Data Centre Operations: Optimising Infrastructure for Performance and Reliability

Asanti partners with Storm ID

Asanti Data Centres, a UK data centre provider, has today announced a strategic partnership with Storm ID, a digital transformation consultancy, to deliver cloud-aligned colocation hosting services for public sector organisations. This partnership combines Storm ID’s experience in public cloud technologies, service design, and AI-powered platforms with Asanti’s UK-wide network of edge data centres. Together, they aim to empower public sector bodies to modernise legacy systems, enhance digital services, and ensure compliance with UK data sovereignty requirements. “As our colocation partner, Asanti’s UK-wide infrastructure enhances our ability to deliver secure, resilient, hybrid hosting solutions to our clients,” says Mike Cashin, Director at Storm ID. “By combining our public cloud expertise with Asanti’s data centre expertise, we can provide public sector organisations with seamless access to modern, cloud-aligned, hybrid hosting solutions.” Storm ID previously helped with digital service delivery for the Scottish Government, NHS Scotland, and other public institutions, whilst Asanti’s Livingston data centre is Scotland’s only dual-power-fed data centre. “This partnership with Storm ID is a strong alignment of values and vision,” comments Stewart Laing, CEO of Asanti Data Centres. “Storm ID’s track record in delivering transformative digital services for the public sector speaks for itself. Coupled with our scalable, resilient infrastructure, we’re excited to help enable a new era of secure, hybrid hosting solutions for public organisations across the UK.” The collaboration will focus on enabling digital transformation within regulated and critical sectors, with an emphasis on hybrid hosting architectures that blend local colocation with public cloud scalability.

UKRI invests £22 million into data spending

The UK Department for Research and Innovation (UKRI) has invested £22 million into data spending and staff over the past three years, underscoring the department's strategic commitment to data as a cornerstone of national research and innovation. Data is playing an increasingly vital role, particularly as artificial intelligence (AI) is being rolled out throughout government departments, with 70% of government bodies already piloting or planning to use AI, highlighting the urgent need for high-quality, structured, and secure data. This development marks a 70% increase in salary investment in just two years, reflecting both rising headcounts and the increasing value of data expertise in shaping the UK’s research landscape. Stuart Harvey, CEO of Datactics, comments, “Both businesses and government departments are keen to implement AI into their business functions but are overlooking the fundamental truth that AI is only as good as the data it learns from. Hiring challenges are becoming an increasing problem, but businesses should follow in the UKRI's footsteps to invest in data spending and staff, and upskill their teams in data management, governance, and quality to improve data readiness. “AI is only as effective as the data it processes and without structured, accurate, and well-governed data, businesses risk AI systems that are flawed. The rush to deploy AI without a strong data foundation is a costly mistake and, in a competitive AI landscape, only those who get their data right will be the ones who thrive.” UKRI’s investment in its data workforce reflects the growing demand for high-quality, well-managed, and accessible data that enables researchers to collaborate, innovate, and respond to global challenges. Between 2022 and 2025, UKRI’s data-related salary investment rose by 85%, from £5.35 million to £9.89 million, reflecting both growing headcounts and the escalating value of data expertise across the UK’s research ecosystem. Over the same period, the number of staff with “data” in their job titles rose from 138 in 2022 to 203 in 2025 - a 47% increase. Sachin Agrawal, Managing Director for Zoho UK, says, “As the UK continues to position itself as a global science and technology powerhouse, it is a welcome sight to see the department prioritising the investment of its data workforce for long-term commitment to data-driven research. “In an era where public trust and data ethics are paramount, building in-house expertise is essential to ensuring that data privacy, transparency, and compliance are at the heart of our national research infrastructure. This strategic investment lays the foundation for smarter and safer technology use by the UKRI."

