Infrastructure & Hardware

New digital gateway for Southern Europe

Schneider Electric and Digital Realty are delivering a new digital gateway for Southern Europe - the new HER1 Data Center in Heraklion, Crete. Launched earlier this week as the first carrier-neutral facility on the island, HER1 plays a critical role in reducing Southern Europe’s digital connectivity and infrastructure gap by enabling the interconnection of international, regional and local subsea cables, empowering cloud, telco and content delivery networks (CDNs) to better serve the surrounding regions. Working in tandem with fast-growing markets including Athens, Barcelona, Marseille, Rome and Tel Aviv, HER1 forms a central part of Digital Realty’s Mediterranean data centre platform and takes a major step towards establishing Greece as a strategic connectivity hub for Southern and Eastern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Following a successful prefabricated data centre deployment at its Marseille 2 (MRS2) facility, Digital Realty leveraged a turnkey, Tier III solution from Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Modular Data Center portfolio to overcome a host of challenges at HER1. They included requirements for accelerated speed-to-market with a target to become operational within 12 months, increased levels of energy efficiency, and off-site production, testing and delivery due to HER1’s remote location in Crete. To achieve this, Schneider Electric provided a purpose-built solution including two, fully integrated, prefabricated power modules containing MV, transformers, LV, UPS equipment and air-cooling systems. Additionally, it deployed two, large-scale, all-in-one Data Halls, complete with power, cooling and IT, utilising Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure monitoring solution for buildings management and electrical power management systems (EPMS). Further, Schneider Electric provided the compete spectrum of data centre design, build and consultancy services, including all mechanical, electrical (M&E) and software equipment, production, assembly, commissioning and security services. This enabled Digital Realty’s HER1 facility to meet its demanding deployment timeframes, while minimising the risk of failures during its on-site installation.   "Digital Realty’s substantial investment in our new Heraklion data centre highlights our dedication to establishing the Mediterranean as a global connectivity hub, connecting continents and enabling digital transformation,” says Fabrice Coquio, SVP Digital Realty in France. “Thanks to our strategic partnership with Schneider Electric, we are accelerating the time to market of this critical project to quickly meet the surging digital traffic demands in the region, while enhancing network resilience and diversity for enterprises and communities alike." Due to its geographical location and the ongoing investments in submarine networks such as 2Africa, Andromeda, East to Med Corridor (EMC), Medusa and Thetis, many organisations are selecting Crete as a strategic destination for cable termination and data centre deployments - transforming the region into a global interconnection hub that brings multiple continents together. HER1, Digital Realty’s first carrier-neutral data centre in Crete, is located next to the landing point of several subsea cable systems and will offer a highly resilient data centre capacity to the cloud, subsea cable and connectivity communities.

