Colocation Strategies for Scalable Data Centre Operations

Pulsant commits to edge partner ecosystem

Pulsant, a UK-based provider of data centre and edge infrastructure, has launched a partner programme designed to create a partner ecosystem enabling regional businesses and channel partners to jointly capitalise on rising demand for colocation, Edge, and IaaS solutions. Pulsant's new programme offers partners access to its platformEDGE digital infrastructure and aims to develop a collaborative ecosystem by providing Managed Service Providers (MSPs) with new commercial models, sales enablement resources, incentives and dedicated support staff. Not only will this facilitate digital innovation while accelerating hybrid cloud adoption, but it will also allow partners to deliver compelling solutions for their clients without major capital outlays. Wendy Shearer, Director of Partners and Ecosystems, comments, "The UK Digital Strategy emphasises the need for partnerships to drive innovation. As organisations seek to take advantage of AI, IoT and other transformative technologies, they require robust regional infrastructure supported by a strong ecosystem. "Regional firms often lack these resources to build successful digital infrastructure investments. Our interconnected ecosystem strengthens their ability to capitalise on high-growth markets such as AI or IoT, turning collaboration between enterprises, service providers, platforms and connectivity companies into competitive advantage." Pulsant's established environment already includes over 200 IT service providers, 100 SaaS platforms, 500+ enterprises, and connectivity providers including LINX and Megaport. Combined with its 12 regional data centres, this ecosystem provides the foundation for channel partners and their clients to fully leverage emerging tech capabilities. "The digital economy demands robust infrastructure combined with thriving partner ecosystems to foster sustainable growth and transformation," Wendy adds. "Our programme facilitates that collaborative environment regionally." To support the programme's expansion, Pulsant bolstered its channel team by hiring a Head of Partnerships and three Regional Partner Development Managers. For more from Pulsant, click here.

Colohouse acquires Hivelocity to create next-generation service provider

Colohouse, a portfolio company of Valterra Partners and a player in the colocation, cloud, hosting and network services sector, has announced the successful acquisition of Hivelocity, a provider of bare metal hosting. This strategic move combines the portfolio of two well-established providers with a focus on cloud and bare metal services to meet growing market demand. "Our acquisition of Hivelocity is a strategic move to enhance our capabilities and reinforce our commitment to delivering top-tier IT infrastructure services," says Jeremy Pease, CEO at Colohouse. "Together, Colohouse and Hivelocity create a unique, next-generation provider that places the customer’s needs and success at the forefront, providing them with the connectivity and computing power required to deploy and manage modern applications and data.” "Our mission at Hivelocity is to create a company with a singular focus on simplifying hosting with an exceptional customer experience. We have continuously excelled at our mission, grown our customer base and kept up with their demands, which led us from a single rack of servers to operating 40+ world-class data centres on six continents,” says Mike Architetto, CEO of Hivelocity. “Combined with Colohouse, Hivelocity can accelerate its capabilities and continue its legacy of simplifying IT for its customers.” Key benefits of the acquisition:  Full-service hybrid cloud product offering: The acquisition bolsters Colohouse's infrastructure and existing hosting services with Hivelocity's robust bare metal servers, network automation, and virtual private cloud solutions. Combined, the company can address the demand for a more comprehensive range of solutions for applications and data that require more computing power and connectivity options as customers seek to optimise cost, performance and security. Automation and self-service capabilities across private infrastructure: As a next-generation service provider, the combined company will enable rapid deployment and scalability of private compute and connectivity resources across dozens of domestic and international locations. This platform enables and integrates modern capabilities including developer tools, APIs, and SDN. Top tier talent helping customers succeed: The acquisition is founded on a shared commitment to focus on our customer’s needs and success. The most impactful solutions provide automation when wanted and expertise when needed. With decades of experience as a service provider, the combined teams are committed to exceptional customer service. As businesses increasingly rely on advanced IT infrastructure to drive growth, the acquisition of Hivelocity by Colohouse sets the stage for the most comprehensive and mature suite of hosted infrastructure paired with expertise, resources, and innovation capabilities. Kevin Reed, Managing Director of Valterra Partners, adds, “The combination of Colohouse and Hivelocity is the result of a multiyear strategy to acquire and develop a differentiated data centre and hybrid cloud provider that provides a platform of significant scale within a high growth market. The combined business provides a talented executive team, completes strategic offerings and expands capacities across a substantial geographic footprint that will support substantial growth.” Houlihan Lokey served as financial advisor and Hogan Lovells served as legal advisor to Colohouse. DH Capital served as financial advisor and Gunster served as legal advisor to Hivelocity.

Airtel Africa to host ceremony for Nxtra data centre in Lagos

Airtel Africa has been set to host a ceremony to kick off the construction of its first Nxtra data centre. The event is scheduled for 12 March 2024 at Eko Atlantic, Victoria Island, Lagos. The ceremony is expected to have in attendance distinguished guests, including the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; his Ogun State counterpart, Prince Dapo Abiodun; and the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani. According to Airtel, the event will mark a milestone in Airtel Africa's quest to enhance data sovereignty, security, and preservation within the continent. With the exponential growth of digital services and the increasing need for robust data capacity, the facility is poised to address the evolving requirements of businesses, governments, and large corporations in ensuring the integrity and accessibility of critical information and digital connections. The business-agnostic centres are planned to be built in major cities in all the 14 countries, where Airtel Africa maintains operations.   The Lagos location, which will be a 34MW data centre, is planned to operate with a remarkable PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) score of 1.3, while hosting high density racks. Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Carl Cruz, notes, “We are certain that this infrastructure will propel Lagos, Nigeria, towards a sustainable and more inclusive digital age.” The Nxtra data centre is in line with Airtel’s steadfast commitment to pioneering technological solutions that empower communities, drive economic growth, and propel the continent towards a prosperous future. In addition to the expected senior government officials, the Nxtra event will also have in attendance other prominent guests, including industry leaders in tech, finance, construction and media.