Pulsant extends LINX partnership becoming ConneXions reseller

Pulsant, a UK edge infrastructure provider, has announced it has become a ConneXions Reseller Partner with the London Internet Exchange (LINX). Pulsant is a long-standing member of LINX, with Points of Presence (PoPs) in Manchester and Edinburgh, and active participation across all three major UK LINX Internet Exchange Points (IXPs), including London. This enhanced partnership intends to allow clients to take advantage of this geographic diversity, with connectivity across all three strategic locations in the UK. "No other colocation provider connects all three LINX points of presence with a national backbone. This collaboration underscores our commitment to providing clients with access to our leading platformEDGE infrastructure and connectivity options through a robust, low-latency network fabric. This ensures they can operate efficiently, develop and deploy services quickly, and grow their business effectively, wherever they are," says Mike Hoy, CTO at Pulsant. Pulsant clients collocated in any of their data centres across the UK can, via a dedicated connection, access LINX services in London as well as Manchester and Edinburgh. The recently acquired SCC data centres in Birmingham and Fareham will be added in the second half of 2025. Colin Peckham, Interconnection and Partnerships manager, LINX, comments, “It’s great when we collaborate with partners like Pulsant who are just as passionate about delivering value and future-proof technology to their clients. We are excited to work with [them], and welcome networks collocated in any of Pulsant’s UK data centres to LINX, from Milton Keynes to Newcastle! “LINX is one of the world's largest and most respected internet exchanges, facilitating high-speed, low-latency connections for a wide range of businesses. By becoming a ConneXions Reseller Partner, Pulsant is positioned to offer even more comprehensive solutions to its clients, further solidifying its role as a key player in the data centre and cloud services industry.” For more from Pulsant, click here.

Siemens, Cadolto, Legrand introduce new modular data centre

Siemens Smart Infrastructure, a division of German conglomerate Siemens focusing on intelligent building technologies, energy systems, and digital infrastructure solutions, Cadolto Datacenter, and Legrand Data Center Solutions are jointly unveiling a next-generation, modular edge data centre. The system will debut at Data Center World Frankfurt, taking place 4-5 June 2025. Unlike containerised data centres, this solution aims to offer customisable, prefabricated modules that can be tailored to operational needs and deployed faster. Siemens integrates its full suite of Smart Infrastructure technologies – from medium- and low-voltage power distribution to building automation, fire safety, and physical security systems. Cadolto acts as manufacturer and general contractor of the modular edge data centre, delivering the prefabricated modular building with integrated climate control. Legrand brings its knowledge in IT white space infrastructure – from racks and structured cabling to intelligent Power Distribution Units (PDUs) and Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems. “With digital transformation accelerating across every industry, our customers need infrastructure that moves as fast as they do,” says Ciaran Flanagan, Global Head of Data Center Solutions & Services at Siemens AG. “This solution offers all the performance of a traditional data centre, but with the agility to scale quickly, tailored to our customers’ specific needs. When ramping up capacity, it’s just a case of plugging it in.” The data centre has been designed to be suitable for both permanent operation and interim use, to be able to be deployed wherever needed – from high-performance computing in pharmaceutical environments to temporary applications such as test setups in the automotive sector or space-constrained office locations. There will also be “IT-ready” rental models which intend to enable fast deployment without upfront investment, making them appropriate for temporary IT hubs, lab environments, or other short-term infrastructure needs. Visitors can experience the new data centre first-hand at Data Center World Frankfurt, Hall 8, Catering Area CA4, where a full-scale demo unit will be on display. For more from Siemens, click here.

