Infrastructure

Lightpath to acquire United Fiber & Data Assets

Lightpath, an all-fibre, infrastructure-based connectivity provider seeking to revolutionise how organisations connect to their digital destinations, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets of United Fiber and Data (UFD). The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2024. UFD owns and operates a unique and diverse 323-route mile, high-fibre count network between New York City and Ashburn, VA, connecting the largest population centre in the country with the largest data centre and cloud ecosystem in the world. UFD also owns a 79-route mile metro network in New York City and New Jersey, including connectivity to over 350 enterprise and data centre locations and a high-fibre count crossing of the Hudson River, which will add capacity to Lightpath’s three existing Hudson River crossings. UFD’s New York City-Ashburn network offers high-fibre counts, the latest optical technologies from Ciena, and will support dark fibre, Ethernet, and wavelengths up to 800 Gbps. This unique network is geographically diverse from typical long-haul routes along the I-95 corridor and will enhance Lightpath’s network of over 20,000 route miles, connecting over 15,000 service locations, including over 140 data centres and seven cable landing stations. The combination of networks will allow Lightpath to offer geographically diverse, high-capacity services from commercial enterprise buildings, cable landing stations, and data centres along the east coast, directly to the Ashburn ecosystem. Chris Morley, CEO of Lightpath, comments, “The addition United Fiber & Data is a natural extension of Lightpath’s expansive Greater New York City Metropolitan fibre assets, increasing our ability to serve high-capacity customer needs into the Ashburn data centre ecosystem and further enhancing our Manhattan metro coverage where we will serve nearly 1,500 enterprise and data centre destinations, a five times increase over the past three years. “This represents a continuation of Lightpath’s strategic investment thesis of creating critical fibre infrastructure in attractive and high growth markets for the benefit of our enterprise, hyperscale, and wholesale customers.” UFD customers will gain access to the entire Lightpath network as well as the entire service portfolio, including wavelengths, ethernet, internet, private networks, dark fibre, LP FlexNet, voice, security solutions, and other managed services. Additionally, customers will be able to utilise Lightpath services to connect to over 140 data centres, seven cable landing stations, and all major cloud providers.

New partnership will integrate digital twin software with DCIM platform

Schneider Electric has partnered with IT services provider DC Smarter, the German specialist for augmented reality solutions, to integrate its digital twin software, DC Vision, within Schneider Electric’s Data Centre Infrastructure Management (DCIM) platform, EcoStruxureä IT Advisor.  Available immediately for purchase via Schneider Electric, DC Vision utilises data from EcoStruxure IT and combines it with augmented reality (AR) to create a comprehensive software solution that helps optimise infrastructure performance and increase operational resilience.  By integrating these technologies and consolidating data from DCIM, IT Service Management (ITSM) and Building Management System (BMS) technologies within the Digital Twin, data centre operators can gain granular insights into the health and status of their infrastructure, and make an informed decision to increase performance, sustainability and reliability.  Further, by removing conventional IT silos, the digital twin allows owners, operators and IT managers to visualise the data centre environment using real-time information and thereby create a comprehensive digital replica which leverages all relevant performance data from the data centre.  DC Vision, integrated with Schneider Electric EcoStruxureä IT Advisor, also provides key opportunities for seamless collaboration between on-site workers and remote technicians. Its Remote Assist feature, for example, makes it possible for experts and colleagues to interact with the platform in real-time, and share a common AR view of their critical environment to support and encourage collective problem-solving alongside the processing of complex tasks - regardless of location. Schneider Electric's digital twin technology is an important core of DC Vision’s advanced capabilities. With Schneider Electric's EcoStruxure IT Advisor solution, a virtual image of the physical data centre can be created, including the necessary database.  The virtual 3D representation allows precise monitoring and analysis of the entire IT infrastructure. Additionally, the integration of AR software provides IT personnel with easy-to-understand real-time status information and actionable, contextual instructions, which help to quickly identify faults and properly handle complex service tasks. DC Vision is available immediately for purchase via Schneider Electric.  For more from Schneider Electric, click here.

