Infrastructure Management

atNorth announces highest revenue to date

atNorth has announced a group income of SEK 560 million (EUR 53 million) as it publishes its 2022 annual accounts. This figure represents a 44% increase in revenue from 2021 and further growth is expected in the coming years.  The company currently operates six data centres based in Iceland, Sweden and Finland. It is planning further state-of-the-art sites in the coming years. atNorth‘s growth calls for extensive investment and it has secured access to capital for this purpose. The investment for the year 2022 amounted to about SEK 220 million (EUR 20 million), and it is already evident that the 2023 level of investment will be significantly higher. Eyjólfur Magnús Kristinsson, CEO of atNorth, says, "In recent years, we have built an enormous wealth of knowledge. Our customers value our services and it is core to atNorth's good reputation." He also commends the support of the company‘s sponsor, Partners Group, that acquired the majority of the company's shares at the beginning of 2022. As digital transformation and the use of AI and other big data projects escalates, businesses are becoming increasingly reliant on supercomputers to perform ever more complex calculations. The resulting need for high performance data centre and supercomputing services has led to an exponential increase in demand in recent years. atNorth continues to promote the Nordic region as a superlative location for investment in digital infrastructure, recently winning the ‘Tech Capital Location’ award for Iceland as a result of its advantageous climate, favourable business environment and cutting-edge infrastructure. Eyjólfur comments, “Iceland is truly on the map, and with our best-in-class data centres, outstanding customer service and proficient marketing communications, atNorth is proud to have created a desirable position in the market.”

CtrlS and EECO plan Thailand's hyperscale data centre

CtrlS has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with EECO (Eastern Economic Corridor Office) to lease a 10ac land parcel for 50 years, located in Chonburi province. The land will be used to build a 150MW data centre in the Greenfield campus and mark its first international market expansion and hyperscale data centre in Thailand.   At a time when digitalisation across Thailand, deployment of 5G, and improved connectivity with highly efficient submarine cables, with countries such as USA, China, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan, is making the country an attractive hub for digital infrastructure, the data centre development in the EECO will attract both international and domestic hyperscale and enterprise customers. Speaking on the MoA, Sridhar Pinnapureddy, Chairman, CtrlS Datacenters, says, “Through this collaboration, we aim to serve customers’ needs for digital services, both domestic and international. The data centre is designed to meet hyperscalers’ needs in addition to serving high end IT/compute needs of domestic enterprises.” He adds, “We see this data centre as a unique opportunity to contribute towards development of Thailand’s eastern region and offer a robust diverse option for international customers and partners for establishing their footprint in the country and region. Thailand is strategically well positioned at the centre of Southeast Asia and we strive to bring investments and international customers to the country through our data centre.”        The site also offers proximity to submarine cable landing stations for AAG (Asia America Gateway) and ADC (Asia Direct Cable) systems, making this data centre a point of connection equipped with submarine and terrestrial cable networks to connect to other data centres and industrial estates. It is also close to the EECO startup incubator and is elevated relative to flood prone areas, with mean sea level > 40m. The EECO is geographically diverse from Bangkok and is at the intersection of multiple fibre paths north and south.

