Enterprise Network Infrastructure: Design, Performance & Security

Arelion connects EcoDataCenter to Nordic AI superhighway

Arelion, a Swedish telecommunications company formerly known as Telia Carrier, today announced it is upgrading its existing Point-of-Presence (PoP) at Swedish sustainable data centre operator EcoDataCenter’s Falun, Sweden, data centre campus with the latest-generation open optical line systems. Arelion’s network enhancement enables connectivity to its AI superhighway in the Nordics, leveraging scalable 400G and 800G coherent optics. This upgrade continues Arelion’s investment in its Scandinavian network by enhancing capacity and diversity to support its wholesale and enterprise customers’ AI deployments. EcoDataCenter builds data centres designed for demanding AI workloads and is used by global AI companies such as DeepL and CoreWeave. The company is also currently experiencing growth across the region. “Arelion’s investment is crucial in bolstering Scandinavia’s latest wave of technological innovation amid the region’s AI market growth,” argues Peter Michelson, CEO of EcoDataCenter. “By providing high-capacity connectivity to sustainable data centre infrastructure, we will collaborate to empower customers with Tier-1 services that support the AI ecosystem, enabling digital transformation across vital industries.” Sweden’s AI sector is experiencing growing investment, with analysts projecting the market will reach $6.35 billion by 2031, growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 26.24%. The country’s data centre market is also growing to support these applications through digital infrastructure, with experts estimating it will reach $2.73 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 10.39%. This growth is most likely driven by the higher availability of sustainable power in Sweden, with the country’s existing data centre capacity totalling over 130 MW, which is critical for supporting energy-demanding AI workloads. Arelion is offering its enhanced capabilities with delivery starting early Q3 2025. “This strategic deployment continues our Scandinavian network investments, allowing us to provide the vital backbone connectivity needed to support AI and cloud applications in the region’s booming technology markets,” comments Patrik Andreasson, Head of Sales Nordic & CEE at Arelion. “Our partnership combines high-capacity services with energy-efficient infrastructure, accelerating our customers’ AI deployments to spur further innovation across the Nordics.” For more from EcoDataCenter, click here.

New CEO of R&M announced

A new era of leadership is beginning at R&M, a globally active Swiss developer and provider of infrastructure solutions for data and communications networks. The family-owned company has appointed Roger Baumann (58) as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Michel Riva, CEO of R&M since 2012, has decided to scale back his professional activities and focus on consulting and advisory board mandates. The handover took place on 23 June 2025, following a short transitional phase. "Over the past 13 years, Michel Riva has developed our company in a foresighted, goal-orientated manner with great personal commitment. Under his aegis, R&M established itself on the ICT market as an internationally recognised provider of network infrastructures," says Martin Reichle on behalf of the owner family. Under the responsibility of Michel Riva, R&M’s sales increased by 60% in 2022 to CHF 298 million (£271.75 million). The number of employees has almost tripled. The Group’s largest markets are Switzerland, Germany, Eastern, Southern and Western Europe, the Middle East, and India. "Under the leadership of Michel Riva, R&M has further established itself as a global player in the ICT market. Stakeholders were impressed by his focus on internationalisation, segment, and growth strategy, as well as overall solutions," says Chairman of the Board of Directors Thomas A. Ernst. "Together with the management team, Michel Riva has developed R&M from a component manufacturer to a provider of integrated solutions for public networks, data centres, and local area networks." "Being CEO of R&M was the best job of my career," comments Michel Riva as he bids farewell. Roger Baumann has decades of international management, technology, and sales experience in the manufacturing industry. He began his career in 1998 at Siemens, where he worked, among other things, as Head of Global Business Segments and as Managing Director of the market organisation in Taiwan. From this position, he is familiar with the infrastructure solutions for building automation, such as those offered by R&M in the LAN division. Since 2009, Roger has been CEO and Managing Director of three medium-sized, globally active technology companies. Most recently, he led Büchi Labortechnik in Flawil. He studied electrical engineering at ETH Zurich and completed his doctorate in microtechnology at EPFL Lausanne. He also completed the Executive MBA program as well as the Board Program at the University of St Gallen. "I am impressed by the high level of expertise, the perceptible passion, and the global team spirit of the R&M team," says Roger, describing his impression after his first few weeks at the company. For more from R&M, click here.