DCIM market to reach $6.3bn by 2030

New Omdia research has revealed that the market value of data centre infrastructure management (DCIM) is expected to reach $6.3bn by 2030. From overseeing infrastructure equipment in remote cabinets to sprawling hyperscale data centres, DCIM solutions offer a comprehensive approach to monitoring and measuring. Managing power and cooling is typically the responsibility of operational teams (OT) rather than IT departments, with the key objective of maintaining the resiliency/availability of the infrastructure. However, as this scope gains prominence, a transformative convergence between IT and OT is taking place across organisations; an area tracked in Omdia’s DCIM Market Landscape: The role of DCIM in IT and OT convergence. Omdia’s IT Enterprise Insights: IT Spending & Sourcing 2024 survey sheds light on how organisations are budgeting for IT needs this year. Highlighting a familiar pattern, the data showed that the majority (65%) of IT budgets will be directed towards maintaining existing systems and services while, 18% will go towards expanding current services, and 17% towards transformative initiatives in 2024. This figure mirrors trends from the last few years, reflecting the persistent challenges of increasing labour and energy costs. Omdia expects that organisations will increasingly turn to automation, AI-enabled optimisation, and as-a-service models to manage costs and drive more investment towards transformative projects over the next five years. The ongoing volatility of energy prices is a critical factor impacting IT budgets globally as energy tariffs vary from country to country and within. Despite expectations for continued fluctuations driven by market dynamics, fuel types, regulations, weather patterns, and geopolitical uncertainty, there is little indication that energy prices will stabilise in the near future. 2023 witnessed a dip in server output following two exceptional years in 2021 and 2022. The downturn can be attributed to various factors including the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain issues, and ongoing global geopolitical uncertainties. However, Omdia forecasts indicate a positive outlook for 2024 and beyond. IT equipment, particularly servers (partially to meet the demands of GenAI) and network equipment (to meet the needs of faster network connectivity) is expected to see year-on-year increases. This increased infrastructure necessitates robust monitoring and will drive DCIM revenue.  According to Omdia’s Chief Analyst Roy Illsley, “DCIM is set to be a $6.3bn market by 2030, driven by the twin forces of sustainability and the need to optimise efficiency in data centres as the GenAI wave impacts enterprise customers.” For more from Omdia, click here.

EXA introduces new route between Ashburn and Atlanta

EXA Infrastructure, a digital infrastructure platform connecting Europe to North America, has announced a further step in enhancing its infrastructure presence in North America with a new route connecting Ashburn and Atlanta. Atlanta is emerging as a key data centre hub, and is the fastest-growing data centre market in the US according to the CBRE North America Data Centre Trends H2 2023 Report. Data centre projects under active construction in Atlanta increased by 211% between H1 2023 and H2 2023, with notable major campus developments on the drawing board, as outlined in this report. The new route will follow the base of the Appalachians and will introduce a new highly resilient and diverse offering from all the existing options on this route. EXA will deploy the new DWDM Flex Ciena system for optimal latency and optionality up to 400G. This network expansion in North America is aligned with EXA Infrastructure’s investment strategy to expand its vast network and provide more on-net route combinations for connectivity to new data centre markets and across the Atlantic. Customers will be able to single source 'on-net' circuits end-to-end from Atlanta to London, thereby achieving better operational efficiency and control. “This is a major step for EXA Infrastructure, as we continue to deliver on our wider strategy to connect high-growth data centre markets across North America,” comments Steve Roberts, SVP Strategic Investments and Product Management at EXA Infrastructure. “Atlanta is a key market for many of our customers, including those in the AI-focused industries, and this new route will serve their connectivity needs to Europe and beyond”. EXA is continuing to expand its presence in North America, including recent announcements of its expanded trans-Atlantic cable routes. For more from EXA Infrastructure, click here.