Start Campus and EXA to expand network route

Start Campus has announced that EXA Infrastructure (EXA) has committed to invest in two new diverse and redundant terrestrial routes in Sines, Portugal.  EXA’s strategic network expansion in Sines links Start Campus’s Sines Project, a 495MW hyperscale data centre development, to its backbone in Madrid, Spain. The new connectivity hub will be the gateway to European, African and American digital platforms.  The key location of the project further strengthens Portugal as a connectivity hub for Europe, providing access via transatlantic cable landings and EXA’s expansive terrestrial network route. Steve Roberts, VP of Network Investments, EXA Infrastructure, says, “EXA continues to invest and expand our network to ensure we are enabling the growth and success of our customers. We are witnessing an increasing demand for enhanced connectivity routes in and out of Southern Europe and we are pleased to partner with Start Campus to power this demand by connecting Sines to our pan-European backbone.” Set to be ready for service in late 2023, the project will be a large hyperscaler data centre ecosystem. It benefits from ocean water cooling systems, high voltage power grids, and high capacity international fibre optic cables. Being fully powered by renewable and affordable energy, the company also offers a 100% sustainable campus powered by 24x7 renewable energy facilities, resulting in a low Total Cost of Operations (TCO) for its customers. Last year, it signed an agreement with EllaLink. The partnership provides a framework of cooperation between the two, guaranteeing that the infrastructures interact, knowledge is shared, and synergies are established to promote Sines as a new digital hub in global data network systems.  Today, Sines is directly connected to Lisbon, Madrid, Fortaleza, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. In the future, the connectivity will be extended to Marseille, Barcelona, Casablanca and more.

Schneider Electric has introduced its new Easy UPS 3-Phase Modular UPS. It is easy to select, quote, install and maintain, with a modular architecture that enables redundant, scalable options and Live Swap of power and bypass modules with no scheduled down time. This uninterruptible power supply delivers robust power protection and high availability in a cost optimised, 50-250kW N+1 400V package, ideal for small and medium data centres and other business critical applications. It also features a modular design with Live Swap in a compact, one cabinet footprint. Its scalability enables customers to pay-as-they grow, optimising capital investment with competitive acquisition costs. Customers can buy the power modules they need upfront and enjoy optimised operating efficiency. They can then add power modules with third-party verified Live Swap as demand grows. The modular design also enables N+1 internal redundancy, which increases the system’s availability with no extra footprint.

The Paratus Group announces new data centres in Angola

The Paratus Group is celebrating 20 years in Africa by announcing it will construct Angola’s first Tier-IV by design data centre in Luanda. This complements the existing two Tier-III by design data centres that the pan-African telco already owns and operates in Angola. It is the fifth certified and carrier neutral data centre operated by the company in Southern Africa. Chief Technical Officer at Paratus, Rolf Mendelsohn, who is participating at the Pan-African data centre exhibition and conference as a panellist, says, “The new data centre will be constructed on a 30,000m2 plot, will have the capacity to house over 2,000 cabinets, and will have a total IT power capacity of more than 10MW. It is a natural evolution after having built other world-class data centre facilities in Namibia and Zambia recently. It will be the biggest data centre in Angola and not only complements our existing data centre offering, but will cement our network in Angola as a major hub in the region.” The company currently has four Tier-III by design data centres in Southern Africa. With the opportunities presented by the activation of the Equiano subsea cable and by the growing digital economy, it has established itself as a player in igniting the possibilities for hyperscalers, cloud and infrastructure providers and multinational enterprises. Rolf adds, "Colocation of critical infrastructure in data centres is becoming indispensable to businesses wanting a digital economy advantage. We will support this by providing the necessary infrastructure and services to give businesses what they need to actively compete in the fourth industrial revolution (4IR).” The company owns and operates data centres in Angola, Namibia and Zambia. All Paratus data centres have been ISO 9001, ISO 27001 and PCI-DSS certified.