ZTE enhances all-optical networks with smart ODN solutions

Hans Neff, Senior Director of ZTE CTO Group, recently delivered a keynote speech entitled ‘Embracing the AI Era to Accelerate the Development of All-Optical Networks’ at the FTTH Conference 2025 in Amsterdam, sharing the company's solutions and experience in focusing on AI empowerment to achieve intelligent ODN, improve the deployment efficiency of all-optical networks, and reduce deployment and O&M costs. At present, the deployment of all-optical networks is continuously accelerated, and the rapidly developing AI is increasingly integrated into broadband IT systems, significantly improving the intelligent level of FTTx deployment, operation and maintenance. In Europe, the National Broadband Plan (NBP) and the EU policies are actively advocating for an all-optical, gigabit and digitally intelligent society, and the demand for sustainable, efficient and future-oriented network infrastructure is growing. Hans pointed out that operators are facing challenges such as high costs, complex network management and diverse deployment scenarios. AI and digital intelligence can provide end-to-end support for ODN construction in multiple aspects. Hans described how ZTE leverages AI technology to build intelligent ODNs across the entire process, enhancing efficiency and reducing operational complexity. He elaborated on the specific applications and advantages of intelligent ODN across three phases: before, during and after deployment. Before deployment, one-click zero-touch site surveys, AI-based automatic planning and design, and paperless processes replace traditional manual methods, significantly reducing the time and human resources required. During deployment, real-time visualised and cost-effective solutions, along with tailored product combinations - such as pre-connectorised splice-free ODN, plug-and-play deployment and air-blowing solutions - ensure smooth construction while reducing both time and labour costs. After deployment and delivery, intelligent real-time ODN network detection, analysis and risk warnings minimise fault location time, improving monitoring accuracy and troubleshooting efficiency. Additionally, new solutions like passive ID branch detection enable 24/7 real-time optical link monitoring, dynamic perception of link changes and automatic updates, ensuring 100% accuracy of end-to-end ODN resources. This proactive approach optimises network performance while streamlining maintenance and resource management. Hans emphasised that collaboration among multiple parties is key to accelerating the construction of intelligent ODN networks. Suppliers play a vital role in driving digital and intelligent platforms, developing innovative product portfolios and delivering localised solutions through strategic partnerships. By leveraging AI and digital intelligence, operators and stakeholders can effectively address challenges such as high costs, complex construction and maintenance, and regional adaptability. ZTE says it is committed to providing comprehensive intelligent ODN solutions and building end-to-end all-optical networks. Moving forward, ZTE will continue collaborating with global partners to harness its advanced network and intelligent capabilities. ZTE aims to help operators build and operate cutting-edge, efficient and intelligent broadband networks, unlocking new application scenarios and fostering a ubiquitous, green and efficient era of all-optical networks.

Castrol and Schneider Electric launch liquid cooling lab in Shanghai

Castrol and Schneider Electric have opened a new liquid cooling technology co-laboratory in Shanghai under a strategic partnership agreement. This collaboration aims to offer customers new innovations in data centre cooling technology. The co-laboratory will support the development of benchmark liquid cooling projects for data centres in the future. It will also serve as a jointly branded customer demonstration centre, showcasing significant breakthroughs in liquid cooling technology to the data centre industry. Castrol and Schneider Electric will work together to carry out in-depth product development and projects that can address the practical technical challenges faced by customers – such as compatibility between the cooling liquid and devices, and improving heat dissipation, among other issues. Through joint research and development, technology sharing and other approaches, both companies will aim to expand the adoption of liquid cooling technology across various scenarios.  Castrol's high-performance cooling liquids will be integrated with Schneider Electric's data centre solutions, including infrastructure such as the Cooling Distribution Unit (CDU), power supplies, server rack and intelligent power distribution equipment. In the future, both companies will collaborate to achieve further in-depth integration by conducting compatibility tests of data centre liquid cooling fluids and infrastructure. This will help ensure the stability and safety of the combined products of Castrol and Schneider Electric and provide one-stop liquid cooling solutions for more customers. At the opening of the co-laboratory, Peter Huang, Vice President, Thermal Management at Castrol, said, "In the era of AI, the construction of liquid cooling infrastructure in data centres is developing rapidly. Through Castrol’s strategic partnership with Schneider Electric, we will jointly provide end-to-end solutions for the construction, operation and maintenance of data centres, ranging from the hardware in server rooms to liquid cooling fluids." Castrol and Schneider Electric are committed to providing higher-quality data centre liquid cooling services and promoting safe and energy-efficient development of data centres that are fit for the future.

