Enterprise Network Infrastructure: Design, Performance & Security

EUDCA’s research affirms critical importance of data centres

The European Data Centre Association (EUDCA), a trade body representing data centre operators, suppliers, and stakeholders across Europe, has announced the publication of its inaugural State of European Data Centres report, in collaboration with European National Trade Associations (NTAs). The new report marks an important step in documenting and recording the state of the industry, allowing greater ongoing analysis and insights, tracking progress and development, and reflecting a vibrant industry that while experiencing challenges, has potential to be at the heart of a digital Europe. Michael Winterson, Secretary General of the EUDCA, says, “Europe’s digital economies could not have been established without the backbone of data centres that provide digital sovereignty while contributing significantly to GDP. The State of European Data Centres 2025 provides a benchmark of this vital industry and a reference point for informed, data-driven decision-making as we continue building Europe’s digital future.” According to the report, the data centre industry contributes significantly to Europe’s socio-economic landscape. Colocation data centres alone were responsible for €30 billion in GDP in 2023, expected to reach €83.8 billion by 2030, with the creation of thousands of direct and indirect jobs. The market is expanding rapidly, driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and digital service growth, with demand outstripping supply and attracting billions of euros in investment. Major centres of activity include Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris, and Dublin (FLAPD), with intense activity in emerging hubs in the Nordics and Southern Europe. Additionally, new metropolitan hubs are emerging in and around cities such as Barcelona, Rome, and Athens. “A key implication from the report,” continues Michael, “is the need for data centres, as large energy consumers, to become flexible energy partners to grid providers.” Sustainability data shows that more than a quarter (28%) of operators have invested in on-site renewable energy generation capability, and 41% plan to do so. In support of these efforts, 28% are planning on installing battery energy storage systems (BESS) within the next two years. Currently, nearly a quarter (22%) of data centre operators provide grid stabilisation or energy trading capacity to energy grids, greatly facilitating further utilisation of renewable energy sources (RES). This will almost triple (59%) in the next two years. All of this means that data centre operators, through increased resilience and energy independence, can engage with grid operators to relieve stress on grids, while providing supports such as grid stabilisation services. The report finds the industry faces challenges related to power availability, sustainability, and regulatory compliance as new reporting obligations recently came into effect. More than a third (36%) said that regulatory compliance will be a challenge over the next three years. However, these challenges also present opportunities for innovation in energy efficiency, flexibility, and heat reuse. The sector's continued growth will necessitate ongoing investments in sustainability to minimise environmental impact. Another bright spot is improvement in water usage. Of those operators who reported water usage effectiveness (WUE), the average was 0.31 litre per kWh for 2023, well below the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact (CNDCP) target of 0.4 l/kWh for water-stressed areas. The industry is also advancing technologies such as liquid cooling and heat reuse to improve efficiency and reduce its environmental footprint. Currently, half of operators have residual heat coupling capability, with a further 38% expected in two years. Already, three quarters of operators have energy or environmental management systems in place. The data centre industry also faces significant challenges, including power supply constraints, permitting delays, and a growing skills gap in technical fields. More than 75% of survey respondents consider access to power as the biggest challenge for the sector in the next three years, despite a willingness to invest in alternative solutions to access power. Energy costs are also a concern, as rising wholesale prices impact operators. The additional responsibility of regulatory compliance was also significant, with more than a third (36%) citing it as a major challenge in the near future. There are significant concerns that duplication and redundancy in reporting frameworks will deter compliance, reducing effectiveness and frustrating regulatory goals. For more from the EUDCA, click here.

