Infrastructure & Hardware

L2Tek brings 800G transceivers to UK data centres

L2Tek, a leading distributor of high-performance broadcast and AV components and sub-assemblies, has introduced a portfolio of 800G optical transceivers from leading manufacturers Eoptolink and Gigalight. These modules are aimed at UK broadcasters and data centre operators seeking to future-proof their networks and meet the rigorous demands of increasingly bandwidth-intensive applications. As data volumes surge and broadcast infrastructure continues to evolve, the need for faster, more efficient interconnect solutions has never been greater. L2Tek’s distribution of new 800G solutions seeks to ensure UK customers can access reliable, high-performance transceivers that support a wide range of deployment scenarios, from short-reach data centre interconnects to long-haul transport links. Both manufacturers offer complementary technologies built around industry-standard OSFP and QSFP-DD form factors, ensuring integration with existing network infrastructure. Modules are compliant with CMIS 4.0 or newer and fully support IEEE 802.3 and QSFP-DD MSA specifications, delivering interoperability, network stability and responsiveness, especially suitable for AI applications. For high-density data centre environments, short-reach modules utilise 850nm VCSEL technology to support multimode fibre (MMF) connections up to 100 metres. For longer distances, silicon photonics-based DR8, DR8+, and DR8++ transceivers offer single-mode fibre (SMF) connectivity at 1310nm, ranging from 500 metres to 10 kilometres. For greater flexibility, both manufacturers provide dual-channel modules such as 2xFR4 and 2xLR4, enabling two independent 400G channels per module over SMF. These would be suited to staged migrations or cost-sensitive projects. Eoptolink additionally offers features such as OSFP ZR coherent modules, compliant with OIF-800ZR standards for transport up to 120km, and liquid-cooled OSFP modules for high-density installations where thermal performance is critical. “The availability of 800G modules from both Gigalight and Eoptolink represents a significant step forward in high-speed optical networking for the UK market,” says Mark Scott-South, Director at L2Tek. “We expect many new and existing customers to leverage the next generation of transceivers, empowering them to scale efficiently, reduce latency, and manage overall network resilience, whether they are broadcasting live UHD content or managing hyperscale data operations.”

Vertiv accelerates AI infrastructure evolution

Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure, today confirmed its strategic alignment with NVIDIA’s announcement of an AI roadmap to deploy 800 VDC power architectures for the next generation of AI-centric data centres. Paving the way for future-ready designs, Vertiv’s 800 VDC power portfolio is scheduled for release in the second half of 2026 - ahead of NVIDIA Kyber and NVIDIA Rubin Ultra platform rollouts. Vertiv aligns with the NVIDIA AI roadmap to stay one GPU generation ahead, enabling customers to deploy their power and cooling infrastructure in sync with NVIDIA’s next-generation compute platforms. Vertiv provides end-to-end power, cooling, integrated infrastructure and services to support AI factories and other data centre deployments. As rack power requirements in AI environments scale beyond 300 kilowatts, 800 VDC enables more efficient, centralised power delivery by reducing copper usage, current, and thermal losses. Vertiv’s upcoming portfolio will feature centralised rectifiers, high-efficiency DC busways, rack-level DC-DC converters, and DC-compatible backup systems, expanding its broad, end-to-end power management portfolio that already includes a robust AC power train. “As GPUs evolve to support increasingly complex AI applications at giga-watt scale, power and cooling providers need to be equally innovative to provide energy-efficient and high-density solutions for the AI factories. While the 800 VDC portfolio is new, DC power isn’t a new direction for us, it’s a continuation of what we’ve already done at scale,” says Scott Armul, Executive Vice President of Global Portfolio and Business Units at Vertiv. “We’ve spent decades deploying higher-voltage DC architectures across global telecom, industrial, and data centre applications. We’re entering this transition from a position of strength and bringing real-world experience to meet the demands of the AI factory.” Vertiv’s experience in DC power spans more than two decades of ±400 VDC deployments, broadened by strategic acquisitions during the early 2000s. These solutions support critical loads in global telecom networks, integrated microgrids, and mission-critical facilities. Vertiv says that this foundation establishes the company as a trusted leader in the safe design, deployment, and operation of higher-voltage DC architectures, with proven scale, portfolio, and long-term serviceability. Designed for homogeneous AI zones in hyperscale environments, Vertiv’s 800 VDC portfolio is a key pillar of its 'unit of compute' strategy - a systems-level design engineered to enable all infrastructure components - to interoperate as one modular and scalable system, matching infrastructure demands of next-generation GPUs. Vertiv’s support for both AC and DC architectures is a strategic differentiator in the evolving AI data centre landscape. For more from Vertiv, click here.