Colt DCS: 117MW data centre expansion in Germany

Colt Data Centre Services (Colt DCS) has announced plans to develop four new data centres in Germany.  The four facilities will consist of Frankfurt 4 & 5 and Berlin 1 & 2. The two Frankfurt data centres will be built on an 18-acre site and provide a combined 63MW, while the Berlin data centres will be constructed on a 9.5-acre site and provide a total 54MW of IT capacity. Colt DCS is targeting first phase RFS (ready for service) at Frankfurt 4 and Berlin 1 by the end of 2028, with renewable power contracts already secured. The new data centres will add 117MW to Colt DCS’ capacity in Germany, bringing its total in-country capacity to 176MW.The acquisitions in Frankfurt and Berlin, reinforce Colt DCS’ commitment to digital infrastructure in Germany, and represents a €2 billion investment in its economy.  The move strengthens Colt DCS’ position in the Frankfurt market, which continues to be one of Europe’s leading data centre hubs. Berlin has emerged as a secondary market, driven by Germany’s digital transformation and increasing demand for cloud and AI services.  The new facilities will be designed to Colt DCS’ Global Reference Design (GRD) which can cater for both traditional cloud and high-performance computing (HPC) workloads, powering racks up to 130kW. To accommodate this, the design flexibly supports cooling by traditional air, direct liquid-to-chip and hybrid approaches.Each new Colt DCS data centre in Germany will be constructed in line with environmental and sustainability policies using several low embodied carbon principles. This includes the installation of low Global Warming Potential (GWP) cooling chillers, reducing water waste for cooling, and building the structure with minimal steel and concrete usage.  Waste heat from all sites will be reused by the local councils for district heating. A fifth of the site areas will be reserved as green space, and the building roofs will feature a mixture of photovoltaic solar panels and planted vegetation. Gert-Uwe Mende, Lord Mayor of Wiesbaden, says, “Wiesbaden is an attractive business location, and artificial intelligence is an absolutely future-oriented topic. I am therefore very pleased that Colt DCS has chosen the Landeshauptstadt (capital of the state of Hessen) as the site for its new data centre.”Niclas Sanfridsson, CEO of Colt DCS, says, "The continued growth in digital services has created strong demand for hyperscale data centres in Germany. Our acquisitions in Frankfurt and Berlin are a testament to our commitment to Europe’s largest economy. We are proud to contribute to the growth of the local community and remain a trusted partner for our customers worldwide. These new sites will not only enhance our capacity to serve the increasing needs of cloud and AI workloads but also reinforce our dedication to sustainability and innovation in the data centre industry."

Riello UPS expands Multi Power2 modular series

Critical power protection specialist, Riello UPS, has announced an extension to its ultra-high efficiency modular range Multi Power2. The uninterruptible power supply manufacturer adds to its existing 500 kW MP2 UPS with a 300 kW version, along with a trio of 600 kW cabinets. The expansion increases the flexibility of the range, which is aimed at small to medium-sized data centres and other similarly mission critical applications. The additional units deliver all the series’ key benefits, including ultra-high efficiency of 98.1% in online double conversion mode, risk-free ‘pay as you grow’ scalability, a robust design that eliminates any single point of failure, and hot-swappable 3U 67 kW power modules that ensure downtime-free maintenance. Multi Power2 incorporates advanced silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors that significantly reduce energy losses and heat generation, delivering data centre operators robust and reliable performance whilst lowering their operating costs, cooling requirements, and carbon emissions. The extended MP2 range now incorporates: • MP2 300 – up to five power modules for a maximum of 300 kW, features bottom cable entry and an integrated manual bypass switch;• MP2 500 – up to eight power modules for a maximum of 500 kW, features top cable entry, an integrated manual bypass switch, and air filters as standard;• MP2 600 – up to nine power modules for a maximum of 600 kW, available with or without switches and a choice of front-to-back or front-to-top ventilation. Up to four UPS can be installed in parallel, meaning the MP2 can protect up to 2,400 kW in a single system. As well as the expanded MP2, the complete Multi Power2 range also incorporates the popular Multi Power2 Scalable (M2S) innovation (which comes in 1,000 kW, 1,250 kW and 1,600 kW versions), and is designed with the needs of modern data centres in mind, as it can handle the rapid load fluctuations typically associated with AI load profiles. By connecting four M2S UPS in parallel, it can protect up to 6,400 kW. Leo Craig, Managing Director of Riello UPS, comments, “With this exciting expansion of the Multi Power range, we are addressing the data centre industry’s growing focus on energy saving practices for a more sustainable future. “By combining market-leading efficiency of 98.1% and flexibility in terms of power ratings and cabinets with a reduced carbon footprint and total cost of ownership, we are delivering data centres proven results without compromising on power continuity or performance.” For more from Riello UPS, click here.

