Data Centre Projects: Infrastructure Builds, Innovations & Updates

Rosendin selected to build Meta’s Temple data centre in Texas

Rosendin has been selected to build Meta Platform’s new Temple Data Centre in Texas. The employee-owned company will work with general contractor JE Dunn to build the $800 million data centre building and site infrastructure in an industrial park located 50 miles north of the Austin Metro area. “We are proud to provide our expertise in designing and building this critical mission project in Texas that supports the public’s love for social media as a way to connect with friends and family, utilise the marketplace, and be entertained,” says Rosendin Project Executive, Paul Gottfried. “Rosendin’s vast experience building secure and energy efficient data centres with reliable power and communications systems makes us uniquely qualified for this important project.” Starting July 2022, Rosendin will hire 440 craft workers and staff in Temple. This includes skilled electrical workers with the IBEW Local 72, as well as prefabrication warehouse staff, BIM (computer modelers), estimators, project managers, and office staff. Career opportunities are available for experienced craft workers, as well as apprentices and those interested in exploring jobs in the construction industry. “Meta Platform’s new data centre is a true investment to the Temple community that is building a stronger digital infrastructure, creating high-paying jobs, and using clean energy solutions that will supported by 100% renewable energy,” comments Rosendin Division Manager, Shaun Mahan. The 900,000 square foot data centre aims to serve as a model of energy efficiency and will be supported by renewable energy from new solar energy plants. The project will also aim for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification and receive credits for water restoration efforts. To date, Meta has invested more than 700 megawatts of new wind and solar energy in Texas. “Rosendin has been in business for over 100 years, and we value our long relationship with JE Dunn. We aim to be a strong partner to all the stakeholders by providing a stable, robust workforce of skilled craft workers with IBEW Local 72 who appreciate the value that innovative data centres have on communities,” adds Rosendin General Superintendent, Justin Prince. Construction on Meta Platform’s Temple Data Centre will begin in spring 2022 and create a total of 1,200 jobs during construction at the 400-acre site, located in an industrial park at NW H.K. Dodgen Loop and Industrial Park Boulevard. A statement from the Temple Economic Development Corporation says the area is a regional employment hub with 450,000 residents and a thriving business environment to diversified industries.

Kettering to benefit from full fibre boost as CityFibre announces investment

CityFibre has named Kettering as the next UK town in line for a multi-million-pound investment in its digital infrastructure – a move that will see it join the nation’s growing list of full fibre enabled communities. CityFibre is set to invest £17m in a new town-wide network that will bring fast and reliable full fibre-enabled internet services within reach of nearly every home and business in Kettering. Construction work will begin in early May around the Northfield Avenue and Rockingham Road area in the north of the town. As work is completed in each neighbourhood, CityFibre will designate the homes ‘ready for service’, which means residents can choose to connect to faster and more reliable full fibre-enabled broadband services when they go live in their area. Full fibre networks, unlike many of the copper-based ‘fibre broadband’ services available today, use 100% fibre optic technology to carry data at light speed all the way from the home to the point of connection. This gives users speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps for upload and download, near limitless bandwidth and connectivity users can depend on. As Area Manager, James Cushing will lead the delivery of the Kettering project. He will be responsible for ensuring works are delivered efficiently and considerately, while also acting as the main point of contact for all stakeholders. James says: “CityFibre’s investment will bring a change to connectivity for Kettering. It will bring choice for residents and businesses and align perfectly with the ambitious regeneration and growth plans for the town. Our builders will soon get to work on a town-wide full fibre network – and we think people will be blown away by the difference it will make, both now and for generations to come. We cannot wait for residents and businesses to see what is possible with digital connectivity and the important part it will play in each of our lives.” A full fibre connection also goes far beyond simply enabling access to the latest entertainment at lightning speed. As an essential digital utility, full fibre boosts households and businesses alike, with experts saying it will drive a range of economic benefits, such as helping residents access essential services and work from home, while enabling businesses to be more productive, innovative and access new markets. Speaking of CityFibre’s full fibre rollout plans for Kettering, Councillor David Howes, North Northamptonshire Council’s Executive Member for Rural Communities and Localism, says: “Getting the right digital infrastructure in place is a big priority for the council – it’s so important in so many ways. Increasing full fibre connectivity helps support economic growth and innovation as well as keeping communities connected. “We welcome CityFibre’s multimillion pound investment in Kettering and its wider plans for North Northamptonshire. I’m delighted that full fibre connectivity is now available to almost 30% of properties in North Northants, up from less than 10% two years ago. These current plans will help to boost this coverage and progress toward our targets of 40% full fibre by the end of 2023 and then 80% by 2028.”