Cologix expands partnership with Montreal Internet Exchange

Cologix has announced an expansion with the Montreal Internet Exchange (QIX) to establish an additional Point of Presence (PoP) in the Cologix MTL7 digital edge data centre. This expanded partnership enables valuable interconnection access for businesses in the Montreal region. QIX has maintained a presence in Cologix facilities for over a decade, serving as a hub for internet, peering at its MTL1 and MTL3 digital edge data centres. Internet exchanges like QIX play a pivotal role in the value of the company’s ecosystem by enabling scalable peering and broad access to a diverse collection of networks. “This growing partnership between QIX and Cologix is driven by a shared mission to streamline the sharing of internet traffic to empower digital ecosystems at the edge,” says Peg Hallberg, Cologix’s Head of Product. “Our MTL7 facility now provides customers an environment to natively connect and exchange traffic with peering members. Businesses can directly connect to the QIX exchange in MTL7, enabling customers to expand their reach and improve network performance while fostering a dynamic digital ecosystem.” MTL7 is 26,000ft², located in downtown Montreal and connected to the MTL3 carrier hotel facility and 10 additional data centres across the city via Metro Connect. All of the data centres are ISO 27001 certified by Schellman and HIPAA, SOC1, SOC2 and PCI compliant. “Our new PoP at MTL7 makes peering easier than ever before by enabling networks within the data centre to seamlessly connect to QIX,” says Stephano Bertini, Vice President, Business Development and General Manager at QIX. “By eliminating an extra layer of connectivity, QIX ensures enhanced accessibility and facilitates more efficient and cost-effective peering options for businesses colocated at MTL7.”

BDC expands data centre in Kuala Lumpur

Bridge Data Centres (BDC) has announced that it will expand its hyperscale data centre campus, MY03, located at MRANTI Park, Kuala Lumpur. This expansion provides an additional 48MW of IT power to hyperscalers and enterprises in Malaysia and Asia Pacific.   BDC has signed an agreement with Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology & Innovation (MRANTI) to develop three buildings and a 132kV substation. With the expansion, MY03 will offer a total IT power capacity of 64MW. The expansion project comprises two phases. Phase one is planned to be ready for service with 16MW by Q3, 2025. Phase two is scheduled to begin operations by Q4, 2027. BDC and MRANTI held a signing ceremony in Kuala Lumpur which was witnessed by Dzuleira Abu Bakar, Chief Executive Officer of MRANTI; Khairil Anuar Sadat Salleh, Chief Commercial Officer of MRANTI; and Dz Shing Lim, President, Bridge Data Centres. The establishment of the data centre campus entrenches Malaysia as a desired destination for data centre investment in the Asia Pacific region. Located strategically in the vicinity of central Kuala Lumpur, the park spans across a vast area of 686ac and supports the entire innovation process with a focus on driving the commercialisation of ‘impact technologies’ in key industry sectors to foster sustainable development. “Last year, we introduced a comprehensive and integrated approach to transform MRANTI Park from a property-focused sector into a leading 4IR hub in Malaysia. This master plan aims to achieve a gross development value of RM20bn, land leases worth RM2.8bn, and the creation of 8,000 jobs by 2027,” says Dzuleira Abu Bakar, CEO of MRANTI. “We recently launched the country’s national testbed for 5G through the government-led MRANTI 5G Experience Centre to fast-track new innovations in a more enriching data-driven future. Today, we are excited to announce the expansion of Bridge Data Centres within MRANTI Park, aligning perfectly with MRANTI Park’s expansion strategy,” says Dzuleira.

ePLDT announces plans for its 12th data centre

The PLDT Group, through its ICT subsidiary, ePLDT, has announced new plans to further boost its 65% data centre market capacity share by building its 12th data centre facility. This development was officially announced by ePLDT President and CEO, Victor S. Genuino, during his keynote presentation at the W. Media Philippines Cloud and Datacenter Convention 2023. He shared that the decision to build this data centre is anchored on customers’ needs and its aspirations of delivering digital innovation that will increase business value and result in inclusive economic growth. The move is also part of its vision to boost the country’s regional competitiveness and bring much needed investments. “We want to be able to help the Philippines be the next hyperscaler hub of Asia while continuing to support the digital transformation journey of different sectors locally. That’s why we’ve been investing heavily in our ecosystem to ensure that our data centres will be a crucial enabler of the country’s digital economy,” adds Victor. The 12th data centre will have a power capacity of no less than 100MW. It will leverage on the infrastructure investment of the country’s telecommunication group. “Historically, data centres have played a silent yet fundamental role in the digital agenda, most especially in the Philippines. But things are changing now. Governments and enterprises are now seeing the integral role that this industry takes on to secure our digital future,” says Victor. He also shared developments in ePLDT’s 11th and biggest data centre, VITRO Sta. Rosa, stating that it is already receiving several colocation requests from a diverse range of industry leaders. Once completed in early 2024, VITRO Sta. Rosa will be an advanced data centre with a total power capacity of 50MW. With VITRO Sta. Rosa on the rise and a 12th data centre facility underway, the company’s power capacity will increase to around 200MW once both sites are activated.

