News

Centiel to demonstrate AI workload-ready UPS at DCW

UPS manufacturer, Centiel, will showcase its multi-award winning, true modular UPS StratusPower at Data Centre World, taking place at ExCel London on 12-13 March. StratusPower is currently being utilised in data centres around the globe and, in particular, has been designed to deal with AI workloads and the fast-approaching power demand. Louis McGarry, Sales and Marketing Director, Centiel, explains, “AI is creating heavy demand for power protection. We are working on projects that require multi megawatts of power for data centres and AI data processing facilities that rely on power protection equipment that can be scaled-up and rapidly deployed. While efficiency and sustainability in UPS systems is now a given, customer choice now comes down to quality but also how big and how quickly can UPS systems be scaled and deployed. “Our factory in Switzerland produces around 1,000 UPS modules per month, and Centiel offers rapid delivery worldwide to protect the power for data centres and the growth in AI across the globe. Our UPS is scalable to fulfil the capabilities of any facility on day one, or grow as the data centre expands. “In addition, StratusPower offers “9 nines” (99.9999999%) availability to effectively eliminate system downtime; class leading 97.6% on-line efficiency to minimise running costs; true 'hot swap' modules to eliminate human error in operation; plus long-life components to improve sustainability.” StratusPower is also known for is dynamic load handling and reliable uptime for unpredictable, high-intensity AI demands. With its impressive overload capacity of up to 150% for 60 seconds, it offers unmatched performance. In relation to grid resilience, StratusPower absorbs voltage fluctuations with an extended input range, in addition to operating flawlessly under elevated temperature conditions. The three-phase true modular UPS StratusPower now covers a power range from 50 to 1,875kW in one cabinet and can be paralleled for 3,750kW of uninterrupted, clean power, which is ideal for data centres. Louis continues, “To discuss your data centre’s needs for a fully scalable, efficient, reliable UPS system, and to ensure your AI infrastructure is future-proofed, come and see us at Data Centre World. Our expert team of trusted advisors will be on hand to discuss power availability for AI facilities and how best to maximise uptime for critical power protection.” Centiel now protects critical loads for data centres and comms rooms in over 100 countries across five continents. The company will be located at booth DC232 at the upcoming Data Centre World event in London. For more from Centiel, click here.

EXA Infrastructure partners with IOEMA to boost connectivity

EXA Infrastructure, a critical digital infrastructure platform provider, has been chosen by IOEMA as the landing partner for its new submarine cable in Leiston, UK. From the cable landing station, EXA will also provide critical backhaul connectivity to major data centres, including London Telehouse and Equinix. Launched in May 2024, IOEMA is a 1,600km repeated high-capacity submarine fibre optic network linking five key Northern European markets: the UK, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, and Norway. The project, which EXA describes as a "game-changer", connects strategic locations favoured by hyperscalers and content providers - due to power availability - with the primary landing points linking Europe’s core FLAP (Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris) data hubs. Leiston, one of EXA Infrastructure’s 20 cable landing stations, serves as a critical gateway between the UK and the Netherlands via the Concerto cable. It offers low-latency direct links to London, alternative routes to Dublin and northern UK regions bypassing London, and access to multiple transatlantic pathways, further strengthening connectivity to the Nordics. Steve Roberts, SVP of Strategic Investments and Product Management at EXA Infrastructure, states, "Being selected as the landing partner for this advanced fibre optic project highlights our expertise in delivering complex subsea landing solutions. Our commitment to providing diversity and resiliency through our extensive owned fibre network in Europe, coupled with vital transatlantic routes, positions us as a market leader in enabling advanced connectivity" Eckhard Bruckschen, CTO at IOEMA Fibre, adds, ‘We are thrilled to announce our landing partnership for our second UK landing point in Leiston. Working with EXA Infrastructure enables IOEMA to link to one of Europe’s largest infrastructure footprints and beyond, increasing the connectivity solutions, diversity and reach of our system.’ For more from EXA Infrastructure, click here.