Eaton announces the construction of campus for UPS and energy storage

Eaton has announced that it is building a new campus for its critical power systems in Vantaa, Finland, integrating all current activities into a much larger site. Stated for completion by the end of 2023, the 16,500 m² site will house research and development, manufacturing, warehousing, sales and service under one roof, and will create up to 100 additional jobs. Eaton’s expansion in this area is driven by strong business growth and the demand for systems that ensure business continuity, be it for data centres, commercial and industrial buildings or healthcare and marine applications. Situated in a prime location next to the Helsinki airport, the Vantaa facility will serve as Eaton’s Critical Power Solutions headquarters and a centre of excellence for data centres. Eaton has a strong knowledge base in Finland, as its local subsidiary, with 250 employees, has been developing and manufacturing UPSs and power conversion technology since 1962. The decision to expand was prompted by growing demand for the output of Eaton’s existing factory in Espoo, including the grid-interactive UPS and energy storage systems that will support the energy transition away from fossil fuels. Eaton says that it is dedicated to improving sustainability and energy efficiency – both in terms of its processes and the products it manufactures – and this project is no exception. In fact, the existing Espoo plant has already sent zero waste to landfill since 2015, and the new building will feature various innovative Eaton technologies for reducing the carbon footprint, from power management solutions to electric vehicle chargers.  Karina Rigby, President, Critical Systems, Electrical Sector at Eaton in EMEA, says: “By investing and strengthening our footprint in Finland, we’re building on Eaton’s strong local heritage while delivering on our commitment to sustainability. Eaton’s power quality business is growing, driven by digitalisation and the energy transition, and thanks to the new Vantaa campus, we’ll be ready to support our customers now and in the future. It’s particularly exciting to see how UPS technology has evolved over time – today, it not only ensures business continuity for critical applications but also plays a role in the switch to renewables, by acting as a source of flexibility that supports grid stability.”

CityFibre celebrates latest milestone in Nottingham’s full fibre rollout

Internet users across Nottingham are now able to connect their homes and businesses to the best digital infrastructure available thanks to progress made by CityFibre. CityFibre has now made the majority of homes in the Wollaton area of the city ‘ready for service’, which means residents can choose to connect to full fibre-enabled broadband services when they go live in their area. The rollout is now progressing into new areas with construction underway in West Bridgford, Basford, Hyson Green and Arboretum, while work in areas such as Lutterell, Bulwell, Compton Acres, Edwalton, Abbey, Gamston, South, Meadows and Trent Bridge is set to start in the next three months. Homes in the Bilborough, Aspley and Leen Valley areas are also ready for service. Once the city-wide rollout reaches completion in 2027, almost every home and business locally will have access to full fibre services from a choice of internet service providers. Speaking of this latest milestone, Dominika Walker, CityFibre’s Area Manager for Nottingham says: “CityFibre has been making great progress in Nottingham and people we've spoken to have been amazed at just how much fibre we've put down so far. Reaching this latest milestone means residents can now start to benefit from this digital investment that will future-proof their connectivity for decades to come.” In celebration of this latest milestone, CityFibre welcomed Lilian Greenwood, MP for Nottingham South, for a tour of the works in Wollaton, giving her a closer look at the project. Lilian Greenwood MP comments: “The build progress is very encouraging and it’s great to see that households and businesses throughout the city are already experiencing the benefits. “Becoming one of the best-connected cities in the UK with CityFibre’s state-of-the-art infrastructure is vital to Nottingham’s future. Full fibre connectivity will support our economic, social and smart city ambitions.” Nottingham is one of 60 other locations in the UK to benefit from CityFibre’s £4bn Gigabit City investment programme which will bring new and better broadband infrastructure within reach of up to eight million homes and businesses nationwide. In Nottingham alone, CityFibre is investing £117m to make it one of the world’s best digitally connected communities. Unlike many of the copper-based ‘fibre broadband’ services available today, full fibre networks use 100% fibre optic cables to carry data at light speed all the way from the home to the point of connection. This gives users consistently faster speeds for upload and download (up to 1,000 Mbps), near limitless bandwidth and connectivity users can depend on.