Partnership to prioritise high-performance content delivery

Epsilon Telecommunications, a global interconnectivity provider, has been chosen by Moratelindo, one of the largest telecommunications infrastructure and network providers in Indonesia, to connect customers to a global ecosystem of Internet Exchanges (IXs) via Remote Peering. This partnership enables Moratelindo’s enterprise customers, carriers and service providers to extend their network reach and improve content and application performance in the US, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan and the rest of the world without the need for additional infrastructure investment and physical presence in-country. Epsilon’s Remote Peering solution is available via Network as a Service (NaaS) platform Infiny, providing Moratelindo and its customers with on-demand access to internet exchange points such as Any2Exchange in the US, AMS-IX in Europe, HK-IX in Hong Kong and JP-IX in Japan. Epsilon has established a 100G network-to-network interface (NNI) with Moratelindo, further enabling its customers to access a broader network via Epsilon’s backbone infrastructure. This also eliminates the need for costly international private leased circuit (IPLC) connections. “The cloud market in Indonesia is booming, and remote peering is really changing the game for businesses looking to expand and improve the performance of their services across the globe,” says Warren Aw, CCO at Epsilon Telecommunications. “It has never been easier to offer services quickly in new markets with minimal upfront investments, and bring content closer to end users with reduced latency. It’s great to work with Moratelindo to make truly global connectivity a reality for more Indonesian businesses, and accelerate digital transformation across the region.” The partnership is enhancing Moratelindo’s Network Interconnect and Content Autonomous (MoNICA) neutral Internet Exchange, which can now provide connectivity to a wider pool of international IXs for domestic and international telecommunications operators, Internet service providers, content and games providers. Leveraging Epsilon's Infiny platform, which offers access to 140+ on-ramp locations and 18+ IX partners, Moratelindo can seamlessly integrate additional IX partners into MoNICA via a single interconnection port. This enables customers to easily extend their reach into new markets and rapidly scale bandwidth according to demands. “This partnership with Epsilon is helping to take our MoNICA IX to the next level and enhance the Indonesian telecommunications industry with efficient traffic exchange,” notes Michael McPhail, CTO at Moratelindo. “Establishing presence at multiple global IXs would have been a challenge for us due to the complexities of managing various IX memberships and onboarding, as well as legal matters, billing and more. Epsilon’s extensive industry experience proved invaluable, as they removed these challenges by enabling us to utilise their existing relationships and connections through a single port and contract. We’re driving the market forward and enabling Indonesia’s digital future, making it simple to interconnect globally and improve the performance of services for end users.” As well as Remote Peering, Infiny provides on-demand provisioning of key services including Data Centre Interconnection (DCI), Cloud Connect and Global Inbound Numbers. Epsilon's MEF-certified network extends across more than 300 data centres globally and is powered by software-defined networking (SDN) technology. For more from Epsilon, click here.