LCL Data Centers to use biofuel for standby power

Caterpillar has announced that LCL Data Centers has commissioned a new 13.5MVA standby power solution at its Brussels-West data centre in Aalst that operates exclusively on 100% hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel. It is the first data centre in the nation to use biofuels for standby power operation. Facility planners for the company leveraged the expertise of engineering experts from Eneria to design, install, test and commission the solution, which consists of six Cat 3516B diesel generator sets. “With our deep roots in Belgium, we are committed to supporting environmentally responsible initiatives that create a better world,” says Laurens van Reijen, Managing Director, LCL. “Our collaboration with Eneria and Caterpillar has demonstrated the viability of HVO100 in our standby power systems. We’re strongly committed to becoming carbon neutral by the end of this decade, and we’ve launched numerous initiatives across our operations to help us achieve this goal.” Eneria will also provide ongoing maintenance and service under a Cat Customer Value Agreement (CVA). Through fully customisable CVAs, Cat dealers assume responsibility for the onsite maintenance and service of power solutions, enabling customers to focus on running their enterprises. “We were delighted to receive the request from the data centre specialist, LCL to ensure its emergency power generators operate on HVO100, a renewable diesel fuel. We tested the operation of Cat generator sets with traditional diesel, HVO100, and a blend of these fuels. We concluded that the power and reactivity performance of the generators remained the same regardless of the fuel used,” says Tim Bisson, Director of Eneria Belux. Propelled by the success of the project in Aalst, LCL plans to convert the standby power solutions at all its data centres to operate on HVO over the next two years. The standby system was installed as part of a €15.5m expansion that tripled its footprint in Aalst while achieving the Uptime Institute’s Tier III certifications for design and construction.

AirTrunk announces new data centre in Hong Kong

AirTrunk has announced plans to develop its second data centre in Hong Kong, supporting the demand for critical digital infrastructure in the region. The company's HKG2 data centre will be scalable to over 15MW and strategically located in a new, major cloud availability zone in East New Territories. Initial capacity is expected to be delivered to the anchor tenant in mid-2024. HKG2 complements HKG1, which opened in late 2020 in the West New Territories and provides location diversity for the company’s large technology customers. The addition takes its capacity to more than 35MW in Hong Kong. The facility will become the 10th data centre in its APJ platform that also includes data centres in Australia, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia. Collectively, the platform will offer almost 1.38GW across the region. AirTrunk's Deputy CEO, Michael Juniper, says, “As a key international business hub, Hong Kong has ambitions to accelerate the development of a digital economy. Combined with the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI), there is a huge demand for cloud services and the supporting critical digital infrastructure. HKG2 will play an important role in responding to this demand.” The data centre will be a retrofit of an existing building and designed to meet the stringent security requirements of global technology customers such as PCI DSS, ISO27001, SOC2 Type 2. Close to key data centres, it will enable international connectivity with direct and low latency access to Greater China and neighbouring North East Asian countries. AirTrunk's Head of Hong Kong, KC Li, says, “The development of HKG2 will bring significant benefits to the Hong Kong economy, including the creation of new jobs, enablement of public cloud, sustainable innovation, as well as community contributions.” HKG2 will be designed to an industry low power usage effectiveness of 1.25 and as part of the company’s broader emissions commitment, deliver net zero emissions by 2030, as well as renewable sourcing options.