CityFibre works on Luton's digital foundations as part of investment

Work to bring full fibre connectivity within reach of almost every home and business in Luton gets underway as CityFibre breaks ground on a new infrastructure rollout that will future-proof the digital needs of the town for generations to come. The rollout forms part of CityFibre’s £45m digital infrastructure investment in Luton and Dunstable. Construction has begun in Luton, with works starting in the Stopsley area, and is being delivered by Instalcom on behalf of CityFibre. The team will use a range of construction methods while working in close partnership with Luton Council and the local community to deliver a fast rollout while managing potential disruption. The rollout is expected to move into Dunstable early next year. As the network is completed in each neighbourhood, CityFibre will designate the homes ‘ready for service’, which means residents can choose to connect to full fibre-enabled broadband services when they go live in their area. In Luton, services will be available from an increasing range of broadband providers. Across the UK, CityFibre is already working with launch partner Vodafone to supply full fibre infrastructure for customers on selected Vodafone Pro Broadband plans as well as TalkTalk and Zen, with other partners expected to join the network soon. Speaking of the project, Jean Gowin, CityFibre’s Area Manager for Luton and Dunstable, says: “I’m excited and proud to see work getting underway in Luton today. This is the start of an exciting new chapter for the town as it gets ready to embrace and thrive in the digital age. We appreciate this is a huge build project and there will be some short-term disruption. However, once the network is built, our full fibre will serve the community’s connectivity needs for decades to come.”. Paul Alderton, Communications Director, at Instalcom says: “Instalcom are delighted to be undertaking the network build in Luton for CityFibre. Our civils teams, fibre installation teams and fibre termination and testing engineers will be working collaboratively with the CityFibre build team to ensure that the works are undertaken with minimal disruption. The Instalcom Management team have worked tirelessly during the mobilisation period to ensure that the program of works was produced and agreed in conjunction with Luton Borough Council. We are looking forward to a successful fibre build.”

Ondat teams with SUSE to protect customers’ with Kubernetes security

Ondat has announced that it is teaming with SUSE to deliver management of digital authentication credentials (secrets management) in Kubernetes to protect access to sensitive data for SunnyVision. This comes just after the release of Ondat’s Trousseau open source project in February. Previously, secrets management in Kubernetes was complicated and added lots of components – anathema for security professionals. The Trousseau open source project addresses these issues, leading Ondat and SUSE to team up to provide this enhanced security for their customer, SunnyVision. With SUSE Rancher and built-in Trousseau, SunnyVision can now leverage the native Kubernetes way to store and access secrets in a safe way by plugging into Hashicorp Vault using the Kubernetes KMS provider framework. No additional changes or new skills are required. “Segregation of the encryption keys in our multi-tenant environment means every data volume has its own key and has secure access protected from any of the other tenants,” says Bill Wong, CEO, SunnyVision. “Trousseau guarantees the security of keys, and without it this sort of secure data storage for containers would be very complex and near impossible.” Andy King, Partner Solution Architect at SUSE, comments, “The Ondat data platform is used by SunnyVision as the basis for its database as a service (DBaaS) which is attractive to managed service provider (MSP) customers. MSPs are able to build services on the DBaaS to provide customised solutions to their customers. The integration with SUSE Rancher to easily consume Key Management Systems (KMS) addresses the critical need for protecting sensitive data in cloud-native solutions deployed in the Kubernetes ecosystem.” Trousseau uses Kubernetes etcd to store API object definitions and states. The Kubernetes secrets are shipped into the etcd key-value store database using an in-flight envelope encryption scheme with a remote transit key saved in a KMS. Secrets protected and encrypted with Trousseau and its native Kubernetes integration can connect with a key management system to secure database credentials, a configuration file or TLS (Transport Layer Security) certificate that contains critical information and is easily accessible by an application using the standard Kubernetes API primitives. “Secrets management has always been one of the most difficult issues in Kubernetes,” says Romuald Vandepoel, Principal Cloud Architect with Ondat and the project lead for Trousseau. “We’re glad to see Trousseau applied to that long-time problem being deployed at major installations as part of SUSE Rancher.”