Zayo Europe delivers Pan-European network to GNM

Zayo Europe, a Pan-European fibre infrastructure owner and operator, has today announced the delivery of a 100G wavelength network for fellow infrastructure provider GNM in five working days. The diverse network was built on Zayo Europe’s 800G-ready infrastructure, creating a low-latency route with the intention to enhance GNM’s European backbone and expand its presence in key regions. GNM supports a number of international clients, including Google, Vodafone, Telegram, and Roblox, which rely on stable and secure infrastructure across the continent. Alex Surkov, Head of Development at GNM, says, “Our focus is on constantly improving the diversity of our networks for our Pan-European client-base. This is exactly what this project with Zayo Europe does. Since our networks operate in different regions, we see strong potential to complement each other’s coverage and will work closely to explore collaboration opportunities that bring value to both companies and our clients.” Colman Deegan, CEO of Zayo Europe, says: “With the constant increase in bandwidth required to power the AI revolution and the move towards 6G, providing low latency, high-speed networks to securely share data has arguably never been more important. This is why we’re so open to working collaboratively with our peers to ensure the highest quality connectivity across the continent. “That GNM turned to us to deliver a 100G Wavelength route from Marseille to Amsterdam to drive connectivity for its vast client-base is testament to the work that’s been put in by the Zayo Europe team over the years. We’re already in talks with the GNM team on future collaborative projects and look forward to where the future takes us.” For more from Zayo Europe, click here.

Optical cable removes barriers to delivering 800G

A new proposal for long-haul optical network cables aims to ‘break through the glass ceiling’ of data transmission limits to ensure the ever-growing demands of data centres can be supplied. A new whitepaper from fibre cable experts Acome Group and Sumitomo Electric Industries says that existing optical fibre cables will only be able to meet the long-term transmission capacity needs of European data centres at a significantly higher cost and degraded environmental footprint. Conventional G.652.D optical fibres struggle to transmit data rates at and above 800 Gb/s over distances further than a few hundred kilometres. Over longer distances, such as between two data centres, signal regeneration or additional optical amplification is needed which adds complexity and costs for network owners. “With AI, cloud services, and the growth of hyperscale data centres dramatically increasing demand for bandwidth, telecom infrastructure must evolve to support high-capacity, long-distance transmission,” comments Xavier Renard, Telecom Marketing Director at ACOME. “It’s also crucial that we consider the longevity of the network. A network is not a static asset. It’s constantly evolving, so it’s essential that the fibre used is correctly selected to support future bandwidth over decades of use.” Acome and Sumitomo Electric have developed a new hybrid solution that aims to allow network operators to deploy a single, universal cable that supports both current and future network needs. Upgrading to 800G and above requires fewer repeaters to amplify the optical signals and can also avoid the need for signal regeneration. Their solution combines two existing fibre grades to provide a cable solution that should enable longer transmission distances, higher data rates per wavelength, and reduced infrastructure requirements – all of which are key enablers of energy-efficient, scalable, and future-proof optical transport networks. “PureAdvance fibres, compliant with ITU-T G.654.E, are contributing to evolve long-term network and transmission technologies. For example, combining G.654.E with G.652.D can maximise flexibility and futureproof the network,” adds Fumiyoshi Ohkubo, General Manager, Market Development & Engineering Department of Optical Fiber & Cable Division at Sumitomo Electric. This hybrid approach intends to create pathways for future upgrades to high-capacity, using coherent transmission, and enable a smoother migration to next-generation network architectures without needing full infrastructure overhauls.