Supermicro introduces new direct liquid-cooling innovation

Supermicro has announced several improvements to its Direct Liquid Cooling (DLC) solution that incorporate new technologies for cooling various server components, accommodate warmer liquid inflow temperatures, and introduce innovative mechanical designs that enhance AI per watt. The Supermicro DLC-2 solution reduces data centre power consumption by up to 40% compared to air-cooled installations. These advanced technologies enable faster deployment and reduced time-to-online for cutting-edge liquid-cooled AI infrastructure. Additionally, the total cost of ownership decreases by up to 20%. The comprehensive cold plate coverage of components allows for lower fan speeds and fewer required fans, significantly reducing data centre noise levels to approximately 50dB. "With the expected demand for liquid-cooled data centres rising to 30% of all installations, we realised that current technologies were insufficient to cool these new AI-optimised systems," says Charles Liang, President and CEO of Supermicro. "Supermicro continues to remain committed to innovation, green computing, and improving the future of AI, by significantly reducing data centre power and water consumption, noise, and space. Our latest liquid-cooling innovation, DLC-2, saves data centre electricity costs by up to 40%." Supermicro aims to save 20% of data centre costs and apply DLC-2 innovations as part of data centre building block solutions to make liquid-cooling more broadly available and accessible. A significant component of the new liquid-cooling architecture is a GPU-optimised Supermicro server, which includes eight NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs and two Intel Xeon 6 CPUs, all in just 4U of rack height. This system is designed to support increased supply coolant temperatures. This unique and optimised design incorporates cold plates for CPUs, GPUs, memory, PCIe switches, and voltage regulators. This design reduces the need for high-speed fans and rear-door heat exchangers, thereby lowering cooling costs for the data centre. The new Supermicro DLC-2 stack supports the new 4U front I/O NVIDIA HGX B200 8-GPU system, and the in-rack Coolant Distribution Unit (CDU) has an increased capacity of removing 250kW of heat generated per rack. The Supermicro DLC-2 solution also utilises vertical coolant distribution manifolds (CDMs) to remove hot liquid and return cooler liquid to the servers for the entire rack. The reduced rack space requirements enables more servers to be installed, increasing computing density per unit of floor space. The vertical CDM is available in various sizes, precisely matching the number of servers installed in the rack. The entire DLC-2 stack is fully integrated with Supermicro SuperCloud Composer software for data centre-level management and infrastructure orchestration. The efficient liquid circulation and nearly full liquid-cooling heat capture coverage, at up to 98% per server rack, allow for an increase in the inlet liquid temperature at up to 45°C. The higher inlet temperature eliminates the need for chilled water, chiller compressor equipment cost, and additional power usage, saving up to 40% of data centre water consumption. Combined with liquid-cooled server racks and clusters, DLC-2 also offers hybrid cooling towers as well as water towers as part of data centre building blocks. The hybrid cooling towers combine the features of standard dry and water towers into a single design. This is especially beneficial in data centre locations with strong seasonal temperature variation to reduce usage of resources and costs further. Supermicro serves as a comprehensive one-stop solution provider with global manufacturing scale, delivering data centre-level solution design, liquid-cooling technologies, networking, cabling, a full data centre management software suite, L11 and L12 solution validation, onsite deployment, and professional service and support. With production facilities across San Jose, Europe, and Asia, Supermicro offers unmatched manufacturing capacity for liquid-cooled rack systems. This ensures timely delivery, reduced total cost of ownership (TCO), and consistent quality. For more from Supermicro, click here.