Yondr launches 200MW hyperscale data centre project in Malaysia

Yondr Group has announced its entry into the Malaysian market with a planned 200MW hyperscale campus, to be developed on 72.8 acres of land acquired from TPM Technopark Sdn Bhd. The land is strategically located in Sedenak Tech Park, a flagship data centre complex which spans across 700 acres of land in Johor, Malaysia. The Sedenak Tech park is nestled in the heart of the larger 7,290 acres of Sedenak Technology Valley, comprising of technology-driven developments such as advanced electrical & electronic (E&E), medical device manufacturing, green renewable energy, biotechnology, and food tech, among other research and development facilities. Yondr’s hyperscale campus will be developed across multiple phases and will deliver a total capacity of 200MW when fully completed, with the first phase scheduled for delivery in 2024. With access to at least 600MW of capacity, dark fibre connectivity, scalable utilities and infrastructure, Sedenak Tech Park is home to some of the largest data and cloud players within the Southeast Asia region. “Malaysia is a significant part of our expansion plans within Southeast Asia. Our ability to secure this critical location in Sedenak Tech Park, complements our existing presence in Jakarta, Indonesia and further bolsters our strategic presence in this high growth market,” says Dave Newitt, Chief Executive Officer at Yondr Group. “The state of Johor in Malaysia is in close proximity to other key data centre metros, including Singapore which offers valuable interconnectivity routes, representing a true benefit for our clients especially in combination with the scalability in meeting requirements of power and land.” “We value Yondr’s strategic decision to invest in Sedenak Tech Park, as a testament of their confidence in our location and offerings as a world-class data hub for the region. We are delighted to welcome Yondr with their full-scale data centre technical expertise and operational capabilities to Johor, Malaysia. As global demand for data centres continues to grow exponentially via cloud computing and consumer mobile Internet, the sheer scale of growing data consumption makes the development of hyperscale data centre infrastructures a compelling international and regional opportunity for both investors and operators. This exposure to Yondr’s well-established partnerships with major state-of-the-art hyperscale facilities will further fuel our technical infrastructure development dedicated to the nation and the region’s fast-growing digital economy,” says Akmal Ahmad, Director of Johor Corporation’s Real Estate and Infrastructure Division and Chairman of TPM Technopark. The Asia Pacific region continues to be an attractive data centre destination given its strategic location, growth potential, swift upsurge of technology platforms and networks across a wide spectrum of markets. Within Southeast Asia, Malaysia’s data centre market size is expected to hit a revenue of over US$800 million (RM3.24 billion) by 2025 and is already experiencing increasing investment spill-overs due to inherent land constraints in other surrounding markets. “This deployment in Sedenak Tech Park will provide our hyperscale clients with an opportunity to exponentially scale their cloud computing requirements and benefit from being strategically located just a stone’s throw from Singapore and Indonesia.” says Aksel Vansten, Acquisition and Development Director for Asia Pacific Region of Yondr Group. Johor’s location and ample land capacity to build, expand and develop digital infrastructure footprint at affordable levels adds to its intrinsic attraction. Further, growth in the data centre sector is measured in power, not just in square footage; on this score, Sedenak Tech Park is the top achiever both in its power access of 600MW in critical IT capacity, as well as its vast land mass dedicated to data centre development. “As part of realising the state’s Digital Johor agenda as well as Malaysia’s Digital Blueprint roadmap toward becoming a digital-first economy, data centre development is among the key components that will provide impetus not only to the ecosystem’s digitalisation, but also enable the fulfilment of our aspiration to become the region’s digital innovation hub. Yondr’s hyperscale data centre deployment in Johor, Malaysia will contribute to the digital transformation ecosystem, and to a larger extent, signal a positive business climate and market potential within this high-growth economic region in Southeast Asia. We welcome Yondr to Johor, Malaysia and look forward to working with them and our industrial development arm as they contribute to not just the growth of the region but to wealth creation and distribution of our economy and communities,” concludes Syed Mohamed Syed Ibrahim, President and Chief Executive of Johor Corporation.