Vertiv and Oxigen to develop new data centre

Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, has announced that it is collaborating with Oxigen, a provider of data hosting, processing and distribution services, to design and implement Oxigen's largest data centre. Vertiv’s power and thermal solutions deliver scalability and energy efficiency, and its services also provide comprehensive support, helping to position Oxigen as a benchmark for high-performance data centres in Spain. Oxigen’s second and largest data centre, situated in Sant Cugat del Vallès, boasts an impressive 6,000m² (64,583 feet) of space - including a 3,000m² (32,292 feet) operations clean room - and has the capacity for up to 800 racks with multiple power and customisation options. This scope allows Oxigen to quickly adapt to market needs, such as continuously evolving AI projects. While the current infrastructure occupies only a portion of the available space, the facility is ready for expected growth. The data centre is designed in line with Uptime Institute's Tier III criteria, which certifies that the facility meets high standards of availability and redundancy, enabling enhanced resilience and connectivity. Vertiv's technology - which is essential for the smooth and continuous operations of this data centre - includes: • A high-performance Vertiv Liebert AFC chiller, which provides precise temperature and flow of the cooling fluid.• Vertiv Liebert CRV row-based cooling equipment, which allows humidity and temperature adjustment and is located near the most demanding racks.• Vertiv Powerbar iMPB busbar systems, which allow power to be distributed to the equipment racks, significantly increasing flexibility and scalability for the future. Vertiv has also provided Vertiv Critical Insight, a vendor-agnostic software that allows authorised personnel to visualise everything happening in the data centre in real time, enabling continuous monitoring of any critical digital infrastructure and its deployments onsite or remotely. Critical Insight notifies the personnel monitoring the systems of the current conditions of the equipment, trends and analysis. It provides recommendations on personnel actions as the equipment reaches baseline thresholds. Any adjustments needed can then be completed by the appropriate engineers physically onsite or remotely if controls management can be done. This mix of adaptable technologies, along with energy consumed coming from 100% renewable resources, enables increased energy efficiency and cost savings. Benjamin Rovira, CEO of Oxigen, says, "We have been working with the Vertiv team for more than 20 years, during which they have always demonstrated exceptional professionalism and delivered state-of-the-art technology. Knowing both their products and their team well and having always achieved strong results, we trust their ability to adapt to our evolving requirements. They are an ideal partner.” The Oxigen data centre has 6MW of total power and up to 20 kW per rack to serve industries including the pharmaceutical, industrial, technological, education and public sectors. Oxigen customers expect their critical digital infrastructure to provide continuous uptime to support significant processing capability, consistent cooling and stored electricity - especially at peak hours. Jordi Gonzalez Sandalinas, Enterprise Account Manager at Vertiv, comments, "The collaboration with Oxigen is testament to the ability of our solutions to adapt and expand with the customer’s needs. Our focus on energy efficiency, coupled with flexibility and ongoing support, allows Oxigen to grow without compromising the quality or security of its services. "Over the years, we have built strong trust and demonstrated a deep knowledge of Oxigen’s needs, in addition to providing a broad and innovative portfolio of technologies. This is why the company has placed its full trust in Vertiv’s service team for the maintenance and management of the equipment." For more from Vertiv, click here.