AlgoSec publishes State of Network Security Report

Global cyber security expert, AlgoSec, has released its annual The State of Network Security Report. The report provides a comprehensive and objective, vendor-agnostic analysis of today’s network security landscape by identifying key market trends, highlighting in-demand solutions and technologies, and detailing the most popular strategies being adopted by security professionals. The report identifies significant shifts in cloud platform adoption, deployment of firewalls and Software-Defined Wide Area Networks (SD-WAN), as well as Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) implementation and AI. Based on comparative findings from 2024 and 2025, AlgoSec’s research includes responses from security, network and cloud professionals across 28 countries and evaluates market leaders including Cisco, Microsoft Azure, AWS, Check Point, Palo Alto Networks and more. Key findings from the report include: • Security visibility gaps are driving a shift in security management - 71% of security teams struggle with visibility, which is delaying threat detection and response. The lack of insight into application connectivity, security policies and dependencies are proving to be a significant risk.• Multi-cloud and cloud firewalls are now standard – Businesses continue to adopt multi-cloud environments, with Azure becoming the most widely used platform in 2025.• Firewall and SD-WAN adoption grow despite complexity – Multi-vendor strategies make firewall deployment more challenging. In terms of customer base, Palo Alto Networks took the lead, but Fortinet’s NGFW is gaining traction. SD-WAN adoption jumped, with Fortinet rising from 19.1% in 2024 to 25.8% in 2025.• Zero-trust and SASE gain momentum – Zero-trust awareness is at an all-time high, with 56% of businesses fully or partially implementing it; though 20% are still in the learning phase. SASE adoption is also growing, with Zscaler leading at 35%, while Netskope has gained 15% market share.• AI and automation are reshaping security – AI-driven security tools are improving real-time threat detection, but implementation and privacy concerns remain a challenge. Automation is now critical, with application connectivity automation ranked as the top priority for minimising risk and downtime. “As businesses expand their digital footprints across hybrid and multi-cloud environments, securing network infrastructure has become a top challenge,” says Eran Shiff, VP of Product at AlgoSec. “We are seeing a major shift toward automation, orchestration and risk mitigation as key security priorities. Adoption of SD-WAN and SASE continues to rise, while awareness of AI-driven security and zero-trust principles is stronger than ever.” The full report can be accessed by clicking here. For more from AlgoSec, click here.

Northern Data Group and Gcore announce strategic partnership

Northern Data has announced that it has signed a commercial partnership agreement with Gcore, a global edge AI, cloud, network, and security technologies provider to large enterprise clients. The commercial partnership will provide combined AI as a Service and AI delivery and networking technologies to enterprise clients and model developers. Furthermore, the partnership establishes the Intelligence Delivery Network (IDN), a distributed global network that boasts 180 points of presence, more than 200 Tbps of network capacity, and over 14,000 peering partners; combined with Northern Data’s position as one of Europe’s largest GPU infrastructure providers. The IDN is designed to enable the low-latency and secure delivery of AI workloads at the edge, a critical driver for the wider adoption of AI inferencing applications. The AI inferencing market is expected to grow to $169 billion by 2032, according to Bloomberg Intelligence. The IDN will be powered by Northern Data’s existing infrastructure and Gcore’s Everywhere Inference software and networking architecture. Through the combined infrastructure and software stack, customers will be enabled by a powerful vertically integrated toolkit of AI innovations, including Managed Kubernetes and an AI model library. The technology supports the deployment of both open source and custom-built AI models. Northern Data and Gcore’s combined offering will be delivered with just a few clicks through an on-demand and simple-to-deploy architecture, offering clients real-time access to this full-stack solution and allowing Northern Data and Gcore to fully maximise the utilisation of its infrastructure. Additionally, the partnership will seek to deploy AI solutions globally, retain enterprise grade security and data protection and sovereignty, and optimise infrastructure resourcing. Aroosh Thillainathan, Founder and CEO, Northern Data Group, comments, “We are combining Northern Data’s heritage of HPC and data centre infrastructure expertise with Gcore’s software innovation and engineering expertise, allowing us to accelerate our vision of delivering software-enabled AI infrastructure across a globally distributed compute network. This is an inflection point where the use of AI solutions is evolving rapidly, and we believe that this partnership will form a key part of the next phase of AI adoption.” Andre Reitenbach, CEO, Gcore, adds, Partnering with Northern Data will provide Gcore and our enterprise customers access to one of the largest liquid-cooled GPU clusters and significant data centre capacity worldwide. This collaboration supports Gcore’s mission to connect the world to AI anywhere and anytime with low latency, leveraging cutting-edge infrastructure to power the next generation of AI-driven applications.” For more from Gcore, click here.