Centiel launches rapid deployment UPS hire service

Centiel's award-winning UPS innovations are now available to hire on a short or longer-term basis for data centres needing instant power protection during refurbishment, or other facilities such as hospitals which require an immediate, temporary uninterruptible power supply. Andrew Skelton, Operations Director at Centiel, explains, “We offer flexible, rapid deployment of our industry leading UPS solutions from our standalone and modular ranges from 10kW to 1.5MW. We also have containerised modular UPS solutions for larger projects between 50kW and 1.5MW. Our containerised solutions hire includes electrical installation, integral lighting, fire detection and suppression, cooling, batteries and 24/7/365 support with guaranteed site attendance, making it suitable as a full ‘plug and play’ emergency option or for facilities needing to back up their existing UPS while refurbishment or other works take place. “Our UPS hire solution can be arranged to suit specific needs at very short notice. Subject to availability, we currently have two 600kW and one 300kW containerised, flexible UPS solutions ready to deploy within 48 hours and we are currently adding to the fleet. We can also parallel them together for sites requiring up to 1.5MW of backup power. The containers can be delivered onto suitably rated hard standing areas to suit disaster recovery situations or planned shutdowns. “The UPS's arrive fully tested with batteries already charged. We simply deliver the bespoke containerised UPS solution into position, install the top row of batteries and connect the AC input and output cabling via Powerlock connections, so the system is typically up and running within six hours of delivery.” Routine maintenance is covered by the hire charge for extended hire periods and Centiel’s UPS can remain on site for as long as the facility needs critical power protection. Hiring a UPS may be a tax efficient way to solve an organisation’s short term power protection problems as a purchase comes out of Capital Expenditure (CAPEX), whilst a rental can be set against Operational Expenditure (OPEX). Centiel’s UPS hire service is available for its standalone UPS PremiumTower and also its three-phase, modular UPS CumulusPower which offers '9 nines' (99.9999999%) availability to effectively eliminate system downtime; class leading 97.1% on-line efficiency to minimise running costs and true 'hot swap' modules to eliminate human error in operation. Andrew continues, “Our fast deployment UPS's, including our containerised solutions, are ready to go. They are an ideal temporary solution for data centres, hospitals or other facilities needing to provide critical power at short notice or for an economical option to support more planned projects.” Centiel now protects critical loads for data centres and comms rooms in over 100 countries across five continents. For more from Centiel, click here.

Kohler launches new KD Series industrial generator

Kohler Power Systems, part of Kohler Energy, has expanded its KD Series line of industrial generators with a new model, KD800, designed for 50hz markets. This generator features a new advanced engine (KD18L06) that can also run on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) as a renewable fuel source. This new model joins a proven series of gensets that continues to provide the highest power density and best fuel consumption at more nodes than competitors between 800-4500 kVa, offering cost savings to users. The new KD unit is designed to power mission-critical applications, including airports, hospitals, and healthcare facilities, water treatment plants and mid-sized data centres. The KD800 joins Kohler’s industrial generators that are engineered to use HVO fuel. HVO provides a more sustainable alternative to conventional diesel and biofuels. No adaptation is needed and both HVO and diesel can be mixed together. HVO is also highly stable, with no sensitivity to oxidation, so it can be stored long-term. It enables to offset carbon emission by up to 90% by using renewable waste products. Kohler’s KD Series is designed to deliver extreme durability and ultimate reliability in a variety of emergency and prime applications. KD Series generators are engineered to last, with better fuel economy and a small footprint. When paired with Kohler’s global sales and support network, the KD Series line-up provides an innovation that secures customers’ critical operations. And when service is needed, Kohler has a global dealer and distribution infrastructure consisting of more than 800 facilities offering 24/7 parts availability. For additional details about the Kohler KD Series range, visit its product catalogue by clicking here. For more from Kohler, click here.