Vodafone and Three merger completed in UK

Vodafone, a leading global telecommunications company, and CK Hutchison Group Telecom Holdings (CKHGT), a wholly owned subsidiary of CK Hutchison, have today announced that the merger of Vodafone UK and Three UK successfully completed on 31 May 2025. The combined business, named VodafoneThree, is 51% owned by Vodafone and 49% by CKHGT. Vodafone will fully consolidate VodafoneThree in its financial results and the Chief Executive Officer is Max Taylor, who currently leads Vodafone UK. Three UK’s Darren Purkis is appointed Chief Financial Officer. VodafoneThree intends to invest £11 billion over the next 10 years. In its first year, VodafoneThree plans to invest £1.3 billion in capex. This should enable the company to accelerate its network deployment, and the combined business is expected to deliver cost and capex synergies of £700 million per annum by the fifth year after completion. The transaction is expected to be accretive to Vodafone’s Adjusted free cash flow from FY29 onwards. Full alignment to Vodafone’s accounting policies is ongoing and the company states that pro forma financials will be provided in due course. High quality network connectivity is critical to many elements of daily life. It is also central to the UK’s economic growth prospects, important for the UK’s science and technology sectors, as well as for improving public services. This investment in a 5G standalone network is being made with the stated aim to propel the UK’s mobile infrastructure to the forefront of European connectivity. Margherita Della Valle, Vodafone Group Chief Executive, says, “The merger will create a new force in UK mobile, transform the country’s digital infrastructure, and propel the UK to the forefront of European connectivity. We are now eager to kick-off our network build and rapidly bring customers greater coverage and superior network quality. The transaction completes the reshaping of Vodafone in Europe, and following this period of transition we are now well-positioned for growth ahead.” Canning Fok, Deputy Chairman of CK Hutchison and Executive Chairman of CKHGT, comments, “As we have demonstrated in other European markets, scale enables the significant investment needed to deliver the world-beating mobile networks our customers expect, and the Vodafone and Three merger provides that scale. In addition, this transaction unlocks significant shareholder value, returning approximately £1.3 billion in net cash to the Group.” For more from Vodafone, click here.

Principal acquires data centre complex in Düsseldorf

Principal Asset Management, a global investment management business, has acquired a key data centre complex in the Rhine-Ruhr region of Germany. The 36,429m² complex, known as Connecta Park, is located in Düsseldorf and let to a number of tenants, including Digital Realty, Colt, Pluserver, Comtrance, 1&1 Versatel, Telia, Vodafone, and Zayo. It benefits from fibre connectivity for the Nordics, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Frankfurt and is home to the DE-CIX and ECIX (Megaport) internet exchanges. Connecta Park is the sixth asset to be acquired for Principal European Data Centre Fund I, which raised €297 million from 14 investors and is now closed to new investors. The fund is focused on manage-to-core data centre assets and has acquired five assets in Barcelona, the UK, Amsterdam, Dublin, and Frankfurt. Paul Lewis, Managing Director, European Data Centres at Principal Asset Management, says, “The acquisition of this key data centre hub in Düsseldorf marks a strategic addition to Principal European Data Centre Fund I, further strengthening our presence in key European digital infrastructure markets. “North Rhine-Westphalia is experiencing increased demand from hyperscalers and this asset, offering access to a broad range of fibre networks and strong connectivity to the Nordics, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Frankfurt, is well positioned to benefit from that trend. With a high-quality tenant mix and significant technical capability, we believe this asset will continue to attract strong occupier interest as demand accelerates."

UK Government announces new apprenticeship initiative

Young people in the UK are set to benefit from 120,000 new training opportunities as part of what the Government calls a "radical skills revolution," giving them the chance to develop skills where they are most needed across the workforce to "rebuild Britain." An overview of the announcement: · Construction, health and social care, engineering, and the digital sector are among those set to benefit the most from the new opportunities. · There is a refocusing of funding away from Level 7 (masters-level) apprenticeships from January 2026 – which has been criticised. · There is to be an implementation of a 32% increase in the Immigration Skills Charge, which will deliver up to 45,000 additional training places to upskill the domestic workforce and reduce reliance on migration in priority sectors. In response to this announcement, within which the digital sector has been cited as one of the key areas benefitting from the new opportunities, comments have been made by Mike Meyer, Managing Director of Portman Partners and Board Member of the Data Centre Alliance. Mike has an extensive background in recruitment and talent development within the digital infrastructure sector, having spent over 25 years within the industry with first-hand experience across Datacenter, Digital Infrastructure, IT, and Telecoms prior to moving into Executive Search. He has also spoken numerous times on the topic of talent development and bringing up the new generation of data centre professionals, notably at the East London University and at the Tech Capital International Finance Forum. “It's encouraging to see the Government investing in skills development across sectors for the next generation of young talent,” says Mike. “With the digital sector being among those set to benefit, I hope to see investment in the skills required for the digital infrastructure industry to help attract and nurture young professionals that the sector desperately needs to sustain itself. “With the growing demand for data centre capacity continuing to create the need for larger facilities, this has brought with it an unyielding need to fill the ever-increasing job openings in the sector. Though growth is an excellent problem to have, a future pool of fresh, young talent is imperative in a sector that is rapidly aging, with an average age of 53. “The Government’s ambitions to strengthen the UK's leadership in advancing and applying AI is creating demand for even larger, more powerful data centres. Alongside significant capital investment, such as the planned construction of the UK’s largest AI data centre in Essex in 2026, there will be an ongoing need for a steady pipeline of skilled talent to design, construct, and manage data centres. The new initiative from the Government is a positive sign that the industry is heading in the right direction.”

