Insights into Data Centre Investment & Market Growth

Transforming provisions across Africa

Open Access Data Centres (OADC) has announced a USD500 million-plus, multi-year investment programme to construct and operate a network of more than 20 world-class, carrier-neutral, GreenStar and Uptime Institute Tier III accredited data centres across Africa. Optimised to serve the needs of the cloud provider and wholesale community. OADC, a WIOCC Group company, will deploy data centre facilities strategically throughout the continent, focusing on key locations for connectivity in each country and with each delivering an exceptional client experience - from initial contact to consultative development and deployment of future-proof solutions tailored to clients’ specific needs and to world-class, ISO-certified standards. OADC’s Chief Commercial Officer, Kevin McLoughlin, explains: “We are really excited to be working in partnership with the vibrant wholesale community, including cloud and content providers, telcos and internet service providers (ISPs), helping them to expand their businesses into new territories and markets across Africa. With content moving ever closer to the edge of the network for improved availability and performance, a single high-capacity regional data centre in Africa is no longer sufficient. Instead, our clients increasingly require access to a network of high-quality, open-access, carrier-neutral data centres across multiple countries and cities; one that will sustain and enrich Africa’s digital ecosystem, supporting their needs for flexibility and scalability to meet whatever the future demands. This is exactly what we are putting in place, working in tandem with leading global organisations to support their deployment plans for Africa.” OADC has already started construction of its first two data centre facilities, sited in Africa’s largest markets: Nigeria and South Africa. Rapid progress is being made on deploying OADC Lagos on a four-hectare site in Lekki - the largest data centre campus in West Africa. OADC Lagos The first phase will be ready for clients from early 2022, and when fully operational this US$200 million, Tier III certified data centre will support up to 20MW site power load across more than 7,200 square metres of white space – sufficient for up to 3,275 racks and making it one of the largest facilities on the continent outside South Africa. In addition, the site power load is fully scalable to 40MW as market demand grows. The Equiano submarine cable will be landing directly in the data centre, which is also close to all other major subsea cable landings in Lagos. This makes OADC Lagos the ideal location for companies looking to maximise uptime through direct access to international subsea connectivity, avoiding the costs and risks traditionally associated with vulnerable terrestrial backhaul links from facilities on Victoria Island. OADC Durban OADC’s Durban facility is also under construction, and will house the cable landing for the Durban branch of the 2Africa submarine cable. It is also designed to Tier III standards to deliver the highest levels of flexibility, scalability and client service. OADC’s proximity to Durban CBD makes it ideally located to be a key component in Durban-based companies’ primary colocation and disaster recovery solutions. In addition to offering direct and completely diverse international connectivity through the new 2Africa submarine cable, which will interconnect 33 countries in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Pakistan and India, OADC Durban will also offer exceptional connectivity into South Africa’s terrestrial fibre network, including direct access to the NLD5 and NLD6 terrestrial fibre routes stretching 1,700km between Durban and Cape Town along South Africa’s southern coastline, and to the NLD1 fibre route direct to Johannesburg. The initial phase of OADC Durban will be ready for clients in early 2022. When fully operational, the data centre will offer more than 2,200 square metres of white space, with a further 2,000 square metres of A-grade office space also available on-site. A third OADC facility is being deployed in Mogadishu, Somalia, housing the cable landing for the Mogadishu branch of the 2Africa submarine cable and offering a range of colocation services to domestic and international businesses. OADC Mogadishu will be open to clients before the end of 2022. All OADC facilities will operate as fully open-access, carrier-neutral facilities, supporting cloud providers and the international wholesale community in extending their businesses further into Africa. All major fibre network providers will be present in the facilities, and new dedicated diverse fibre routes will be available to existing data centres and internet exchange points (IXPs). OADC continues to progress further projects in a variety of African markets, with some at an advanced stage of development. More details will be announced at the appropriate time.