Huber+Suhner unveils new lab automation solution

Telecommunications carriers can now step away from time-consuming manual testing and benefit from an automated lab landscape for their networks, thanks to a new advanced lab automation solution from Huber+Suhner featuring optical circuit switching and RF-over-Fibre (RFoF). Replacing traditional coaxial interconnected and manually controlled labs, the innovation integrates fibre connectivity and optical circuit switching technologies to provide an automated, transparent and user-configurable fibre layer. For transport and core network labs, an optical circuit switch allows for flexible connection and measurement of optical network components in a test environment. The POLATIS optical circuit switch, featuring patented DirectLight beam-steering technology, enables continuous testing of multiple devices remotely, eliminating the need for physical presence and manual re-patching. This not only reduces labour costs but also frees up time. For RAN labs, RFoF modules can be deployed to convert signals from RAN radios into fibre optic signals which enables much greater transmission distances with significantly lower losses from Device Under Test (DUT) to test equipment. The optical circuit switching can then be utilised in the same way as with transport and core network labs. The high performance opto-electrical conversion ensures minimal impact on measurement results and provides bidirectionality for both the optical and the RF domains. As a result, an automated fibre optic network layer for device testing can be configured or reconfigured in seconds rather than hours or days, allowing customers to meet challenging test cycle turnaround times. “Carriers are under intense pressure to rapidly test and deliver enhanced network services, while validating new equipment,” says Claudia Bartholdi, Market Manager, Huber+Suhner. “The longer it takes to certify new equipment and services through manual operations, the further a business gets from increasing revenue and competitiveness. Through our end-to-end solution, we can ensure high reproducibility, traceability and increased efficiency, alongside a faster time to market.” Regression, feature and interoperability testing are all key procedures for carriers. Regression testing ensures software releases do not impact the existing functionality of a network but may require thousands of individual tests that must be run in cascaded sequences. Carriers must also look to enhance network performance and user experience, which requires new features like network slicing, while ensuring any new equipment, elements or interfaces within a network function according to predefined standards and can coexist in a network. The lab automation innovation for carriers enhances these procedures. For regression testing, it drastically reduces the time for test set-up and operation to introduce new software releases quickly and efficiently. It can also be implemented to allow agile feature testing, helping to verify that the new functionalities will work on an end-to-end basis before they are introduced into the live network. For interoperability testing, the innovation simplifies the testing of virtual RANs, as well as open standard software and hardware, to ensure all network elements work together effectively. “By automating test processes, labs can also share expensive equipment and reconfigure tests remotely and immediately,” Claudia continues. “Using readily available tools, resources can now be securely shared between labs dedicated to different elements of the network without conflict, quickening the testing process.” For more from Huber+Suhner, click here.