House of Commons boosts data workforce by 50%

The UK's House of Commons has splashed £7.5 million into data spending and staff over the past three years, underscoring its strategic commitment to data as a cornerstone of national research and innovation. As the public sector embraces AI at pace, with over 70% of government bodies piloting or planning AI implementation, the demand for robust data infrastructure and skilled personnel has never been greater. In response, the House of Commons has quietly ramped up hiring and spending on data roles, reflecting a broader strategic shift towards data-centric governance. Over the past three years, the number of staff in the House of Commons with "data" in their job titles has jumped from 49 in 2022 to 73 in early 2025, marking a 49% increase. Alongside this, total salary investment for data roles rose by more than 63%, from £1.83 million to £2.98 million, excluding final April 2025 figures still pending payroll completion. The figures reflect a growing recognition within Parliament that AI innovation is only as effective as the data that underpins it. Stuart Harvey, CEO of Datactics, comments, "There's a growing appetite across government to harness the power of AI, but what's often overlooked is that AI is only as reliable as the data it's built on. The House of Commons' investment in data roles is a critical step toward ensuring its systems are grounded in quality, governance, and accuracy. "Hiring the right data professionals and embedding strong data practices is no longer optional, it's essential. Without it, organisations risk deploying AI that makes poor decisions based on flawed information. In this new era, those who prioritise data integrity will be the ones who gain real value from AI." The increase in data staffing at the heart of Parliament reflects a wider cultural shift toward long-term digital resilience, ensuring that public institutions are equipped to harness AI ethically and effectively. Richard Bovey, Head of Data at AND Digital, says, "The House of Commons is leading the way for data investment, with 66% of businesses agreeing that data investment is a top priority for their organisation, according to our recent Data Loyalty research. This move signals a long-term commitment to data-driven governance at the heart of the public sector. "As the UK advances its position as a global leader in science and technology, building in-house data capability is vital, not only to unlock innovation, but also to safeguard, embedded from the ground up, enabling institutions to innovate responsibly. "But data alone isn't enough. Organisational culture plays a crucial role in turning insight into impact and a culture that truly values curiosity, empathy, and accountability is what transforms data points into better decisions and more meaningful outcomes. By investing in its data workforce, the House of Commons is laying a robust foundation for smarter, more ethical, and future-ready public services. It's a necessary step toward creating a public sector that is both digitally progressive and aligned with democratic values."

CDM to deliver modular data centre solutions

Compu Dynamics Modular (CDM), a newly launched company drawing on Compu Dynamics’ two decades of experience and focusing exclusively on modular solutions, today announces its market debut with a stated mission: to simplify and accelerate the deployment of high-density, energy efficient digital infrastructure through engineered, prefabricated data centre modules. With digital transformation surging across AI, HPC, neocloud, and enterprise markets, CDM aims to offer prefabricated, turnkey solutions that are scalable, transportable, and designed for the next generation of compute. The company serves a range of customers, from neocloud infrastructure providers and AI innovators to OEMs that integrate high-end compute clusters directly into modular platforms. "At CDM, our vision is to support the seamless, rapid deployment of digital infrastructure tailored to each customer’s unique application needs. We deliver fully tested, modular data centre solutions designed for efficiency, reliability, and scalability," says Ron Mann, Vice President of Compu Dynamics Modular. "We are not building containers — we are delivering high-performance, factory-integrated data centre solutions that are fully operational from day one." Each module is an integrated, self-contained data centre system including mechanical, electrical, and cooling infrastructure that is designed to support advanced applications such as AI model training, GPU clusters, and edge inference engines. The company provides end-to-end lifecycle services including: • Design & Engineering: Customisable to power densities, cooling strategies, and deployment constraints. • Fabrication & Assembly: Built in controlled environments. • Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT): Aiming to ensure systems are deployment-ready before shipping. • Deployment & Commissioning: Nationwide and international delivery, and on-site integration. • Ongoing Support & Maintenance: Lifecycle services tailored to operational continuity. “Compu Dynamics Modular represents the next phase of innovation in our industry,” comments Steve Altizer, President and CEO of Compu Dynamics. “CDM is built to meet the modular demands of tomorrow’s compute landscape, where speed-to-market, flexibility, and high-density performance are critical.” For more from Compu Dynamics, click here.