Australian Prime Minister officially opens Macquarie's Intellicentre 3 East facility 

Macquarie Data Centres hosted Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison to officially open the company’s Intellicentre 3 East hyperscale data centre in Sydney. As part of the event, the Prime Minister participated in a ‘threat hunt’, a proactive search to detect and isolate advanced cyber security threats.  The official opening marked the on-time, on-budget completion of the data centre at the Macquarie Park Data Centre Campus located in the Sydney North zone. The project received an initial investment of more than $85 million and supported over 1,200 construction, engineering, cyber security, and IT jobs throughout the COVID pandemic. The facility’s highly compliant design supports federal government, hyperscalers, global multinationals and Australian corporations.  Speaking at the event, the Prime Minister hailed IC3 East as an example of the type of secure, sovereign and compliant infrastructure Australia needs to bolster its cyber security posture and accelerate the digital economy.  “This centre we are finally opening today – is about the economy, it is about the digital world that is transforming the world, and it is about our security,” he comments.  “Increasingly, our economy and our security depend on each other. This campus is about both – a mighty $200 million data centre, Australian owned, Australian operated, one of the most trusted and certified in Australia, with a team of highly trained engineers delivering up to 50 megawatts of data storage capability.  “Our government has set a goal of Australia being a top 10 digital economy by 2030. An essential foundation of such a goal is trust and confidence, trust in the regulatory systems of a country, and confidence it can meet the increasing cyber challenges in our world. Espionage, disinformation, cyber-attacks, foreign interference, and economic coercion – the types of malignant activities mounting in our world.  “The scale, frequency and sophistication of cyber-attacks have increased. In fact, last year in Australia, a cyber-incident was reported every eight minutes. One quarter of these attacks targeted either our critical infrastructure or essential services. The fact is, the security of our critical digital infrastructure goes hand-in-hand with our national resilience. As we do more business online, ensuring the protection of our data and our networks is more critical than ever.  “We’re fortunate to have partners like Macquarie with whom we manage this risk, and entrust parts of our data and cyber security.”  Macquarie Data Centres CEO David Hirst welcomed the Prime Minster and called out the importance of secure cloud and data centre infrastructure to power Australia’s digital economy.  “We’re privileged to have the Prime Minister here today. It epitomises the importance of secure, sovereign global scale data centres – the very foundation on which the Australian digital economy is built,” he says.  “The government has consistently underscored the importance of cyber security and data sovereignty, including through the Cyber Security Strategy; decision for all government data to be stored in onshore Certified Strategic or Certified Assured data centres; and the Critical Infrastructure Bill, which formally recognised key data storage, telecommunications, and processing industries as Australian critical infrastructure.  “We’re proud to support that vision by embedding security and sovereignty into the design and operation of our Data Centre Campuses across Sydney and Canberra.”  IC3 East is built to the latest physical and cyber security standards essential to securely store and protect data in Australia. This includes Federal Government-level SCEC Zone 3 or higher security, ISO 27001, and SOC 2. It is staffed 24x7x365 by Government-cleared engineers and incorporates ISO 45001 (occupational health and safety management) and ISO 14001 (environmental management) to meet modern business requirements.  Macquarie Government, Managing Director, Aidan Tudehope adds that IC3 East has the capability, capacity, and scale to support Australian government organisations as they encounter increased cyber threats.  “The world has changed quite dramatically in recent years and particularly in recent months. This has had a direct impact on the level of cybercriminal activity which is landing on Australian shores,” he concludes.   “We’re proud to see the Prime Minister take such a personal interest in what we know to be one of the most important issues facing the nation. Macquarie is privileged to partner with more than 42 per cent of Federal Government agencies and personnel, protecting them against cyber threats through our secure, sovereign Data Centre Campuses in Sydney and Canberra.” 