MXT Holdings improves data centre connectivity in Mexico

MXT Holdings (MXT), a telecommunications infrastructure company in Mexico that develops and operates neutral-host communication infrastructure assets, is deploying Ciena's coherent routing innovations - and in the process, taking proactive measures to handle escalating traffic demands placed on its network driven by 5G, cloud-based applications, and the evolving digital landscape. MXT manages over 3,500km of long-haul and metropolitan fibre optic networks in Central and Southeast Mexico. Its network is deployed across key states, including Quintana Roo, Chiapas, and Tabasco. To improve connectivity for its customers and create a more adaptive network, MXT is utilising Ciena’s coherent routing across its metro and long-haul networks. This upgrade will allow MXT to connect key links between Mexico City and Monterrey, creating a network that is significantly more resilient, reliable, and scalable. MXT will also be able to offer up to 400G connectivity options for data centres, high-performance computing networks, enterprises, and service provider applications. Jorge Millones, COO, MXT, comments, “At MXT, we are committed to delivering connectivity that goes beyond our customers’ expectations. With Ciena’s coherent routing innovations, we are better able to support our customers’ digital experiences and offer more robust and reliable connectivity. Ciena’s technology allows us to optimise network performance by streamlining hardware components. This not only enables faster time to market, giving our customers a distinct advantage in today’s highly competitive environment, but also drives operational efficiency.” This transformative network upgrade will not only improve the overall customer experience, but also allow MXT’s network to boost infrastructure efficiency and create a network that can seamlessly adapt to meet evolving bandwidth demands. MXT’s network leverages Ciena’s coherent routing solution comprised of the 5164 Router and 8114 Coherent Aggregation Router with WaveLogic 5 Nano (WL5n) 400ZR pluggable transceivers running over Ciena’s Coherent ELS and 6500 open line systems. With Ciena’s coherent routing, MXT can deploy less hardware, saving capex and opex, while flexibly supporting a range of use cases, including data centre interconnect (DCI). The multi-layer network will be managed by Ciena’s Navigator Network Control Suite (NCS), providing ease of deployment and management. Additionally, with Ciena’s PinPoint OTDR, MXT can use advanced analytics and software tools to monitor and identify potential trouble spots and accelerate repair times.

Crestchic expands to meet demand from data centres

Crestchic Loadbanks, a load testing specialist, has reinforced its commitment to the growing data centre sector with the acquisition of the loadbanks rental division of Gulf Incon International. This strategic move strengthens Crestchic’s presence in the UAE and enables it to meet growing demand for loadbank testing in the region’s expanding data centre market. The acquisition comes as the UAE experiences rapid growth in data centre development, driven by digital transformation, cloud computing, the computational demands of AI, and increased investment from hyperscale providers. With data centres requiring rigorous power infrastructure testing to ensure uptime and resilience, the acquisition will allow Crestchic to meet demand with a larger fleet, including server emulators for heat load testing in server halls. Chris Caldwell, Managing Director at Crestchic Loadbanks, comments, “We’ve always been heavily involved in the data centre sector and have seen demand for power testing and heat load testing skyrocket in recent years. This acquisition is a significant step up in our ability to support the sector’s growing needs for timely and efficient solutions. Gulf Incon International has built a strong reputation for reliability and expertise in the Middle East. By integrating their loadbank assets and specialist team into our operations, we are even better positioned to serve the region’s increasing need for robust power reliability and heat load testing.” As part of the acquisition, Gulf Incon International’s loadbank assets and personnel will be relocated to Crestchic UAE’s headquarters in Jebel Ali. The expanded fleet and capabilities will ensure continuity of service and expert support for customers across the region, including an enhanced foothold in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Over the past three years, Crestchic has significantly invested in its people, equipment, and infrastructure, doubling its global revenue and reinforcing its position as a market leader in load-testing solutions. Crestchic tells us that this latest acquisition underscores its commitment to delivering high-quality power testing solutions to businesses operating in mission-critical industries, particularly within the data centre sector. For more from Crestchic Loadbanks, click here.