ZOI to connect the Middle East and Europe

Zain Omantel International (ZOI), the Middle East's leading regional wholesale business with access to more than 20 international submarine cables in the region, has announced a partnership with Horizon Scope Telecom, Iraq's leading ICT solutions provider, and the Iraqi Telecommunications and Information Company (ITPC), a government-owned company under the Iraqi Ministry of Telecommunications and Iraq's leading connectivity company. This partnership enables ZOI to create a digital telecommunications corridor stretching from the Middle East to Europe through Iraq, offering alternative terrestrial connectivity options. The route will use terrestrial fibre connectivity that utilises Iraq’s position as a digital gateway, aiming to create more reliable services that are less susceptible to interruptions. It will pass through Turkey and make its way up to Frankfurt, Germany. The new corridor will act as an alternative to traditional subsea routes by bypassing some turbulent areas. The route is intended to enable international businesses, telecom operators, and hyperscalers to expand their reach via low-latency infrastructure, ensuring connectivity between the Middle East and Europe. “We are delighted to announce that, in the presence of Her Excellency Dr. Hiyam Al-Yasiri, the Iraqi Minister of Communications, we have signed a strategic frame agreement with our partners Horizon Scope and ITPC to establish a new connectivity corridor from the Middle East to Europe. By combining ZOI’s pan-Middle East network with the robust infrastructure of Horizon Scope Telecom and ITPC, we’ve created a route that extends from Iraq into the heart of Europe,” says Sohail Qadir, CEO at ZOI. “By working together, we will enhance regional and international connectivity, offering higher capacity, security, and efficiency for businesses, operators, and hyperscalers across continents. This initiative aligns with our mission to bridge markets, drive digital transformation, and enable new growth opportunities, further reinstating ZOI as the global gateway for our region.” As a licensed ISP, Horizon Scope Telecom will facilitate direct peering with other networks and interconnection with global internet exchanges. With ZOI and ITPC, it seeks to improve speed and capacity and reduce latency for enterprises and hyperscalers looking to take advantage of Iraq’s rising presence as a regional hub. “We recognised ZOI and ITPC’s commitment to building resilient and seamless networks that empower global telecommunications through the identification of the world’s next global hubs,” comments Ahmed Abdulsalam, the Managing Director of Horizon Scope. “Offering alternative terrestrial connectivity routes is a critical way to protect against infrastructure vulnerabilities, ensuring that enterprises can capture more opportunities and scale with reliable connectivity.” “This partnership marks a significant milestone in strengthening Iraq’s position as a connectivity corridor, especially by providing an alternative path to Europe. We are committed to delivering connectivity solutions that the people of Iraq can trust and use to enable seamless global connectivity. We’re excited to see this partnership succeed as we aim to foster economic growth for both local and international enterprises operating in and around Iraq,” states Ali Y. Dawood, the Director General of ITPC.