Kao Data expands leadership team, appointing Matthew Harris as CFO

Following his position as Managing Director at Kao Data’s original founders and investment firm, Matthew joins the company’s c-suite, having overseen the financial evolution of the business from inception. With a Masters’ degree from the University of Cambridge, a fellowship from the Institute of Chartered Accountants and over 15 years’ experience in the financial sector, he brings extensive financial expertise at a pivotal point in the business’ evolution. During his time with Goldacre, Harris played a crucial role in securing investment into Kao Data from Legal & General Capital in 2019, and overseeing the investment of up to £130m from New Zealand-based investors Infratil Limited last month. Further, his strategic appointment comes at a transformative point in Kao Data’s development as it moves from a single-site campus to a 55MW multi-site operator, having recently acquired two new data centres with a long-term anchor lease from a large financial services business in the UK. As CFO, Matthew will work directly alongside CEO Lee Myall, CTO Gérard Thibault, COO Paul Finch and Vice President, Spencer Lamb, to help spearhead the next phase of the company’s growth, engaging with new and existing customers within the financial services, life sciences, enterprise, and cloud sectors. Having firmly cemented its position as the UK’s preeminent home for sustainable, high performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI), and becoming the host of NVIDIA’s Cambridge-1, Kao Data will also continue to service the industrial-scale requirements of GPU-accelerated computing users from across the UK and Europe. “Having been firmly engaged with the company’s vision and its growth strategy from inception, I’m delighted to have joined Kao Data formally, as its CFO,” says Matthew Harris. “Kao Data is truly on the cutting-edge of tech, working with some of the industry’s foremost thought leaders and engineers to push the boundaries of design and innovation. Our facilities have been engineered to support the UK government’s National AI Strategy and have created a blueprint for the future of high performance data centres.” “Further, as our company transitions into a multi-site operator, there has never been a better time to join,” he continues. “And with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investments on the rise, I’m proud to be able to oversee the next phase of the company’s growth in an economical and environmentally responsible way.”

Qlik expands APAC presence with launch of Singapore cloud region

Qlik has announced the launch of its new cloud region in Singapore, strengthening the company’s commitment to support its growing customer demand for innovation in Asia Pacific (APAC). The new cloud region builds on Qlik’s continued investment in Singapore, which began in 2011 with the opening of its corporate office. It also marks Qlik’s second cloud region in APAC and the fourth globally, following cloud regions in Australia, Ireland and the United States. Qlik’s Singapore cloud region will enable organisations, large and small, across multiple industries to store and deploy data for analytics locally at scale, reaping optimal operational performance and data compliance with cost savings of the cloud. Storing data in the regional cloud will also provide customers with the ability to serve end-users’ analytics needs across the region more effectively with even faster access and lower latency. Customers, including those based in Singapore such as the Singapore Management University, will now be able to drive even more value from their data, shifting their data approach to Active Intelligence, a modern BI approach which provides businesses with actionable insights from continuously up-to-date, real-time information to achieve transformational business outcomes. “Digital transformation is an imperative for businesses wanting to thrive in today’s era of constant change, with the move to the cloud being a crucial enabler,” says Geoff Thomas, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific & Japan, Qlik. “The strategic placement of a new Qlik cloud region in Singapore will help us better meet customer needs for Qlik Cloud while complying with stringent local data residency requirements. The new cloud region will also support the country’s Smart Nation plans to boost digital adoption in local businesses to further build resiliency, innovation, and competitiveness.” Qlik customers like Essilor, a leader in ophthalmic optics and visual health, have welcomed the new cloud region in Singapore. “Our cloud strategy is a vital part of our digital transformation, and Qlik Cloud has been instrumental in this journey, allowing us to innovate faster and deliver our solutions across APAC more efficiently,” comments Benoit Nesme, Director, Data & Analytics, Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Russia, and Africa for Essilor. “Hosting our analytics applications in Qlik’s cloud region will increase performance and robustness, empowering us to make smarter, data-informed decisions to deliver the best products and services that meet our customer’s needs.”