Pure Storage and SK Hynix announce collaboration

Pure Storage, a provider of data storage technology and services, today announced a collaboration with SK Hynix, a South Korean semiconductor company, to deliver QLC flash storage products that aim to meet the high-capacity, energy efficient requirements for data-intensive hyperscaler environments. Modern data centres require solutions that can provide high storage density capabilities without sacrificing performance or energy efficiency. Data bottlenecks can lead to decreased productivity and high energy costs, affecting overall company performance. Traditional storage solutions such as hard disk drives (HDDs) have limitations as they are unable to handle the high-capacity, data-intensive workloads of hyperscale data centres in the AI era. Pure Storage intend to deliver future DirectFlash Module products with SK Hynix’s QLC NAND flash memory that will be purpose-built for demanding hyperscaler environments. Benefits could include: • Sustained High Performance — Integrating Pure Storage's data storage platform with SK Hynix's QLC NAND technology to enable low-latency solutions geared towards exascale, data-intensive workloads. • Increased Energy Efficiency — Collaborating to provide lower energy consumption, helping customers overcome power availability constraints, lower operating costs, and decrease an organisation's overall carbon footprint. • Improved Scalability & TCO — The combined solution seeks to provide highly rack-dense and scalable systems. “This collaboration with SK Hynix is an exciting step in our mission to deliver superior all-flash storage technology to hyperscalers. By combining SK Hynix's advanced QLC products with Pure Storage’s host-based flash management architecture, we can deliver an optimised solution for the hyperscale production environment and AI infrastructure,” says Bill Cerreta, GM, Hyperscale, Pure Storage. “Hyperscalers are constantly searching for data storage technology that doesn’t limit their potential innovation, but propels it to unforeseen levels. SK Hynix's NAND technology, combined with Pure Storage's robust platform, presents a formidable option for data centre operators focused on maximizing performance, efficiency, and scalability. Together, we are empowering hyperscale environments to tackle burgeoning data volumes with cutting-edge, sustainable storage solutions,” comments Sam Lee, EVP, Head of Global Sales and Marketing, SK Hynix. For more from Pure Storage, click here.

Zella DC launches new modular data centre

Zella DC, a designer and manufacturer of indoor and outdoor micro data centres, today announced the launch of its reimagined Zella Max, a purpose-built modular data centre designed for scalable edge deployments. Unlike its predecessor, the new Zella Max is not a repurposed container. Instead, it has been engineered from the ground up. Available in a single size (a 20-foot modular unit), Zella Max is offered in two configurations: • Zella Max 4 — One-door configuration, accommodating up to four Zella Pro micro data centres.• Zella Max 6 — Two-door configuration, housing up to six Zella Pro micro data centres with expanded aisle space and dual access. The latest version of Zella Max brings a number of upgrades: • Purpose-built design — The Zella Max has changed from a retrofitted shipping container into a fully engineered modular structure.• Improved layout — The internal floor space has been reworked for better usability and access.• Configuration options — Options of Zella Max 4 (single access) or Zella Max 6 (dual access) to accommodate different deployment sizes and user access requirements.• Multi-tenancy ready — The design can be configured for shared environments, offering independent access to each unit.• Streamlined manufacturing — The new design facilitates faster production and deployment. The new Zella Max offers certain features: • Fully integrated — Each Zella Pro inside the Max comes pre-installed with precision cooling, power systems, security features, and environmental monitoring.• Secure by design — Advanced access control, surveillance, fire protection, and cybersecurity features.• Deploy anywhere — The Zella Max's compact footprint makes it possible for edge, remote, and space-constrained locations.• Scalable — Option to scale up from 4 to 6 Zella Pro units as needed.• No need for airlocks — Each Zella Pro is sealed and self-contained, protecting equipment from dust and contaminants without requiring internal airlock systems.• Sustainable — Energy-efficient cooling and solar compatibility. For more from Zella DC, click here.

Colovore appoints infrastructure veteran as CEO

Colovore, a leader in ultra-high-density, liquid cooling colocation solutions, today announced the appointment of Jeffrey Springborn as Chief Executive Officer. A seasoned operator in data centre development and cloud services, Jeffrey intends to guide the company through its next phase of growth as it scales a national buildout strategy across the USA to meet rising demand for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure. Jeffrey joins Colovore on the heels of a $925 million financing facility with Blackstone to fuel expansion of its AI data centre platform in key US metro markets. Driven by strong demand for mission-critical infrastructure that supports enterprise planning and multi-market deployments, Colovore is expanding into key US metro markets. New high-density, liquid-cooled facilities are being developed to align with customer roadmaps, enabling partners to secure capacity and shape infrastructure rollouts that match long-term AI and HPC growth. “AI infrastructure needs are evolving faster than most data centres can adapt,” says Jeffrey Springborn, the new CEO of Colovore. “Colovore is building what tomorrow demands—today. The customers we’re partnering with aren’t just early adopters, they’re forward-thinking leaders who see what’s coming and are preparing for it now. They know that to stay ahead in AI, you can’t wait for capacity. You have to secure the right infrastructure before the rush. With the backing of King Street, that’s exactly what we’re enabling them to do.” Colovore Board Chairman and Managing Partner of King Street Capital Brian Higgins comments, ‘"I'm pleased to announce Jeff Springborn as Colovore's new CEO. We identified Jeff as the leader with the right experience to accelerate our growth in the AI infrastructure market. His 30 years of technology leadership and infrastructure expertise will be crucial as we expand our liquid-cooled data centres nationwide. Jeff complements the strong foundation built by Sean and Peter, positioning Colovore to meet the surging demand for AI-ready infrastructure. The Board is confident in Jeff's ability to execute our strategic vision in this next phase of growth." “Smart companies are locking in infrastructure now to avoid being left behind later,” states Jeffrey. “We’re not just building data centres—we’re shaping the AI backbone of tomorrow.” For more from Colovore, click here.