Roxtec Middle East reports record data centre sales growth

The Middle East’s rapid development in the data centre sector, supercharged by AI and cloud computing demand, is driving growth in the region for safety seal manufacturer Roxtec. Dubai-headquartered Roxtec Middle East is expanding from working on six data centre projects in 2023 to more than 20 in 2025, including programmes for major global players and AI ‘hyperscalers’. Swedish-owned Roxtec today announced it is gearing up for more demand for its products over the next 18 months, following the recent development deal to allow the UAE to buy large volumes of US-made AI chips, announced during President Trump’s recent visit to the region, and deals signed by major American companies to develop the AI sector. In a major development, the UAE and US have signed an agreement for the Gulf country to build the largest artificial intelligence campus outside the US. The 10-square-mile AI campus in Abu Dhabi will be powered by a five gigawatt data centre and will be operated by American companies and supported by Emirati firms G42 and MGX. The initiative includes collaborations with major tech companies such as Nvidia, OpenAI, Amazon Web Services, and Microsoft. These partnerships aim to position the Gulf region as a global leader in AI development. Roxtec, a global leader in the manufacture of cable and pipe transit systems, based in the Jebel Ali Freezone, has revealed it is currently in discussions with several companies looking to develop and build the next generation of HPC (High-Performance Computing) data centres, designed to handle intensive AI and Big Data workloads. The company provides specialised seals for cable and pipe penetrations that secure data centres against fire, water ingress, and air leakage, and protect against electromagnetic interferences that can create outages. The sector now represents more than 25% of its infrastructure business unit sales with a potential to reach 50% in the next 18 months. Roxtec is currently active on projects in the Gulf states of UAE, Qatar, and Oman, including new-build centres as well as refit and refurbishment work. The high energy efficiency needs of ever-larger centres which house the supercomputers that run AI systems, and the climate change and environmental challenges being faced across the region, are increasing the demand for resilience. A shift towards modular construction is also helping Roxtec’s growth and scale-up plans as a valuable part of the supply chain. To cater to the growing needs of the market, Roxtec is launching two new products for the Middle East: FlamePlus, which offers a sealing system, addressing the shift toward modular and prefabricated builds, and its Software Suite, which offers a digital lifecycle management platform for cable and pipe transits. In addition, Roxtec has confirmed appointment of a dedicated manager in Abu Dhabi for its data centre operation. Mohammed Abrar, Roxtec Business Unit Head of Infrastructure and Industry, says, “We’re seeing massive demand for our products, powered by the continued rise of AI, the increasing capacity that is required and the large-scale investments that are building a flourishing ecosystem. We’re forecasting that the growth we are seeing will accelerate even further on the back of the continued development of the sector across the Middle East, driven by massive US collaboration and the focus of governments in the region to unlock the opportunities AI presents. “That focus on partnerships in AI and data centres means billions of dollars being poured into their construction, putting Gulf nations at the forefront of the new technology and AI development, which is great news for the supply chain. We are currently working with a number of tech giants, including global hyperscalers. The speed of development is continually increasing, with new centres going from the design stage to build completion in as little as 11 months. “With increasing capacity in these centres and their high energy efficiency needs, there is great demand for airtight sealing to avoid cooling loss. HPC data centres require significant liquid cooling and, as a result, the management of a myriad of pipes. Operators are putting special focus on seals as they work to manage cooling and recycle excess heat. As a result, our expertise and range of products are proving invaluable. We have developed industry leading tools for managing cable and pipe transits. “Climate change and environmental challenges, including sandstorms, unprecedented rainfall, and flash floods, are creating more demand for resilient sealing solutions and we are supporting a number of clients as they look to protect their infrastructure from these threats. “Our expertise in the complete project life cycle, from design to supply and installation, coupled with training and inspection services, is giving us an edge. As the world moves towards increased reliance on data centres and AI, robust infrastructure is essential. A shift towards modular construction is also helping create demand for our services, with our specifically designed solutions that support faster instillations on these sites.”