IONOS data centre almost completed, with opening planned for 2022

The second phase of the data centre being built for IONOS has been completed, with the location in the Midlands set to open in 2022. The practical completion of the energy-efficient data centre, based at Worcester Six Business Park, has been developed by leading property developer Stoford. The 43,708 sq ft unit for IONOS, and Fasthosts, its subsidiary UK brand, comprises a cutting-edge 30,729 sq ft data centre and 12,978 sq ft of ancillary offices. Completed on time, the unit has a wide range of sustainable and energy-efficient features, including solar photovoltaic panels that cover the entire roof and Tata Steel’s Confidex Sustain wall and roof cladding, which creates a carbon-neutral building envelope. The photovoltaic panels should cover 10% of the energy use at the site. Sab Knight, Head of Cloud Sales at IONOS, says: “The new Worcester site is crucial for IONOS’s growth in the UK and shows our commitment to further investment in infrastructure and jobs. “We are very happy that the building was completed in time and have already started the technical fit-out of the data centre in what will be the most modern and environmental-friendly IONOS data centre to date. The Worcester Six site will start operation in the first half of 2022 and will host one of the most advanced cloud platforms in Europe.” Councillor Marc Bayliss, Worcestershire County Council Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Economy and Skills, comments: “It is great news for the county as construction has now finished at IONOS’s unit at Worcester Six Business Park. It’s another clear and visual indication of the progress we have made over recent years, being able to welcome world-renowned businesses to Worcestershire. “The completion of the IONOS build will provide Worcestershire with a highly valued asset through the company’s connections with data, one of the world’s most valuable commodities, and should bring substantial economic benefits for the county.”

Kao Data Welcomes Infratil to Support its Data Centre Expansion Plans

Infratil has agreed to invest up to £120-130 million in Kao Data, the leading UK developer and operator of advanced data centres. Since commencing operations in 2018, Kao Data has created world-class digital infrastructure systems that deliver high performance colocation services for enterprise, cloud, HPC and AI organisations.  As part of its continued expansion, Kao Data has recently signed an agreement to acquire two UK prime location data centres with a long-term anchor lease from a large financial services business. This purchase will enable Kao Data to deliver multi-site services for its clients and expand potential capacity to c. 55MW, while delivering long-term trusted operations for clients' mission-critical infrastructure.  Infratil's initial investment will fund this growth, after which Infratil will hold 40% of Kao Data, alongside current shareholders, Legal & General Group, one of Europe’s largest asset managers and Goldacre, founder of Kao Data and part of Noé group.  Infratil CEO Jason Boyes says, “With global demand for connectivity continuing to rise, this is an excellent opportunity to expand our digital infrastructure portfolio and build on our successful data centre platform investment in Australia and New Zealand. We were an early mover into this sector, acquiring CDC Data Centres in 2016, which has delivered exceptional performance." Kao Data provides a compelling strategic growth opportunity for Infratil. It is a rare opportunity to be able to invest in one of the fastest growing data centre markets in the world, alongside blue chip partners. We will bring our sector experience alongside our partners’ capability and relationships to continue to scale up this business, with the aim of delivering a sizeable multi-site platform." Lee Myall, CEO, Kao Data comments, “I welcome today’s announcement of Infratil Limited’s investment in Kao Data, and on behalf of our management team, we look forward to working with them on the next stages of this exciting journey. This investment presents a strategic opportunity to accelerate our mission of supporting the computing requirements of advanced industries, and to do so sustainably.”

Kohler launches power optimised design solutions to enable walk-in access to high-power gensets

Data centre power systems supplier Kohler has launched its range of walk-in Power Optimised Design Solutions (PODS) in response to the increased market demand for high-power gensets. They offer the highest standards of performance, reliability, robustness, safety, modularity, and competitiveness. Crucially, their size allows for enough internal cooling power to accommodate Kohler’s KD SERIES generators, giving customers the power to utilise the most powerful generators on the market without compromising on installation and maintenance. The walk-in PODS have generous spacing with a 4m width and height for the base module. The enclosures offer optimal access to different elements of the diesel genset, allowing personnel to perform all operations and maintenance tasks with ease. Single swing doors with locks and anti-panic bars facilitate daily access into the enclosure. A push-button located near the access doors controls the interior lighting system. Adherence to noise standards was a critical design consideration, with 85 dB(A) sound reduction at 1m, with 75 and 65 dB(A) configurations also available. Soundproofing panels are made of mineral wool with an M1-class fire rating covered by glass fibre and metal sheet. Rain barrier grilles fitted with an anti-volatile barrier protect air inlets and outlets from harsh weather conditions. A specialised primer coat and polyurethane finish enhance the durability of the enclosures. Kohler will supply the walk-in PODS from its Brest facility in France, which recently committed to over $6M of investment to enhance manufacturing capacity and optimise the logistics and transport for these larger enclosures. “Our first walk-in PODS have been delivered to their new homes in Germany proving the success of the enclosures,” says Cédric Briand, product manager, industrial generators. “The innovative, modular design enables mounted radiators on the generator base-frame even for the KD4500 model. Units are installed onto an external slab with all the options already previously connected and tested in factory, making for a quick and adaptable installation. Our walk-in PODS are inspired by our customers and we offer a wide range of options and specific adaptations to meet customer needs.”