Bridging power crucial in UK’s data centre construction boom

With AI continuing to supercharge UK data centre construction throughout 2024 and grids already under strain, energy solutions specialist, Aggreko is advising facility stakeholders to source decentralised, sustainable power sources to avoid project bottlenecks. According to data from construction consultants, Glenigan, continued demand for AI and machine learning platforms is driving demand for data centres to meet computing capacity needs. As a result, the sector has experienced pronounced expansion, with plans approved to build a wide variety of facilities in multiple sizes across the country. Yet as Billy Durie, Global Sector Head for Data Centres at Aggreko, points out that maintaining this upwards trajectory will require project stakeholders to identify and mitigate future issues that may cause disruption. Specifically, Billy is encouraging those involved in facility construction to keep abreast of developments around National Grid capacity and potential delays securing prime power for sites, and source bridging solutions when required. “The UK’s continued data centre construction boom demonstrates once again that the sector is set to continue its impressive growth. But as demand rises and utilities decarbonise at pace, greater intermittency and strain may hamper facility construction times if not accounted for. It’s a situation we’re seeing across Europe, with many facilities still waiting for a connection from nearby utility substations. “Bridging power can provide an immediate fix for this bottleneck, so it is vital project stakeholders consider what is required before construction begins. Solutions such as battery storage systems complementing on-site generators, secured on a temporary, modular basis, can ensure sites receive flexible power. It is therefore advised that equipment portfolio managers leverage third-party expertise to ensure the most effective solutions that adhere to stringent emissions regulations.” Reducing carbon footprints and supporting the energy transition are key objectives behind Energising Change, Aggreko’s new ESG framework. Fundamental to the initiative is the company’s commitment to help the data centre sector embed low-carbon power and temperature control technologies, alongside more efficient ways of working. The new framework builds on previous themes identified in Aggreko’s Uptime on the Line report, which surveyed 700 European data centre consultants on common pinch points in facility construction. Issues explored in the report included access to plant, decarbonisation and ensuring full power availability on-site, as well as skills shortages. With these pinch points in mind, Billy is advocating relevant stakeholders engage outside expertise to navigate potential concerns that might affect project deadlines. “Data centre construction works to tight deadlines with each stage of the build mapped out with precision, so projects can be progressed without disruption is essential,” Billy concludes. “This is even more important in a market where data centre construction is booming. “However, to get a full, holistic view of all the factors that might affect a build, site stakeholders may need to leverage the knowledge of external experts, especially when it pertains to utilities. By engaging expertise that may not otherwise exist in-house, potential pitfalls can be identified and negated well ahead of time, ensuring projects are completed on-time and to budget.” For more information on Aggreko’s solutions for the data centre sector, click here.

Zayo Group appoints industry veteran Nikos Katinakis as CTO

Zayo Group, a global provider of fibre network infrastructure, has been doubling down on its commitment to network excellence with the appointment of experienced telecommunications leader Nikos Katinakis as Chief Technology Officer. His leadership will bring substantial enhancements in both service delivery and network operations. “Next-generation technology is being deployed faster than ever before. To meet increasing capacity demands, it’s critical to take an enhanced approach to innovation in the network,” says Steve Smith, CEO of Zayo. “Our strategic appointment of Nikos underscores Zayos’ dedication to advancing network excellence. His network experience and expertise combined with Zayo’s capabilities and automated technology will ensure our customers can meet, and exceed, connectivity expectations, now and in the future.” Since 2022, the demand for bandwidth across Zayo’s connectivity technologies has continued to increase exponentially. The demand for bandwidth underscores the urgent need for robust network infrastructure to meet escalating requirements. Zayo's network leadership and ongoing investment in key geographies were instrumental in attracting Nikos to the organisation.  Under Nikos’ leadership, Zayo will advance its network capabilities through extensive automation of its network infrastructure and operational processes to ensure it meets tomorrow’s capacity demands and is easier to consume, where and when customers need it most. “We are at an inflection point in technology, with accessible AI, 5G, and satellite connectivity reshaping how we work,” says Nikos, CTO. “My mid-term vision for Zayo is for us to deliver network infrastructure that’s easy to turn up and manage across edge, core and cloud, enhancing both connectivity and service. Ultimately, we aim to enable our customers to concentrate on their core business and not worry about transport connectivity, because they’ll have Zayo facilitating the creation of resilient and secure networks.”  The appointment of Nikos – who brings network leadership experience from Telstra, Australia’s largest mobile network, Indian pioneer Reliance Jio, Canadian telecommunications giant Rogers, and infrastructure provider Ericsson – underscores Zayo's dedication to delivering best-in-class service excellence.