nLighten appoints Chair of the Board

As nLighten continues to expand its digital infrastructure platform across Europe, the company has announced the appointment of Nick Read as Chair of the Board for nLighten. With over 30 years of experience spanning five industry sectors, and a deep expertise in telecommunications and digital infrastructure, Nick will provide strategic guidance to support nLighten’s growth and innovation efforts in digital infrastructure. Nick has spent more than 16 years operating at board level, holding leadership positions across global businesses in telecoms, infrastructure, and technology. He currently holds a portfolio of board positions focused on digital infrastructure across EMEA and the US, including serving as Senior Advisor to Global Infrastructure Partners (now part of BlackRock), Consultant to I Squared Capital, Chair of the Board with EXA infrastructure, and Non-Executive Director at Booking Holdings, Radius Global Infrastructure, and Oak Consortium. Previously, Nick had a 22-year career at Vodafone Group, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s global strategy. He served as Group CEO, and was a Board Member from 2014 to 2022, leading Vodafone through a period of major business transformation, network expansion, and operational evolution. Before joining Vodafone, Nick held senior global finance positions at Miller Freeman Worldwide as Group CFO and at Federal Express Corporation for 10 years. A Fellow Chartered Management Accountant, Nick was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration in 2022. He has been a long-time advocate for diversity and inclusion, serving as a United Nations HeForShe champion and United Nations Broadband Commissioner. At nLighten, Nick will leverage his extensive industry expertise to support the company’s strategic expansion plans, commercial growth, and operational excellence. His deep understanding of global telecom markets and their evolving needs will be instrumental in guiding nLighten’s leadership team as the company scales its European footprint. “We are excited to welcome Nick as Chair to the nLighten Board,” says Harro Beusker, CEO and Founder of nLighten. “His leadership experience in telecoms and digital infrastructure, combined with his track record in business transformation, will be invaluable as we continue to grow and evolve our platform. We look forward to working with him.” Commenting on his appointment, Nick Read states, “I am excited to join nLighten at such a pivotal time for the digital infrastructure industry. The increasing demand for edge computing and sustainable data centre solutions presents a unique opportunity, and nLighten is well-positioned to lead in this space. I look forward to collaborating with the team to drive nLighten’s continued innovation and growth.” Founded in 2021, nLighten has rapidly grown to 34 data centres, serving over 1,000 customers with over 200 employees. As nLighten continues to scale across key European markets, the company says that the addition of experienced leaders like Nick Read reinforces its commitment to providing high-performance, sustainable infrastructure solutions for the digital economy. For more from nLighten, click here.

LINX surpasses 700Gbps traffic peak in Manchester

The London Internet Exchange (LINX), a not-for-profit organisation working for the good of the Internet, has hit a new record maximum traffic peak of 725Gbps at its Manchester network fabric, highlighting the importance of regionalising network traffic. LINX Manchester has seen consistent growth in traffic, rising by an average of 100-200Gbps throughout 2024. Manchester prides itself on robust digital infrastructure with some of the fastest internet speeds in the UK, supported by extensive fibre-optic networks. Key initiatives such as the £23.8 million full-fibre investment have been pivotal to enhancing Manchester’s digital connectivity, enabling businesses to leverage data and technology to improve efficiency and services. To further enhance Manchester’s strong internet connectivity, LINX’s new location on its Manchester network went live in September 2024 at the Lunar Digital Data Centre, providing peering and further interconnection services to deliver improved performance, increased redundancy and lower network latency by keeping traffic local to the Manchester area. Colin Peckham, LINX Interconnection Specialist, comments, “Manchester is a thriving hub of business and technology, at the forefront of innovation and economic growth, so it’s vital that the area has fast, resilient network infrastructure. Working with our data centre partners in the area, we’re able to quickly deploy advanced peering and cross-connect services to strengthen connectivity in the region and best support the people and businesses driving forward growth. Keeping traffic local keeps latency low and bolsters network security to ensure that internet access remains strong and operational for longer.” Manchester acts as a landmark tech hub for the UK off the back of significant investment in infrastructure, technology and education. The area is home to MediaCityUK, where major organisations such as the BBC, ITV and Ericsson are based, and also nearby to innovation district, The Oxford Road Corridor. The city is also the recipient of major infrastructure funding under the Northern Powerhouse Initiative. Datum is another of the data centre partners on the LINX Manchester network, and its MCR2 data centre in South Manchester is due to go live by the end of Q1 2025. Seb Graham, Group Sales Director for Datum, comments, “We are thrilled to see Manchester continually growing its traffic year on year with LINX. Partnering with LINX has been a massive benefit and allows Datum to provide a diverse, carrier neutral offering to our growing client base from a very connectivity-rich data centre. The team at LINX have been brilliant to work with from day one and continue to develop a tight knit, supportive community. We look forward to working more closely with LINX delivering further solutions from our newly built MCR2 site. Manchester is very much open for business!” The city has ambitious plans to further its position as a leading tech hub, with the Manchester Digital Campus set to open in 2026, and the development of a new innovation district called ID Manchester, which aims to create 10,000 jobs and attract global tech firms. For more from LINX, click here.