Cloudera delivers AI-powered data visualisation in data centres

Cloudera, a hybrid platform for data, analytics, and AI, today announced the latest release of Cloudera Data Visualization, extending its AI capabilities to customers operating in on-premises environments. This new AI tool is intended to democratise insights across the full data lifecycle by enabling data engineers, business analysts, and data scientists to communicate, collaborate, and share insights seamlessly, without compromising data security or governance. Enterprises often struggle to appropriately visualise data due to silos across multiple platforms, complex integrations, and data governance limitations. Without a unified view, data visualisation can be incomplete or misleading, often resulting in ineffective decision-making. Cloudera Data Visualization, now available on-premises, seeks to provide secure and integrated AI capabilities native to the Cloudera platform, as well as to empower organisations to self-service visualisation across multi-cloud and hybrid environments and the entire data lifecycle. The idea is to enable users to unlock the value of their on-prem data through out-of-the-box picturing and natural language querying. “As enterprises continue to prioritise both multi-cloud and hybrid environments, they need to see their data as a part of a bigger picture,” says Leo Brunnick, Chief Product Officer at Cloudera. “Bringing together AI-driven insights, secure infrastructure, and seamless collaboration in one unified platform, users can see the missing puzzle pieces of their data, wherever they may be. It’s not just about being able to see the data, it’s about seeing how it all fits together to deliver business-critical insights.” “As data becomes the most strategic asset for modern enterprises, Indian businesses are under growing pressure to unlock actionable insights in real time. However, fragmented architectures and evolving data governance demands impede this progress," highlights Piyush Agarwal, SE Leader, India, Cloudera. "With Cloudera Data Visualization now available in on-premises environments, we are empowering organisations to access AI-powered insights securely, while maintaining complete control over their infrastructure. This launch underscores our commitment to supporting Indian enterprises in becoming more agile, compliant, and insight-driven amid a rapidly evolving AI and data-first economy”. “By integrating directly with Cloudera’s unified platform, users benefit from a consistent experience, enhanced collaboration, and full lifecycle data exploration - all while retaining full control over their own infrastructure,” explains industry analyst, Sanjeev Mohan. “Now, Cloudera users can picture and share insights securely within their on-prem environment, allowing their teams to be more agile and informed in their decision-making.”

Eclipse Power Networks adopts major grid connection

Eclipse Power Networks, a leading Independent Distribution Network Operator (IDNO), has secured a significant contract with Colt Data Centre Services to adopt and maintain grid connections totalling 250 megawatts (MW) for its hyperscale data centre campus at Hayes, Middlesex. The agreement follows a competitive tender process that began late 2023 and ran until the end of 2024. Eclipse offered support and guidance to Colt Data Centre Services throughout the process, and is reportedly delighted to have been contracted at its conclusion. Under the contract, Eclipse will adopt a 132 kilovolt (kV) dual-circuit connection from National Grid’s Uxbridge Moor substation, near Iver, providing 100MW of power to the campus. In addition, Eclipse will adopt a 66kV dual-circuit connection from National Grid’s North Hyde substation for a further 150MW of power. These two connections are designed to support the campus of five data halls, each individually metered via Eclipse Power Networks’ network at 11kV. David Swadling, Group Sales Director at Eclipse Power, says, "This Critical National Infrastructure project showcases our technical expertise, and our ability to develop creative, economically attractive solutions for mission-critical infrastructure. We worked collaboratively and transparently with Colt Data Centre Services to help them develop a complex commercial model that that provided an innovative and equitable economical solution never seen before in Great Britain. “By owning and operating the grid infrastructure on Colt’s behalf, we’re ensuring that they secure reliable power for the facility, while allowing them to focus on their core business of providing sustainable hyperscale data centre solutions.” Eclipse Power Networks’ selection was based on its extra-high voltage (EHV) experience and deep technical understanding of National Grid processes, along with a commitment to working transparently with all stakeholders to optimise the commercial relationship between the parties. David Knox, Global Director of Energy & Sustainability at Colt Data Centre Services, highlights, “As the UK aims to reach the next level in the global digital marketplace, customers require scale in their data centre solutions. Sustainable, hyperscale sites such as our Hayes campus not only require power supply security, but they must also have the expansion potential necessary to support growth. “As a trusted partner for our worldwide customers, Colt Data Centre Services works only with organisations that share our commitment to mission-critical infrastructure. Eclipse’s innovative and collaborative approach, together with its rich expertise in power networking, has made it the ideal partner for our expansion at the Hayes site.” With data halls across five floors and 175MW of IT power, Colt Data Centre Services’ Hayes campus represents a major investment in data centre infrastructure. Energisation of the site is scheduled for 2028, with the network infrastructure provided by Eclipse Power Networks designed to last a minimum of 40 years.