DataQube Global leads in million-pound data centre development project

DataQube Global has been appointed by Glendine Developments to redevelop two vacant properties situated on the Viables Business Park in Basingstoke into an edge data centre campus with associated co-working, R&D and recreational facilities.  DataQube has also been assigned the role of team lead for this ground-breaking edge development project. The company’s experienced team, guided by David Keegan, CEO at DataQube, will be responsible for overseeing all development stages and ensuring key milestones are achieved.  The project, valued at £20 million, forms part of an ambitious regeneration program to encourage a flourishing local community and provide long-term employment opportunities for the wider area. The refurbished properties will comprise cutting edge research facilities to support medical innovation, technically equipped co-working space, and an abundance of public amenities and recreational facilities, including high-spec gymnasium, and a 25-metre swimming pool, to support wellness in the workplace. All data centre services and 5G connectivity requirements will be provided via DataQube’s breakthrough edge data centre system. The first 200KW DataQube module comprising 20 racks will go live in Q3 2022 and will be scaled up in line as project advances. “DataQube is extremely proud to be chosen as the team lead for this first of its kind project,” says David Keegan, CEO of DataQube Global. “Glendine are working to deadlines that would be unachievable for regular data centre deployments due to planning/building permission requirements. DataQube’s scalable design and person-free layout makes deployment possible within a six-month timeframe.”  DataQube’s is also supporting Glendine in its commitment to maintaining the highest standards of CSR (corporate and social responsibility) and deliver truly sustainable deployments through the system’s highly efficient use of energy.  Feasibility studies have shown that DataQube’s person-free layout reduces power consumption by as much as 40% and CO2 emissions by as much as 60% because the energy transfer is dedicated solely to the server racks. Incorporating immersive cooling technology into the system’s core internal infrastructure reduces these figures further. 

Kohler announces multi-million investment in genset production capabilities

Power systems supplier Kohler is to make a multi-million-dollar investment over the next five years in its production site in northwest France to meet rapidly increasing demand for generators in the data centre market. The work at the 42,800m² Brest plant in Brittany will result in expanded manufacturing and logistics facilities and upgraded dock infrastructure to support higher-capacity shipment by sea. Kohler manufactures around 17,000 generators per year in Brest, with power nodes ranging from 7.5 to 4,500 kVA. The investment will allow it to increase the number of large generators it produces per annum, while also introducing a new range of walk-in enclosures. “The Brest plant provides a one-stop-shop approach to generator supply – from design and manufacture to testing and inspection, all under one roof,” says Jacky Pluchon, Vice President EMEA Power Solutions at Kohler. “The facility has undergone sustained investment recently, and this additional upgrade will boost its capabilities further still. Demand for generators from the data centre market is rising sharply, and this work will ensure that we can continue to meet customer needs on projects all over the world.” Phase one of the upgrade, to be completed imminently, will result in two of the main docks being significantly enlarged, and new lifting beams put in place. The existing doors to the docks will also be made higher and wider to accommodate larger generator designs. The more significant phase two, to commence later this year, will expand manufacturing, test, and logistics warehouse floor space to support anticipated growth in key markets. New gantries and cranes will also be installed to enable more streamlined production operations. The expansion at the site will allow Kohler to introduce a new range of walk-in enclosures to house >4,000 kW generators in outdoor environments characterised by extreme high and low temperatures. The business also anticipates recruitment within the production team to support this additional capacity. “This investment will deliver increased production capacity for large diesel generators and walk-in enclosures, forming a critical part of our financial growth plans,” says Jacky. “Factors such as more assembly space, higher ceilings and larger crane capacity will allow us to accommodate growing generator size while enabling us to improve production efficiency, safety and streamline process flow for our team and customers.”