Investment in data centre markets to reach new heights

CBRE, a commercial real estate service company, is expecting an unprecedented amount of new data centre supply to be delivered in Europe this year, as providers aim to keep pace with fierce demand. According to the latest research from the company, there is 937MW of new supply expected in European markets this year. If this data centre supply is delivered, it will reportedly set a new record for Europe and would represent an increase of 282MW more than the 655MW of capacity delivered in 2024. More than half (57%) of this capacity is expected to be delivered in the leading European data centre markets - Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris and Dublin (the FLAPD region). In 2024, facilities of unprecedented size were delivered across Europe for the industry’s largest customers, but demand for colocation data centre space continued to outstrip supply, at 706MW and 655MW respectively. It is being reported that customer appetite for capacity has grown despite the difficulties data centre providers are having sourcing power and available land for new facilities. Nevertheless, CBRE believes that a greater proportion of supply will be delivered to Europe’s smaller secondary markets than ever before. The firm expects double-digit supply growth in five of the 10 secondary European markets tracked in 2025. There are seven markets, such as Milan and Madrid, which are expected to have 100MW of supply or more by year-end, compared to just four markets at the end of 2022. Kevin Restivo, Head of European Data Centre Research at CBRE, comments, "The data centre construction boom will continue unabated. Available power and appropriate land, government incentives, and hyperscaler ambitions are key factors that are driving the rapid growth of markets such as Milan, as well as the continued expansion of leading markets like London and Frankfurt." For more from CBRE, click here.

Ataccama to deliver end-to-end visibility into data flows

Ataccama, the data trust company, has launched Ataccama Lineage, a new module within its Ataccama ONE unified data trust platform (V16). Ataccama Lineage provides enterprise-wide visibility into data flows, offering organisations a clear view of their data’s journey from source to consumption. It helps teams trace data origins, resolve issues quickly, and ensure compliance - enhancing transparency and building confidence in data accuracy for business decision-making. Fully integrated with Ataccama’s data quality, observability, governance, and master data management capabilities, Ataccama lineage enables organisations to make faster, more informed decisions, such as ensuring audit readiness and meeting regulatory compliance requirements. Data challenges are increasingly complex and, according to the Ataccama Data Trust Report 2025, 41% of Chief Data Officers are struggling with fragmented and inconsistent systems. Despite significant investments in integrations, AI, and cloud applications, enterprise data often remains siloed or poor in quality. This fractured landscape obscures visibility into data transformations and flows, creating inefficiencies and operational silos. Ataccama believes that the lack of clarity hampers collaboration and increases the risk of non-compliance with regulations like GDPR, erodes customer trust, drains resources, and slows decision-making - ultimately stifling organisational growth. Ataccama Lineage is designed to simplify how organisations manage and trust their data. Its AI-powered capabilities automatically map data flows and transformations, saving time and reducing manual effort. For example, tracking customer financial data across fragmented systems is a common struggle in financial services. Ataccama Lineage provides clear, visual maps that trace issues like missing or duplicate records to their source. It also tracks sensitive data, such as PII, with audit-ready documentation to ensure compliance. By delivering reliable, trustworthy data, Ataccama Lineage establishes a strong foundation for AI and analytics, enabling organisations to make informed decisions and achieve long-term success. Isaac Gabay, Senior Director, Data Management & Operations at Lennar, says, “As one of the nation’s leading homebuilders, Lennar is continually evolving our data foundation with best-in-class, cost-effective solutions to drive efficiency and innovation. Ataccama ONE Lineage’s detailed, visual map of data flows enables us to monitor data quality, trace issues through our ecosystem, and take a proactive approach to prevent and remediate quality concerns while maintaining centralised control. Ataccama ONE Lineage will provide unparalleled visibility, enhancing transparency, data literacy, and trust in our data. This partnership strengthens our ability to scale with confidence, deliver accurate insights, and adapt to the evolving needs of the homebuilding industry.” Jessie Smith, VP of Data Quality at Ataccama, comments, "Managing today’s data pipelines means dealing with increasing sources, diverse data types, and transformations that impact systems upstream and downstream. The rise of AI and generative AI has amplified complexity while expanding data estates, and stricter audits demand greater transparency. Understanding how information flows across systems is no longer optional, it’s essential. Ataccama Lineage is part of the Ataccama ONE data trust platform which brings together data quality, lineage, observability and master data management into a unified solution for enterprise companies." Key benefits of AI-powered Ataccama Lineage include: - Faster resolution of data quality issues: Advanced anomaly detection identifies issues like missing records, unexpected values, or duplicates caused by transformation errors. For example, retail operations with multiple sales channels, mismatched pricing, or inventory discrepancies can disrupt business. Ataccama Lineage enables teams to quickly pinpoint root causes, assess downstream impacts, and resolve issues before they affect operations - ensuring continuity and reliability. - Simplified compliance: Data classification and anomaly detection enhance visibility into sensitive data, such as PII, and track its transformations. Financial organisations benefit from audit-ready documentation that ensures PII is properly traced to authorised locations, reducing regulatory risks, meeting data privacy requirements, and fostering customer trust with transparent processes. - Comprehensive visibility into data flows: Lineage maps provide a detailed, enterprise-wide view of data flows, from origin to dashboards and reports. Teams in sectors like manufacturing can analyse the lineage of key metrics, such as production efficiency or supply chain performance, identifying dependencies across ETL jobs, on-premises systems, and cloud platforms. Enhanced filtering focuses efforts on critical datasets, allowing faster issue resolution and better decision-making. - Streamlined data modernisation efforts: During cloud migrations, Ataccama Lineage reduces risks by mapping redundant pipelines, dependencies, and critical datasets. Insurance companies transitioning to modern platforms can retire outdated systems and migrate only essential data, minimising disruption while maintaining compliance with regulations like Solvency II. For more from Ataccama, click here.