Shell cooling fluids certified for use in data centres

Shell Lubricants’ immersion cooling fluids have become the first to receive official certification from a major chip manufacturer, allowing its innovative products to be used with confidence in data centres worldwide. Jason Wong, Global Executive Vice President, Shell Lubricants, says, “Upgrading existing air-cooling methods with immersion fluids can reduce data centre energy use by up to 48%, as well as help reduce capital and operating expenditure by up to 33%. “We have been working with Intel for the last two years to certify our immersion cooling fluids, which have the potential to transform the way that data centres are cooled and how much energy they use.” Extensive testing by Intel showed that Intel Xeon processors remain as reliable with Shell’s immersion cooling fluids as with traditional air-cooled systems. Immersion cooling involves servers and networking equipment being placed in electrically non-conductive fluid. The specialised liquid absorbs and dissipates heat from IT equipment more than 1,000 times more efficiently than air cooling. With no need for coolers, chillers, fans or evaporative cooling systems, immersion cooling fluids can cut the floor space needed for a data centre by up to 80%. “We’re pleased to be partnering with Shell in accelerating the adoption of more sustainable and energy-efficient solutions for data centres,” says Karin Eibschitz Segal, Corporate Vice President and Interim General Manager of the Data Centre Group at Intel. “Through these advancements we’re paving the way for the next generation of high-performance, environmentally conscious computing.” According to the International Energy Agency, energy consumption from data centres currently accounts for 1.5% of global electricity demand and is expected to double from 415 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2024 to around 945 TWh by 2030. This is mainly driven by the growth in AI. Conventional cooling systems typically account for around 30-40% of a data centre’s energy demand. Shell’s immersion cooling fluids can be retrofitted to existing data centres, as well as allowing new data centres to use space more efficiently. As a renowned lubricants supplier, Shell is investing in new products such as fluids for electric cars, battery storage systems and data centres. This focus is aligned with Shell’s strategy to grow sales of premium, high value products, while helping its customers meet their own emission reduction goals. For more from Shell, click here.

leagend UPS solution safeguards backup power supply

According to leagend Solutions, the backup power supply is the second heart of a data centre - and any issue that happens to it will cause huge economic losses or even disasters. As a result, leagend's UPS battery management solution is a professional innovation exclusively developed for backup power applications such as data centres, telecom bases, and other applications seeking energy saving and renewable energy solutions. It guarantees the UPS batteries operate normally by monitoring and managing the key parameters of the batteries in real-time to ensure they supply stable power continuously under the accidence of a power outage. Furthermore, it integrates with advanced technologies like data collection, data transfer and data processing to offer comprehensive monitoring, cloud storage, visualised data analyses and tailored services for customers. Its capacity can be up to over 200 batteries with two different voltages simultaneously. In addition, leagend has integrated 5G and AI chips to the next-generation BMS. – leagend Solutions has been specialising in researching and developing batteries technologies, battery testing technologies, battery monitoring and managing systems and solutions ever since the company’s establishment in 2014. Intelligence, precision, safety and low energy consumption are always the foundation and ideology of its technology research and development. Until now, leagend Solutions has offered the following innovations: smart lead-acid battery testers, UPS battery monitoring solutions, lead-acid battery charger ODM solutions, Coulomb counter solutions, and more. The company’s battery products have been widely applied to multiple professional fields such as lead-acid battery manufacturing, data centre power supply chains, energy-saving, renewable energy, telecoms, and emergency backup power applications. For more from leagend Solutions, click here.