Kohler announces investment in genset production capabilities

Power systems supplier Kohler is to make a multi-million-dollar investment over the next five years in its production site in northwest France to meet rapidly increasing demand for generators in the data centre market. The work at the 42,800m² Brest plant in Brittany will result in expanded manufacturing and logistics facilities and upgraded dock infrastructure to support higher-capacity shipment by sea. Kohler manufactures around 17,000 generators per year in Brest, with power nodes ranging from 7.5 to 4,500kVA. The investment will allow it to increase the number of large generators it produces per annum, while also introducing a new range of walk-in enclosures. “The Brest plant provides a one-stop-shop approach to generator supply – from design and manufacture to testing and inspection, all under one roof,” says Jacky Pluchon, Vice President EMEA Power Solutions at Kohler. “The facility has undergone sustained investment recently, and this additional upgrade will boost its capabilities further still. Demand for generators from the data centre market is rising sharply, and this work will ensure that we can continue to meet customer needs on projects all over the world.” Phase one of the upgrade, to be completed imminently, will result in two of the main docks being significantly enlarged, and new lifting beams put in place. The existing doors to the docks will also be made higher and wider to accommodate larger generator designs. The more significant phase two, to commence later this year, will expand manufacturing, test, and logistics warehouse floor space to support anticipated growth in key markets. New gantries and cranes will also be installed to enable more streamlined production operations. The expansion at the site will allow Kohler to introduce a new range of walk-in enclosures to house >4,000kW generators in outdoor environments characterised by extreme high and low temperatures. The business also anticipates recruitment within the production team to support this additional capacity. “This investment will deliver increased production capacity for large diesel generators and walk-in enclosures, forming a critical part of our financial growth plans,” says Jacky Pluchon. “Factors such as more assembly space, higher ceilings and larger crane capacity will allow us to accommodate growing generator size while enabling us to improve production efficiency, safety and streamline process flow for our team and customers.”

Acronis establishes new cyber protection R&D centre in Israel

Acronis has announced the opening of a new office in Herzliya, Israel with plans to invest around $80 million into the country during the next five years. This new office will focus on conducting cybersecurity research and development, enabling Acronis partners with local sales, marketing, technical, and educational support, as well as, recruiting and activating new cloud partners. The office also expands the company’s global network of Acronis Cyber Protection Operations Centres (CPOCs).  The announcement comes just weeks after a $250 million funding round that raised the company’s valuation to more than $2.5 billion. Some of that new funding will be directed to the Herzliya office to recruit staff and support regional partners. Acronis plans to recruit more than 100 highly skilled engineers, scientists, and cybersecurity professionals for the new location. Another focus of investing will be on growing the number of cloud aggregators, distributors, and service providers in the region, where the company has had a presence since 2008. The new office is the latest in a series of announcements regarding Acronis’ expansion in the region. Acronis acquired the Israeli cybersecurity firm CyberLynx Security at the end of last year and opened a new data centre in Israel in April. “Acronis' strategic move into Israel reflects the fact this region will play a major role in our future success and we have tremendous trust in the talent of the Israeli high-tech industry,” says Serguei Beloussov, CEO and founder of Acronis. “This new Israeli centre will be at the forefront of cyber protection research and development, becoming one of the key sites in our international network of research centres, alongside our Swiss, Singaporean, Bulgarian, and North American locations.”The Israeli office will be led by General Manager Gili Moller, who has more than 15 years of experience in R&D and product management in Israel-based technology companies. “Acronis is committed to setting the standard for modern cyber protection, which merges cybersecurity and data protection into one solution,” says Moller. “Our team in Israel will now be at the heart of that revolution, as we provide partners and customers with a single solution that covers all five stages of their protection – prevention, detection, response, recovery, and forensics.”To support Acronis’ aggressive hiring goals, Acronis will collaborate with the business community and top Israeli universities to establish workforce pipeline initiatives, R&D collaborations, and training and mentoring guidance to help existing employees with their professional development. A list of positions to be filled at the new office in Israel is available here.