CityFibre celebrates latest milestone in Portsmouth full fibre rollout

Internet users across the south of Portsmouth are now able to connect their homes and businesses to the fastest and most reliable broadband infrastructure available, thanks to progress made by CityFibre. CityFibre has now made the majority of homes in the Southsea, Fratton, Milton, Eastney, Copnor and Burrfields areas of the city ‘ready for service’, which means residents can choose to connect to the full fibre broadband services on offer in their area. Customers can sign up to UK launch partner Vodafone, TalkTalk, IDNet, Digital Homes and Giganet, with other providers expected to join the network soon. The rollout is now progressing into new areas in the north of the city with construction well underway in Hilsea and Anchorage Park. Last year, CityFibre laid 315km of full fibre digital infrastructure beneath the streets of Portsmouth, enough to go round Portsea Island 15 times. Once the rollout reaches completion, almost every home and business locally will have access to full fibre services from a choice of internet service providers. Jon Russell, CityFibre’s City Manager for Portsmouth says: “CityFibre is making great progress in Portsmouth. Residents, businesses, and community groups I’ve spoken to have been amazed at just how much fibre we've put down in the last few months. Reaching this latest milestone means residents can now start to benefit from this digital investment that will future-proof their connectivity for decades to come.” Unlike copper-based ‘fibre broadband’ and co-axil cable services available today, full fibre networks use 100% fibre optic cables to carry data at lightning speed all the way to and from the home and the point of connection. This gives users consistently faster speeds for upload and download (up to 1,000 Mbps), with near limitless bandwidth so everyone at home can work, study, stream or game simultaneously, while providing connectivity users can depend on. Construction is being delivered by CNN Communications on behalf of CityFibre. The team is using a range of construction methods while working in close partnership with Portsmouth City Council and local communities to deliver a fast rollout while managing potential disruption.

Custodian supports sustainable digital transformation at business park

Custodian Data Centres has become the lead technology partner for Crossways Business Park, in Dartford, Kent. As the business park’s only data centre operator, Custodian’s 10MW, DA2 facility will provide low-latency connectivity, resilient power, and foundational critical infrastructure for local businesses. As such, the technology partnership will directly enable local digital transformation efforts and create opportunities for organisations based within the Bluewater, Crossways, Dartford, Lakeside and Swanscombe vicinities to drive growth and future business developments. Crossways Business Park is situated in the heart of Kent Thameside. With high-speed domestic travel links to London and immediate access to the M25, it is a premier destination for enterprise, logistical and retail businesses. Custodian’s DA2 data centre will provide resilient power, dedicated dark fibre connectivity and dynamic technical expertise, offering key benefits to the residents of Crossways Business Park. The partnership, for example, will enable businesses in Crossways to future-proof their operations and capitalise on new technological developments, such as advanced robotics and automation within retail and logistics. By providing access to dedicated, on-site and agile mission-critical infrastructure, Custodian’s presence on the park will not only support current business owners’ digital transformation ambitions, but will provide a key point of differentiation for Crossways, allowing room for further technological expansion and the arrival of new customers. A spokesperson from Crossways Management Company states. “Having a sustainable data centre partner in Crossways will provide key ecological, operational and technological benefits to the owners and occupiers based in the Crossways business park. By partnering with Custodian we can offer unparalleled technical support and access to cloud connectivity as customers embrace new technologies to drive growth. Further, by partnering with a brand that’s equally as eco-conscious, we can work together to transform the business park sustainably and raise awareness of Crossways as a premier location for today’s businesses.” “At Custodian, we want to empower businesses to grow and we do so by offering them agile mission-critical infrastructure combined with dynamic technical service,” says Rowland Kinch, CEO, Custodian Data Centres. “Our new DA2 data centre at Crossways will allow us to directly support businesses based locally and those looking to relocate outside of the City with sustainable, environmentally conscious infrastructure. As the lead technology partner for Crossways, we’re delighted to have a partner whose ethos echoes our own, and to be supporting their digital transformation efforts.”