AI set to supercharge cyber threats by 2027

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has released a landmark cyber threat assessment, warning that rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) will make cyber attacks more frequent, effective and harder to detect by 2027. The digital divide between organisations with the resources to defend against digital threats, and those without, will inevitably increase.  Published on the opening day of CYBERUK, the UK’s flagship cyber security conference, the report outlines how both state and non-state actors are already exploiting AI to increase the speed, scale and sophistication of cyber operations. Generative AI is enabling more convincing phishing attacks and faster malware development. This significantly lowers the barrier to entry for cyber crime and cyber intelligence. Of particular concern is the rising risk to the UK’s democratic processes, Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) and commercial sectors. Advanced language models and data analysis capabilities are used to craft highly persuasive content, resulting in more frequent attacks that are difficult to detect.  Andy Ward, SVP International at Absolute Security, says, “While AI offers significant opportunities to bolster defences, our research shows 54% of CISOs feel unprepared to respond to AI-enabled threats. That gap in readiness is exactly what attackers will take advantage of." "To counter this, businesses must go beyond adopting new tools - they need a robust cyber resilience strategy built on real-time visibility, proactive threat detection, and the ability to isolate compromised devices at speed.” This latest warning forms part of the UK Government’s wider cyber strategy after announcing the new AI Cyber Security Code of Practice earlier this year. This will form the basis of a new global standard to secure AI and ensure national security keeps pace with technological evolution, safeguarding the country against emerging digital threats. For more from NCSC click here.

Aligned and Lambda to power next-gen AI infrastructure

Aligned Data Centers, a technology infrastructure company offering innovative, sustainable and adaptive scale data centres and build-to-scale solutions for global hyperscale and enterprise customers, has announced a partnership with Lambda, the AI developer cloud, to provide customers with data centre infrastructure and an AI cloud platform ready to sustainably accelerate their AI growth. Lambda will occupy Aligned’s newest Dallas-Fort Worth area facility, DFW-04, which will be designed to be a liquid-cooled data centre capable of supporting the highest-density Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). “We’re proud to partner with Lambda to support the buildout of its GPU cloud infrastructure, accelerated by NVIDIA, for AI deployments, which is transforming how AI developers innovate and businesses utilising AI models operate,” states Andrew Schaap, CEO of Aligned. “Particularly in Dallas, where demand for AI computation space has spiked interest in a growing market, combining a GPU cloud built specifically for AI workloads with an AI-ready data centre designed with liquid cooling technologies capable of supporting the highest-density environments will be a game changer.” Aligned is at the forefront of building and operating adaptive data centres that future-proof IT infrastructure and provide seamless flexibility for transitions between a variety of deployments ranging from enterprise applications, to cloud, and high-density AI implementation. The company’s ultra-scalable and flexible Adaptive Modular Infrastructure (AMI) and innovative air, liquid, and hybrid cooling solutions future-proof IT deployments, mitigate IT obsolescence, and maximise asset lifespan. While committing to sustainability as a core pillar of its customer-focused business strategy, the company has been advancing data centre energy efficiency and cooling technologies for more than a decade, including its patented Delta3 air-cooled system. Aligned's patent-pending DeltaFlow liquid cooling system delivers excellent performance for AI innovation, supporting virtually any density and GPU cloud requirement, and the company’s scalable, sustainable infrastructure is enabling next-generation AI workloads. Aligned says that its partnership with Lambda exemplifies its dedication to leading AI service providers. Lambda's AI Developer Cloud is used by AI engineers and industry experts who have shaped modern artificial intelligence. The partnership with Aligned will see Lambda’s AI Cloud platform integrated into the company’s new DFW-04 data centre, which is currently under construction in Plano, Texas. A determinative factor of this alliance is that Aligned’s seamless and adaptive infrastructure for next-gen AI will easily support infrastructure accelerated by NVIDIA Blackwell and NVIDIA Blackwell Ultra, as well as the future generations of AI platforms. “With its unrelenting focus on driving disruptive innovation in data centre design, energy efficiency and cooling, Aligned is the ideal partner to help Lambda build large, flexible space that meets the AI demands of today and tomorrow,” comments Lambda VP, Data Center Infrastructure, Ken Patchett. “Deploying AI at scale is no easy feat, and Aligned’s ability to rapidly deliver AI-ready infrastructure, along with its passion for supporting customers with a consistently high-touch, world-class experience, is instrumental to meet the aggressive scale, quality and speed standards Lambda sets for its public and private deployments.” For more from Aligned Data Centers, click here.