LINX and ISOC Ghana announce partnership

The London Internet Exchange (LINX), an Internet Exchange Point (IXP) operator of digital infrastructure across the UK, Africa, and the United States, has stepped into a new community partnership with the Internet Society (ISOC) Ghana Chapter, marking a milestone in the development of Ghana’s digital infrastructure. This collaboration coincides with the launch of LINX Accra, a new interconnection hub designed to enhance internet performance, connectivity, and resilience across West Africa. The partnership aims to build on the existing internet community in Ghana through a series of joint initiatives, including community engagement events, technical training programs, and knowledge-sharing activities. These efforts are geared towards empowering local stakeholders to come together and advance the region’s internet ecosystem. LINX claims the new hub is expected to provide a platform for local and international networks to interconnect, improving latency, reducing costs, and boosting overall internet quality in the region. Nurani Nimpuno, Head of Global Engagement for LINX, comments, “We are excited to work alongside the Internet Society Ghana Chapter to support capacity building in Ghana. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to building a more robust and accessible internet for all.” ISOC Ghana is a chartered Chapter of the Internet Society, which is a non-profit organisation founded in 1992 to provide leadership in internet-related standards, education, and policy. It says it is dedicated to ensuring the open development, evolution, and use of the internet for the benefit of the people in Ghana and throughout the world. Maud Adjeley Ashont Elliot, President of the ISOC Ghana Chapter, states, “This partnership with LINX is a timely and welcome development as it brings renewed energy to our mission and opens up new avenues for collaboration, learning, and impact. We welcome the arrival of LINX into Ghana and look forward to a long-term partnership for the good of the local internet.” The Ghana Network Operators’ Group (GhNOG) Workshop, organised by the ISOC Ghana Chapter, is a technical training initiative aimed at strengthening the capacity of Ghana’s internet technical community. Designed to meet evolving industry demands, the workshop serves ISOC members and the wider internet ecosystem in Ghana. It seeks to provide a platform to attract new members, foster collaboration, and introduce courses and initiatives from the global Internet Society. For more from LINX, click here.

First companies achieve global FAN 1.1 certification

Smart connected devices from IoT, networking, and electronics providers are now achieving certification for the new Field Area Network (FAN) 1.1 program from the Wi-SUN Alliance, a global non-profit member-based association driving the proliferation of interoperable wireless solutions using open global standards. Exegin Technologies, Kyoto University / Nagano Japan Radio / Nissin Systems, Landis+Gyr, Renesas Electronics, Silicon Labs, and VertexCom have become the first companies to achieve FAN 1.1 certification. The recently-launched Certification Program aims to ensure that products, including smart meters, smart sensors, and other utility IoT devices, can successfully interoperate in a multi-vendor data network in compliance with the FAN 1.1 wireless mesh specification. Network builders across key sectors can now access the new features of FAN 1.1, including: 1. Low-power operation to support water metering, gas metering, and other low power field sensing use cases requiring battery life of ten years or more.2. High performance link speeds of up to 2.4 Mbps to support AMI 2.0 requirements.3. Expanded global support for 800 and 900 MHz regions.4. Compatibility with existing Wi-SUN FAN networks. “We are very pleased to unveil the first certified products and vendors as part of our FAN 1.1 Certification Program,” says Wi-SUN Alliance CEO Phil Beecher. “Utilities and municipalities can now adopt these devices into their existing networks knowing that they can interconnect with other products in one common, interoperable ecosystem that boasts enterprise-class security and more efficient network-wide usage of available bandwidth. Wi-SUN FAN 1.1 offers significant benefits when compared with other sub-GHz, Low-Power Wide-Area Network (LPWAN) technologies, providing greater reliability and resilience through self-healing mesh routing, and best-in-class enterprise level security.” The progress of certification of FAN 1.1 devices can be followed on the Wi-SUN website, and said devices can be used globally, including in the Americas, APAC, and EMEA. The FAN 1.1 wireless mesh technology is designed to support self-healing communications between a variety of devices used for applications from environmental monitoring to smart metering. FAN 1.1’s network reformation capabilities allow for recovery if the network were to go down, and is intended to handle power outages or local RF obstructions with the hope of ensuring communications remain uninterrupted.

