datacloud Global Congress 2025,” says Annabel Helm, Managing Director, Datacloud, techoraco. “This year’s Congress is set to be the best yet and will provide delegates with the opportunity to share insights with leading decision-makers and industry experts from across the world. Having Spa on board to handle our media and PR relationships will enable us to reach the widest audience, enabling speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors to make long-lasting connections on a global scale for future success”. Datacloud Global Congress will this year celebrate 20 years of bringing together the world’s leading names in data centre, AI, energy, sustainability and investment leaders to explore the industry's most pressing trends, from AI disruption and sustainability to talent challenges and growth in emerging markets - while offering a unique platform for strategic networking and deal-making. Opening the event will be Susanna Kass, Senior Advisor to Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners (SIP) – Operating Partner at Digital Gravity Infrastructure Partners, alongside Val Walsh, VP at Microsoft, and Otto Kreiter, Director Global Infrastructure, at Google. In this keynote session, the panel will discuss global scaling, and the power of future data centres in the AI era, deep diving into hyperscale build outlook and colocation leasing trade-offs. Across the two days, other speakers include Dame Dawn Childs, CEO at Pure Data Centre, Doug Loewe, CEO at Kao Data, Thierry Chamayou, Vice-President of Cloud and Service Providers in EMEA at Schneider Electric, and Richard Bienfait, Chief Financial Officer at STACK Infrastructure. Charlotte Wood, Account Director, Spa Communications, adds, “This year’s Datacloud Global Congress marks an important milestone that needs to be celebrated. The event has always held an outstanding reputation as a global cornerstone event for the industry, and we’re proud to partner with techoraco on such a pivotal edition of Datacloud to help engage more influencers across the trade media. “The breadth of its new partners and press relations will add a new level to the conference, and we can build the platform into delivering significant value to its leading speakers and attendees today and for tomorrow.” As part of its work, Spa Communications has successfully established new media partnerships with a host of key industry publications - including DCNN - ensuring that all participants, including sponsors, speakers and exhibitors, can share their news directly from the event and increase opportunities for press coverage. Datacloud takes places in Cannes, Frances, on 3-5 June 2025. To ensure you don’t miss out on its conference line-up, register for your ticket today by visiting the event's website by clicking here. For more from Datacloud, click here.

atNorth to host 6G AI Sweden’s National AI Cloud

atNorth, the Nordic colocation, high-performance computing, and artificial intelligence service provider, has announced its hosting of infrastructure that will support the development of a National AI Cloud in partnership with 6G AI Sweden. 6G AI Sweden has an agreement to acquire Nvidia's latest AI-powered chips, the H200 and Blackwell GB200, which will support the development of a state-of-the-art National AI Cloud. This strategic move will also further the business’s mission to deliver cutting-edge AI innovation across various industries. Located at atNorth’s SWE01 data centre in Stockholm, the National AI Cloud will ensure data sovereignty under Swedish jurisdiction and will be fully compliant with GDPR. Moreover, atNorth’s SWE01 site leverages renewable energy sources and heat reuse technology to minimise environmental impact, reflecting 6G AI Sweden’s commitment to sustainability. "This agreement is an important milestone for establishing 6G AI Sweden as a leading provider of sovereign AI infrastructure in Sweden”, says M. A. Zaman, Founder & Chairman of 6G AI Sweden AB. “By incorporating Nvidia's powerful AI technologies and hosting our infrastructure at atNorth’s SWE01 data centre, we are deploying a cutting-edge AI Cloud in Sweden and empowering businesses to embrace the future of AI in a responsible way”. Anders Fryxell, Chief Sales Officer at atNorth, adds, “We look forward to hosting Sweden's leading National AI Cloud at our SWE01 data centre. This partnership reflects a shared ethos of driving innovation while minimising environmental impact. Together, we are committed to supporting AI development in a sustainable and responsible way." This news follows the announcement of atNorth’s latest heat reuse partnership with Finnish retails giant, Kesko Corporation and the launch of its 2024 Sustainability Report. The business has also recently announced the securing of land in the Municipality of Sollefteå in Långsele, Sweden, for a potential new mega site to complement its existing metro sites in the country, and to contribute to its land bank. For more from atNorth, click here.