R&M introduces inteliPhy digital solution portfolio

R&M, a globally active Swiss developer and provider of high-end infrastructure solutions for data and communications networks, is realigning its digital inteliPhy solutions. "We are developing inteliPhy into a consistently application-oriented suite with four application areas and up to seven software packages that all interact flexibly and work in a manufacturer-agnostic manner," says Product Manager, Dr. Sophia Borowka. In this way, R&M is aiming to meet the different requirements of users and markets in a more differentiated way. inteliPhy, R&M's software, has always been able to do more than just data centre infrastructure management (DCIM). In order to take this fact into account, the software has been expanded to three application areas. Its use as a design tool is aimed at planners. Among other things, it includes features for cross-site infrastructure planning, collaboration, drawing and material list creation. Its use as a CMS (cable management system) supports the infrastructure management of complex office buildings and public transport and communications networks. This is where R&M combines all functions for connectivity, asset management, compliance and sustainability. Its use as a DCIM tool covers an operation manager’s entire work area. The features support the monitoring of the active infrastructure including IT equipment across several sites and asset management, which leads to increased availability, enables cost management and speeds up operational readiness. Last but not least, automated infrastructure management (AIM) enables real-time monitoring of the otherwise passive patch panels. It is the last module of the inteliPhy suite and connects hardware and software. In addition to the basic package inteliPhy Core, the three software application areas Design, CMS and DCIM contain further ready-made application packages. Visualisations, reporting, user management and templates for the model library are included by default. Customers can add or deselect application packages as required. "You only subscribe to what you need," says Sophia Borowka. The application packages offer solutions for KPIs, workflows, automation, geolocation, monitoring, AIM, capacity and asset management including warehousing, for example. R&M also supports APIs for connecting to other management and control systems. For more from R&M, click here.

Techno Digital to power India’s digital infrastructure

Techno Electric & Engineering Company Ltd. (TEECL), one of India’s most trusted names in power infrastructure for over four decades, has officially launched Techno Digital Infra Pvt, its wholly-owned digital infrastructure arm. Backed by an ambitious investment plan of $1 billion, Techno Digital plans an integrated network of hyperscale and edge data centres targeting a cumulative capacity of 250 MW spread across the country. This strategic move marks a transformative leap to revolutionise India’s digital economy, aligned with the Government of India’s flagship programme, Digital India. Rooted in strong credentials of engineering, procurement and construction excellence, TEECL is leveraging its deep domain expertise in power infrastructure and sustainability to build an efficient, reliable, and eco-conscious network of data centres. The launch of Techno Digital underscores the Group’s vision to become a cornerstone in India’s data revolution - bringing scalable, secure, and low-latency digital infrastructure to metro and non-metro regions alike. “The decision to enter the digital infrastructure space is both timely and visionary,” says Padam Prakash Gupta, Managing Director, Techno Electric & Engineering. “India’s data economy is poised for exponential growth, and with our legacy in power infrastructure and EPC, we see ourselves as natural enablers of this transformation. Techno Digital is not just a business venture - it’s a national mission to bridge the digital divide and power a truly connected India.” The journey begins at Chennai, where Techno is building a 36 MW hyperscale data centre within SIPCOT IT Park, Siruseri. This Rated-3 facility spans approximately two Lakh square foot, houses up to 2,400 racks, and integrates renewable energy with Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) for continuous sustainability, adiabatic cooling for water efficiency (WUE), 25% green cover and a facility design PUE of 1.35. Future locations for hyperscale facilities include Kolkata and Noida, positioning Techno Digital as a key player in supporting India’s digital growth. “We are not just building data centres, we are powering India’s digital revolution,” adds Amit Agrawal, President, Techno Digital. “Our hybrid strategy integrating hyperscale and edge will redefine how data is hosted, processed, and delivered. Whether it’s AI, OTT, fintech, or governance, our infrastructure is designed for the next decade of digital growth. We are empowering our ecosystem partners to offer unique solutions around cloud, security and managed services, thereby ensuring cutting edge technology’s ubiquitous availability and affordability. As part of its nation-building vision, Techno has partnered with RailTel Corporation of India, a Government of India enterprise under the Ministry of Railways, to develop edge data centres in 102 cities across 23 Indian states. This landmark project will be the largest deployments of its kind, bringing low-latency computing closer to users in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, empowering sectors such as AI, BFSI, telecom, OTT, e-sports, healthcare, e-governance, and manufacturing. “This partnership with RailTel embodies our core belief that digital infrastructure should be democratised to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge-based economy,” says Ankit Saraiya, Director & CEO, Techno Electric & Engineering. “From AI workloads and 5G to cloud-native applications, we’re enabling India to process data where it’s consumed, reducing latency, energy use, and cost. Our edge deployment model is not just technically superior, it’s a complete ecosystem that encompasses all aspects of a digital infrastructure. We are honoured to be RailTel’s trusted partner in this national mission.”