Subsea cable and data centre operator GCX to rebrand

Global Cloud Xchange (GCX) has today announced its rebrand to FLAG. With strong continued investment, FLAG looks to maintain its growth and status as one of the largest privately owned, global subsea cable operators. Following the rebrand, the company’s Managed Services division will continue to operate under its existing name of GCX Managed Services. FLAG provides end-to-end, high-speed digital connectivity services. These include flexible leased capacity, dark fibre and Layer 2 & 3 services for hyperscalers, telecom carriers, OTT content providers, new media providers and enterprises via an interconnected platform of seven subsea and six terrestrial cable systems. The company serves clients in over 180 countries, operating a diverse global network across key routes, powering the global telecommunications backbone with a unique infrastructure that spans Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the USA. This network ensures route redundancy and diversity for mission-critical dataflows, providing reliable connectivity and neutrality in hard-to-access regions, all while being engineered for optimal reliability, availability and continuity. To enhance the network capability and address the growing demand for data processing and storage, FLAG also provides modular data centres, offering scalable, resilient solutions for high-performance computing deployments where customers need it most, from the network edge to cable landing stations and across multiple geographies. “FLAG represents our renewed commitment to global connectivity," says Carl Grivner (pictured above), CEO of FLAG. "Working closely with our clients, we are constantly upgrading and expanding our network to stay at the forefront of technological developments and meet evolving market demands. This ensures our clients receive the most advanced connectivity solutions, enabling them to scale, secure and optimise their data in an increasingly interconnected world.” FLAG has shown strong year-on-year growth and has recently signed several material investments to enhance its Middle East and intra-Asia subsea capabilities. The rebrand is linked to FLAG’s focus on pursuing its long-term goals and prioritising investments across more geographies through subsea, edge data centres and cable landing stations. Overlaying these strategic pillars, FLAG is further developing its technology solutions to create customer-tailored propositions as demand for data traffic rises amid the growth in content, AI and digital services. The company will continue investing in digitisation to advance its customer offerings and deliver innovative solutions across the globe. Carl continues, “This rebrand of FLAG allows us to move forward with a clear vision and the flexibility to innovate and invest in our infrastructure in ways that provide unparalleled value to our customers and partners. With strong backing from our Board and 3i Infrastructure we are committed to delivering market-leading, high-performance solutions across the globe.” FLAG is run by a highly experienced management team, with Carl Grivner leading the company as CEO, supported by Brice Evin as CFO, Brad Kneller as CNO, Paul Abfalter as CS&RO, Nadya Melic as VP – Product and Marketing, and Asif Ghani – VP – Edge Data Centre Services. Both FLAG and GCX Managed Services will be jointly supported by the collective management team that includes Edward Parkin - General Counsel, Giancarlo Ferro - CIO, and MU Khan – VP of Human Resources.

Vertiv unveils scalable power solution, Vertiv PowerDirect Rack 

Vertiv has announced the launch of the Vertiv PowerDirect Rack, a 1U high-density 50V DC power system shelf designed to bring resilience to even the most demanding AI and high-performance computing (HPC) environments. This modular system scales up to 132kW per rack by integrating multiple power shelves, enabling expansion while minimising space requirements. Available globally, Vertiv PowerDirect Rack offers a complete infrastructure power solution, supporting two times the power capacity in the same footprint, compared to alternative solutions.   The Vertiv PowerDirect Rack is designed to help data centres maximise power efficiency and scale with ease. Built for Open Compute Project (OCP) ORv3 High Power Rack (HPR) environments, it delivers high-density power while reducing energy waste and simplifying operations. With flexible AC and HVDC input support, real-time monitoring and modular scalability, the power shelf enables seamless expansion to allow IT teams to meet growing power demands without increasing rack space or complexity, compared to traditional AC uninterruptible power supply (UPS) with separate rectification and power distribution, or lower density DC power shelves. “Today’s data centres face increasing pressure to deliver more power in less space while supporting the rapid growth of AI and HPC applications,” says Kyle Keeper, Senior Vice President of the Power Business Unit at Vertiv. “Vertiv PowerDirect Rack addresses these challenges with a scalable, energy-efficient DC power design that equips operators with the flexibility to adapt to evolving workload demands and build future-ready infrastructure.” Built for performance and adaptability, the Vertiv PowerDirect Rack delivers benefits that simplify power management and improve data centre energy efficiency. Key features include:  · Delivers up to 132kW per rack with N+N redundancy, enabling high-density deployments with a scalable, space-saving power architecture. · Achieves 97.5% peak energy efficiency, minimising power waste, reducing cooling demands and lowering operating costs. · Supports both AC and HVDC input, for seamless integration into diverse power infrastructures for future-ready data centres. · Hot-swappable, modular design for uninterrupted operations and effortless scalability as power needs grow.  · Advanced power management and reliability, with built-in safeguards to maintain continuous performance and prevent disruptions.