UAE-IX now powered by DE-CIX

DE-CIX, an Internet Exchange (IX) operator, and partner Datamena, Du’s carrier neutral data centre and connectivity platform based in the UAE and serving the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, today announced the upgrade of the UAE-IX to offer 400 GE access. Connected customer capacity on the exchange has soared over the last year, growing two terabits, or 30%, in twelve months. The UAE-IX is the largest IX in the Middle East, based on both connected networks and peak traffic, and is now the only IX in the region to offer 400 GE access. Established in 2012 and operated by DE-CIX on behalf of partner Datamena, the IX today has over six terabits of connected capacity and connects close to 110 internet service providers (ISPs), carriers, cloud, content, and application providers, and global enterprises. It also provides enterprise-grade interconnection services, such as a Cloud Exchange, cloud routing, and application connectivity like the Microsoft Azure Peering Service (MAPS). “The UAE-IX today stands as a global internet hub, bringing together the network operators, content, applications, and cloud services to serve the entire GCC region with resilient and low latency connectivity,” claims Ivo Ivanov, CEO of DE-CIX. “This upgrade further reinforces the importance of the UAE-IX, now ready to serve the rising demand for everything digital. The excellent collaboration with our partner Datamena has enabled the UAE-IX powered by DE-CIX to shine as the most important aggregation point for network interconnection in the Middle East. I look forward to a bright future working together for the next decade of digital development.” Karim Benkirane, Chief Commercial Officer, Du, comments, "We are proud to partner with DE-CIX in leading digital growth in the Middle East with the upgrade of the UAE-IX powered by DE-CIX to 400 GE access. It is our vision to foster a seamlessly interconnected landscape where businesses and consumers alike can benefit from unparalleled internet exchange capabilities, heightened performance, and robust security. This milestone aligns with our commitment to maintaining the UAE-IX as a pioneer in interconnection and marks a transformative leap for regional digital ecosystems." DE-CIX has been active in the Middle East for over a decade, and now operates IXs in multiple countries in the region: Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, the UAE, and Turkey. The UAE-IX in Dubai is operated under the DE-CIX as a Service (DaaS) model. The DaaS program includes a set of services – such as installation, maintenance, provisioning, and marketing and sales support – designed for carriers, data centre operators, or other third parties to create their own IX and interconnection platform operated by DE-CIX. For more from DE-CIX, click here.

Huber+Suhner opens new POLATIS production site

Huber+Suhner has opened its new advanced manufacturing site in Pisary, Poland, dedicated to the large-scale production of POLATIS optical circuit switches (OCS) for AI and hyperscale data centres. Production capacity is planned to increase at least fivefold over the next two years. Reflecting the surge in demand for OCS solutions, the company is increasing the speed of manufacturing of the POLATIS OCS portfolio with the intention to help ensure hyperscale operators have the technology required to enhance the performance and energy efficiency of data centre architectures and AI compute clusters. “The opening of our new Pisary facility is a major milestone that aligns with our commitment to innovation and operational excellence in optical networking,” claims Jürgen Walter, Chief Operating Officer, Communication Segment at Huber+Suhner. “Our POLATIS OCS solutions deliver transparent, software-defined, dynamic optical connectivity within energy-efficient hyperscale data centres to meet the low loss and latency demands of high-performance AI workloads.” Rising demand for OCS solutions stems from the rapid growth of hyperscale data centre infrastructure across the globe, driven by cloud computing and the increased use of AI. AI workloads are hosted on clusters of thousands of graphical processor units (GPUs) interconnected by optical fibres carrying data at hundreds of gigabits per second. An OCS enables on-demand reconfiguration of optical-layer connectivity and can route large volumes of high-speed traffic with minimal latency. By maintaining data in the optical domain and eliminating the need for optical-electrical-optical conversions, POLATIS OCS solutions hope to reduce power consumption and operating expenditure for hyperscale data centres, enabling new data centre architectures and allowing AI workloads to run more efficiently and at lower cost. With approximately 3,000m², the Pisary site will add to the existing Krzeszowice facility nearby, which is currently being operated at its full capacity. “The Pisary site will enhance our supply of OCS solutions while reflecting our mission for sustainable operations,” says Robert Smith, Managing Director, POLATIS at Huber+Suhner. “The facilities include a photovoltaic installation with a capacity of 150 kilowatt peak (kWp), a mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, and a biological waste treatment plant. A new building management system has also been implemented to support a low carbon footprint." For more from Huber+Suhner, click here.

