LINX to upgrade Lunar Digital data centre into fully resilient PoP
Author: Joe Peck
The London Internet Exchange (LINX), an internet exchange point (IXP) operator, is planning to upgrade its presence at the Lunar Digital data centre in Manchester, UK, transitioning the site from a single-homed transmission site to a dual-homed, fully resilient point of presence (PoP).
LINX initially went live at Lunar Digital to gauge market demand for an additional PoP at the LINX Manchester interconnection hub. The reportedly strong uptake of services since the September 2024 deployment has now indicated to the company the need for a full, diverse, and resilient presence from the IXP at the facility.
Jennifer Holmes, CEO of LINX, comments, “Manchester continues to establish itself as a powerhouse digital hub for the North, and the response and demand for LINX services from networks at Lunar Digital has exceeded our expectations.”
Mike Hellers, Product Development Manager for LINX, adds, “Our Manchester LAN has tripled in size over the last couple of years to now enabling 130 networks to access low-latency services and [it] regularly carries more than 900Gbps of traffic at busy periods.
“Upgrading Lunar to a resilient PoP ensures existing LINX members and future networks can benefit from enhanced reliability, additional capacity, and greater choice as the regional ecosystem continues to grow.”
Manchester as a growing hub
Lunar Digital operates three data centres in Manchester with LINX being accessible via a single cross connect from Lunar1 and Lunar2.
The announced move underscores the rapid expansion of network operators, cloud platforms, content providers, and digital businesses choosing to colocate in Manchester.
“We’re thrilled to deepen our collaboration with LINX,” says Rob Garbutt, CEO of Lunar Digital. “The upgrade to a full PoP reflects not only the growth of Lunar Digital, but the wider demand for robust, high‑performance, low-latency connectivity options across the North of England.”
Networks at Lunar Digital will be able to access services at the LINX Manchester internet exchange via a single cross connect. This includes services like peering, private VLANs, Closed User Groups, and the exclusive Microsoft Azure Peering Service (MAPS).
The transition work is due to be completed in the coming weeks.
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