Green digital infrastructure – where we are, and looking to the future

By Anthea van Scherpenzeel, Senior Sustainability Manager, Colt DCS The amount of data we use is rising rapidly. In fact, by 2025 the volume of data created, captured, copied, and consumed worldwide is predicted to reach 181ZB, more than quadrupling 2019 figures. As data volume increases, data centres must keep up with demand and respond to evolving needs, but this raises new challenges. Creating sustainable digital infrastructure that can cope with these new requirements is a tricky task. Increased power consumption, cooling needs, and new construction can call the green credentials of data centres into question, with sustainability now a key priority for all major stakeholders. However, are data centres the catalyst for sustainable change? And what should they be doing to play their role in the climate fight? Colt DCS takes a look at the past, present, and future of sustainable digital infrastructure, and how we can minimise the environmental impact of data centres for good.  Looking back, and looking in the now In the 1990s and 2000s, demand for data centres was minimal. Primarily used by content providers to host companies and e-commerce sites, their energy consumption and emissions were relatively low. Now, data centres consume huge amounts of energy to support new technologies like cloud, AI, and quantum computing that have an increasingly large impact on the planet. A hyperscale data centre can require around 150MW of grid capacity and consume hundreds of GWh of electricity annually. Add 2023’s boom in generative AI into the mix, and the carbon footprint of data centres will only increase. For instance, the AI industry alone could consume as much energy as the Netherlands by 2027. Data centres are currently responsible for 1% of energy-related global greenhouse emissions with the IEA signalling that improvement is needed in this space. The environmental impact of data centres must not be underestimated. In line with the Paris Agreement, hyperscalers must set their own tangible targets to decrease their impact on the planet, as well as supporting their customers’ net zero strategies. However, not all data centres are as ahead of the curve as others. Data centres need to step up Data centres have a responsibility to up their environmental game. Not only to meet the needs of the upcoming EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and EU Taxonomy, but also to win the business of those with clear sustainability strategies in place. There are many areas where data centres can improve their green credentials, including energy, waste, and biodiversity. Hyperscalers are in a prime position to source renewable energy, implement more efficient or less harmful cooling equipment, and harness waste energy to keep emissions and environmental impact down. But considerations for the environment often end here.  True decarbonisation requires tangible net zero strategies, achieved through collaboration with customers and suppliers. With the CSRD and Scope 3 tracking, data centres need to be more aware and conscious of third-party emissions than ever before. Being on the same sustainability journey as partners goes one step further, ensuring that ESG is not just a tick-box exercise. Ultimately, your efforts can be negated when green initiatives are overshadowed by unsustainable partners. The value chain must be analysed and partners must be engaged in important conversations to align sustainability goals and priorities. Setting goals for the path ahead Science-based, measurable goals create a clear view of the path ahead. There will always be uncertainties with long-term targets, with new regulations, laws in different nations, and global events throwing a spanner in the works. However, when data centres create a science-based roadmap and feasible targets, this short-term uncertainty is unlikely to put long-term goals at risk. One element that will become more important in the future is data centres’ embedded carbon footprint. Likely to play a large role in reporting, this includes metrics that cover the whole lifecycle of a data centre from shipping materials to construction to operation. For complete transparency, more thorough data is needed from the start of a data centre project to ensure sustainable practices are baked in from a project’s inception. Monitoring usually takes place from the on-switch, but this doesn’t account for the environmental impact of the whole value chain.  This makes supplier evaluation and partner choice even more important. One data centre provider can only do so much, it’s up to all the players in the market to work together to drive a bigger impact for the overall industry. Furthermore, digital infrastructure operators must work with partners and customers to align on sustainability as a core part of strategy. With the boom in AI and the increased need for data centres, we must be cautious that racing to keep pace with innovation doesn’t push sustainability down the priority list. It is important for businesses to consider the environmental impact of their data, and to choose the right partner who can help in achieving a net zero status throughout their operational network. When managed correctly, data centres can, and should, be a key player in the climate fight. Sustainability will soon be a key differentiator, and as collaboration increases to fulfil reporting regulations, choosing the right partners to reach net zero targets will be vital.