Aruba boosts connectivity with new EXA Infrastructure PoP

Aruba - a provider in the data centre, cloud, and digital services sector - has announced the activation of a new Point of Presence (PoP) in partnership with EXA Infrastructure, one of Europe’s largest dedicated digital infrastructure platforms. The new PoP is located at Aruba’s Hyper Cloud Data Centre (IT4) in Rome, Italy. The announcement was made this week at NAM 2025 - the annual event organised by Namex, the main Internet Exchange Point (IXP) in Central Italy. As a result of this new PoP, Aruba’s IT4 data centre campus in Rome is now directly integrated into EXA Infrastructure’s global network via two fibre optic links. This dual-route architecture aims to ensure maximum security, operational continuity, and resilience. The connections, capable of reaching speeds of up to 400Gbps, are designed to support advanced connectivity needs. Aruba's IT4 campus, located in the capital, covers an area of 74,000m². Once fully operational, the campus will be able to host up to five independent data centres. The site is designed to deliver a total IT capacity of 30MW, with redundancy levels of up to 2N or higher. The campus' first data centre, DC-A, is already operational and has obtained the ANSI/TIA-942-C Rating 4 Constructed Facility certification. The entire site is connected to the Aruba data centres in Arezzo (IT1 and IT2) and Bergamo (IT3) via a modern backbone network. EXA Infrastructure, headquartered in London, is an international operator that owns and manages over 155,000km of fibre network in 37 countries, including six transatlantic cables connecting Europe and North America. "The activation of EXA Infrastructure's new Point of Presence is a key step in building an increasingly connected, resilient, and high-performance digital ecosystem," comments Andrea Colangelo, Director of Network Infrastructure at Aruba. "This type of integration between data centre infrastructure and next-generation networks is essential for attracting international companies and enabling innovative services in the region, strengthening Rome's role as a technological hub in the Mediterranean." For more from Aruba, click here.

AMD processors now power Nokia cloud infrastructure

AMD, an American multinational semiconductor company specialising in computer processors and graphics cards, has announced that Nokia has included 5th Gen AMD EPYC processors to power the Nokia Cloud Platform. “Telecom operators are looking for infrastructure solutions that combine performance, scalability, and power efficiency to manage the growing complexity and scale of 5G networks,” says Dan McNamara, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Server Business, AMD. “Working together with Nokia, we’re using the leadership performance and energy efficiency of the 5th Gen AMD EPYC processors to help our customers build and operate high-performance and efficient networks.” “This expanded collaboration between Nokia and AMD brings a multitude of benefits and underscores Nokia's commitment to innovation through diverse chip partnerships in 5G network infrastructure. The new 5th Gen AMD EPYC processors offer high performance and impressive energy efficiency, enabling Nokia to meet the demanding needs of its 5G customers while contributing to the industry's sustainability goals,” adds Kal De, Senior Vice President, Product and Engineering, Cloud and Network Services, Nokia. The processors will be deployed within Nokia Cloud Platform, a component that supports containerised workloads foundational to 5G core, edge, and enterprise applications. By integrating the AMD EPYC 9005 Series processors into Nokia Cloud Platform, Nokia hopes to deliver good performance per watt and meet growing data demands whilst minimising environmental impact. For more from AMD, click here.