heata and British Gas project to deal with DC waste heat

This month, a pioneering trial backed by British Gas will see heat generated from computing servers recycled to provide free hot water in homes, using ground-breaking technology developed by UK firm, heata. The trial marks a huge milestone for heata founders, Chris Jordan and Michael Paisley, who hope their technology could help tackle the fuel poverty crisis, as well as being one of the solutions to one of the biggest environmental challenges of today - dealing with the waste heat generated by data centres. heata’s technology, which was developed as part of an innovation project with British Gas, allows heat generated from intensive data processing (typically undertaken in a data centre) to be channelled directly into a hot water cylinder in the home; reducing bills for the homeowner, and avoiding the need for the energy intensive cooling needed in a typical data centre. What this looks like in reality is a small compute unit attached to the hot water cylinder. This is part of the heata network - a ‘virtual data centre’ - and can process data for cloud computing customers whilst providing free hot water for the homeowner. Each heata unit can provide up to 4kWh of hot water per day, saving households up to £340 per year. British Gas has this month launched a 10 unit trial running its own data processing workloads on the heata units in their employee’s homes, providing their employees with free hot water as a by-product of British Gas’s data processing. Chris Jordan, Co-Founder of heata, says, “Waste heat is a big problem for data centres, leading to significant energy costs for cooling. Yet heat is valuable. On the other side of the coin you have an energy crisis and people struggling to heat their homes. Our unique technology brings those two things together. We’ve created a distributed ‘virtual data centre’ where the servers are attached to domestic hot water cylinders, enabling the heat generated by the data processing to be reused to provide free hot water in the home. “British Gas launching this trial is a huge step and we would love to see other firms following their lead. By making a small change to where you process your data, businesses can have an impact on fuel poverty and the planet. Being able to say you have reduced your compute carbon footprint and provided free hot water to people during an energy crisis is hugely powerful for companies who take pride in their sustainability and social impact. Paul Lodwidge, Head of Energy Product & Propositions at British Gas, adds, “Innovative projects like this are another example of how the UK is becoming a leader in cutting carbon emissions. heata is a true pioneer in the way it has developed a solution that can reuse waste heat and deliver significant cost and carbon savings. We’re proud to be able to support them with this latest trial and will work together to share insights and learnings that will enable the business to scale-up its offering.”