VAST Data unveils its operating system for the 'thinking machine'

VAST Data, a technology company focused on artificial intelligence and deep learning computing infrastructure, today announced the result of nearly a decade of development with the unveiling of the VAST AI Operating System (OS), a platform purpose-built for the next wave of AI breakthroughs. As AI redefines the fabric of business and society, the industry again finds itself at the dawn of a new computing paradigm – one where great numbers of intelligent agents will reason, communicate, and act across a global grid of millions of GPUs that are woven across edge deployments, AI factories and cloud data centres. To make this world accessible, programmable, and operational at extreme scale, a new generation of intelligent systems requires a new software foundation. The VAST AI OS is the product of nearly ten years of engineering with the aim to create an intelligent platform architecture that can harness the new generation of AI supercomputing machinery and unlock the potential of AI at scale. The platform is built on VAST’s Disaggregated Shared-Everything (DASE) architecture, a parallel distributed system architecture – making it possible to parallelise AI and analytics workloads, federate clusters into a unified computing and data cloud, and then feed new AI workloads with high amounts of data from one tier of storage. Today, DASE clusters support over 1 million GPUs around the world in many of the world’s most data-intensive computing centres. The scope of the AI OS is broad and is intended to consolidate disparate legacy IT technologies into one modern offering. “This isn’t a product release — it’s a milestone in the evolution of computing,” says Renen Hallak, Founder & CEO of VAST Data. “We’ve spent the past decade reimagining how data and intelligence converge. Today, we’re proud to unveil the AI Operating System for a world that is no longer built around applications — but around agents.” The AI OS consists of every aspect of a distributed system to run AI at a global scale: a kernel to run platform services on from private to public cloud, a runtime to deploy AI agents with, eventing infrastructure for real-time event processing, messaging infrastructure, and a distributed file and database storage system that can be used for real-time data capture and analytics. In 2024, VAST previewed the VAST InsightEngine – a service that extracts context from unstructured data using AI embedding tools. If the VAST InsightEngine prepares data for AI using AI, VAST AgentEngine is how AI now comes to life with data – an auto-scaling AI agent deployment runtime that aims to equip users with a low-code environment to build workflows, select reasoning models, define agent tools, and operationalise reasoning. The AgentEngine features a new AI agent tool server that provides support for agents to invoke data, metadata, functions, web search, or other agents using them as MCP-compatible tools. AgentEngine allows agents to assume multiple personas with different purpose and security credentials, and provides secure, real-time access to different tools. The platform’s scheduler and fault-tolerant queuing mechanisms are also intended to ensure agent resilience against machine or service failure. Just as operating systems ship with pre-built utilities, the VAST AgentEngine will feature a set of open-source agents that VAST will release (one per month). Some personal assistants will be tailored to industry use cases, whereas others will be designed for general purpose use. Examples include: ● A reasoning chatbot, powered by all of an organisation’s VAST data ● A data engineering agent to curate data automatically ● A prompt engineer to help optimise AI workflow inputs ● An agent agent, to automate the deployment, evaluation, and improvement of agents ● A compliance agent, to enforce data and activity level regulatory compliance ● An editor agent, to create rich media content ● A life sciences researcher, to assist with bioinformatic discovery In the spirit of enabling organisations to build on the VAST AI OS, VAST Data will be hosting VAST Forward, a series of global workshops, both in-person and online, throughout the year. These workshops will include training on components of the OS and sessions on how to develop on the platform. For more from VAST, click here.