Ciena publishes report on wave services demand

Ciena, an American networking systems and software company specialising in optical networking equipment, has compiled a new report on wavelength services that explores the key drivers of the need for high-speed connectivity. The report examines the critical role of wave services in enabling the expansion of interconnected data centres driven by artificial intelligence (AI), the growing importance of low latency and data sovereignty for AI workloads, and the build-out of terrestrial and critical submarine network infrastructure. It also highlights the pivotal role of managed optical fibre network (MOFN) business models to expand high-speed connectivity into new geographies and markets. “As cloud providers scale data centre networks to address AI performance requirements, wave services must also evolve in terms of capacity, coverage, latency, and route diversity,” says Mark Bieberich, Vice President of Portfolio Marketing, Ciena. “Demand for wave services is growing steadily worldwide as data centre network expansion requires increasingly high-capacity interconnection among various types of network operators and end users.” The total wave services circuits market in the US grew nearly 8% in 2024 and is projected to grow steadily through 2029, based on research from Vertical Systems Group. It observed an increasing use of wave services for cloud on-ramps, which is demonstrated by the metro geographical scope (41%) along with the dominance of retail customers (58%). The report states that, from 2024 to 2029, growth in 400G circuits is set to soar, while 100G circuits will see a steady rise and 10G circuits will experience modest growth. Wave services are the foundation of most high-capacity networks, particularly when connectivity to or between data centres is involved. High bandwidth, protocol transparency, and low latency are some of their fundamental characteristics. Wave services can either act as end services or support higher-layer services. Based on Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) technology, they enable massive data-transmission bandwidth over a fibre pair. Currently, wave services are dominated by 100G and 400G connections. There is still a high volume of 10G services deployed, but they are being upgraded to 100G at a steady pace. Ciena’s report also looks at the growth of submarine cables. It highlights that a record 161,100km of submarine cables are planned to become ready for service (RFS) in 2025, dwarfing the previous high of 121,000km becoming RFS back in 2001. “With infrastructure expanding rapidly and resource constraints increasingly shaping growth, anticipating demand has never been more important,” continues Mark. “Network operators providing wave services can seize this moment by proactively routing new submarine cables to emerging data centres and innovating to address these challenges. Differentiation through greater route diversity, low-latency connectivity, and compelling managed services is key to staying ahead.” The report provides an analysis of the current industry landscape, evaluating key trends and identifying factors poised to influence the market in the coming years.

LINX board election results revealed

The London Internet Exchange (LINX), operating one of the world's largest internet exchange points, facilitating traffic exchange between internet service providers (ISPs) and content networks, has announced the results of its 2025 board election, held during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 2 June in London. This year, two board positions were up for election. Incumbent members Neil McRae and Pete Stevens stood for re-election, while Paul Dunbar (Akamai) and Nico Walters (CMC Networks) were nominated as new candidates. Following the election, Neil McRae and Pete Stevens were re-elected to serve a new three-year term on the LINX board. Neil McRae has been involved with LINX since its birth back in 1994 and has served as a LINX board member for many years. He comments, “For me, being part of LINX is not just professional—it’s deeply personal. I believe that connectivity is a powerful equaliser that opens doors to opportunity, and I speak from personal experience, having built my career through self-taught skills and a relentless drive to learn and contribute. LINX is a crucial platform in enabling its members to connect people.” Pete Stevens is an active member of the LINX community and is also grateful to be re-elected. He adds, “I’m thrilled with what has been achieved during my time on the LINX board. I’ve become Vice Chair of the board and the Chair of the Finance, Risk, and Audit subcommittee. During my tenure on the board, we’ve appointed a new CEO, CFO, and changed our auditors to RSM. We’ve opened multiple internet exchanges around the world and now have five exchanges regularly pushing over half a terabit of traffic—one of which is less than twelve months old. I have also served on the governance committee which has now completed revising all the founding documents of LINX. This is a necessary development to place LINX on a firm legal footing for the future whilst still protecting member interests.” The LINX board plays a crucial role in guiding the strategic direction and governance of the organisation, aiming to ensure it meets the evolving needs of its membership and the broader internet community. Jennifer Holmes, CEO of LINX, says, “We’d like to thank all the candidates for standing for election. The voting this year was quite competitive, which reflects the strong interest in LINX as a membership-run organisation within the membership. I'd like to thank Neil and Pete for their dedication to the role so far and congratulate them on their re-election. LINX holds board elections every year so I look forward to welcoming more candidates into the process next year." For more from LINX, click here.