DE-CIX reports 10% increase in global network connections

Internet Exchange (IX) operator, DE-CIX, has today released its results from the financial year 2024, demonstrating double-figure growth in networks, data traffic, and capacity. The company finished the year with more than 4,000 networks connected worldwide, up 10% on the previous year, and 170 terabits connected customer capacity, which is a growth of 20%. Global peak traffic from peering – the direct interconnection of networks – finished the year just below 25 Tbit/s, up 11% from 2023. Global revenues grew by 8.3% to €68.6 million (£58.1m). Having added a further five IX locations during 2024, and announcing its market entry to Brazil, DE-CIX is today present in 60 markets on five continents. The company operates several of the world’s most important IXs, including DE-CIX Frankfurt, the largest IX in Europe, DE-CIX New York, the largest in the Northeast of the US, DE-CIX Mumbai, the largest in India, and the UAE-IX powered by DE-CIX, the largest in the Middle East. With its connected networks and its geographical coverage, DE-CIX is unsurpassed worldwide in the provision of peering services via IXs – whether wholesale network peering, cloud peering, or application network peering. Peering is used by network operators to optimise data pathways and enhance the performance and security of the digital content, services, and applications that make up the Internet. As well as catering to the long-standing wholesale network operator customer group, DE-CIX also provides enterprise-grade peering and interconnection services to global corporations and Fortune 500 companies. As such, the operator has a decisive influence on the global traffic flows that power the Internet, digital economies, and digital life. Ivo Ivanov, CEO of DE-CIX, comments, “In our 30th anniversary year, the time has come for a new style of peering to meet the needs of the new Internet. Peering – direct network interconnection over an IX – will be central to creating AI-ready infrastructure for all future use-cases. “Alongside Internet Exchanges creating network density in major aggregation points, AI Exchanges will be needed at the Deep Edge to support the development of multi-AI inference functionality in the next generation of products and services. Therefore, we will see a layered approach to infrastructure, integrating the hyper-local, the regional, the pan-regional, and the global. At DE-CIX, we are working towards the realisation of this vision to meet the needs of tomorrow – ready for the next 30 years of innovation and peering excellence.” On 26 June 2025, DE-CIX will celebrate the 30th anniversary of its first Internet Exchange (IX) in Frankfurt, Germany – a milestone not only in the company’s history, but also in the development of the global Internet. Exactly 30 years to the day since its foundation, the celebration will take place in Frankfurt with the DE-CIX Global Interconnection Summit. Among the highlights will be the publication of a new study delving into existing and emerging Digital Capitals, of which Frankfurt is a leading example globally. The full DE-CIX Annual Report 2024 can be downloaded by clicking here. For more from DE-CIX, click here.