Servecentric and Digital Realty extend €10 million deal

Servecentric, the Irish data centre colocation, cloud and connectivity services provider, has announced an extension of its lease deal with colocation data centre provider Digital Realty to the value of €10 million.  The six-year deal will enable Servecentric to enhance its service portfolio and increase capacity for both existing and new customers, generating additional revenue streams across local and global markets. By targeting a wider audience of SMEs and enterprises, Servecentric will be equipped to strengthen its presence in Ireland and further expand its position in international markets including Europe, the US and India. This growth will mainly consist of projects spanning areas such as cloud repatriation, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), security and managed service hosting. Underpinning these projects will be Servecentric’s relationships with 18 telecom carrier partners, which will aid the expansion of its colocation business and help to deliver greater connectivity, security and reliability for organisations. The extended partnership with Digital Realty will enable Servecentric’s customers to scale by facilitating more colocation and cloud projects and delivering more connectivity options for building hybrid multi-cloud networks. Customers will also have access to a suite of hyperscale on-ramp solutions including local high-capacity AWS Direct Connect port connectivity services. Following significant investment in improvements, the Digital Realty facility now delivers enhanced physical security, improved resilience and increased operational efficiency. Furthermore, customers will benefit from decreased downtime through onsite technical support services from Servecentric. This deal extension follows a period of growth for Servecentric, with the company announcing in August 2023 that it had generated revenues of €6.6 million from international markets over the last two years. Brian Roe, Servecentric CEO, says, “The demand for cloud, colocation and connectivity services is on the rise – and that’s not going to stop any time soon. This deal means that we can continue delivering the best customer experience and most responsive technical support, while enhancing our offering and enabling us to take on new business. “It shows our commitment to the market and provides an incredible launchpad from which to drive further growth throughout 2024 and beyond. Working with leaders like Digital Realty helps us to uphold world-class standards and identify more opportunities not only in Ireland but also across international markets.”

Data centre colocation market is expected to reach $279.1bn by 2034

The data centre colocation market is estimated to be worth US$69.7bn in 2024 and is projected to be valued at US$279.1bn in 2034. Between 2024 and 2034, the industry is expected to register a growth rate of 14.9%. The growing need for scalable and reliable IT infrastructure in industries owing to digital transformation is expected to drive the growth of the data centre colocation market during the forecast period. The rising reliance on cloud services fuels the demand for colocation facilities that provide connectivity and support for cloud deployments. Colocation complements cloud strategies, offering hybrid solutions for businesses. Colocation facilities implement advanced security protocols, including physical security, network security, and compliance with industry standards, ensuring data protection and minimising cyber security risks driving the growth of the data centre colocation in various industries. The growing unique IT infrastructure requirements due to compliance and security needs in finance and healthcare, lead to tailored colocation solutions catering to these sectors. The data centre colocation market in the United States continues to evolve, driven by technological advancements, changing business needs, and the growing importance of reliable, scalable, and secure data infrastructure. The Europe data centre colocation market is currently undergoing substantial growth, primarily propelled by the expanding utilisation of IoT, cloud computing, and AI/ML technologies. Key takeaways from the market study: From 2019 to 2023, the data centre colocation market was valued at a CAGR of 12.6% Based on end-users, the large enterprises segment is expected to account for a share of 63.0% in 2024 Global data centre colocation demand in China is predicted to account for a CAGR of 15.4% in 2024 In the United States, the data centre colocation industry is expected to account for a CAGR of 12.7% in 2024 Germany is projected to expand by a value CAGR of 14.4% between 2024 and 2034 The data centre colocation market in Japan is anticipated to record a CAGR of 16.1% in 2024 “The growing digitalisation across industries and increased importance of advanced IT infrastructure is anticipated to drive the market growth during the forecast period," says Sudip Saha, Managing Director and Co-Founder at Future Market Insights. Competitive landscape Key players focus on organic growth strategies like product launches and approval. Collaborations and partnerships with key players and acquiring niche players are critical strategies followed by leading players in the data centre colocation market. Some of the developments in the data centre colocation market are: CyrusOne has expanded rapidly, particularly in the United States, providing colocation solutions to numerous enterprises. The company's emphasis on customised solutions, hyperscale facilities, and energy-efficient data centres has influenced market trends. Cyxtera Technologies offers a suite of colocation, cyber security, and analytics services. The company's integration of cyber security features within its colocation offerings has impacted the market by emphasising security as a critical aspect of colocation services. These insights are based on a report on the Data Centre Colocation Market by Sudip Saha, Principal Consultant, Future Market Insights.

Vertiv opens a new manufacturing facility and test lab in India

Vertiv has announced the opening of a new manufacturing facility in Pune, India. The opening was to meet the surging demand for data centres and supporting infrastructure solutions globally, including India and the APAC region. The new plant manufactures thermal management products and solutions tailored for colocation, cloud, telecom, and enterprise data centres, catering to both domestic and international markets. This is Vertiv’s third facility in India, joining with existing manufacturing facilities in Ambernath and Pune. Spanning 4.8 acres (210,000ft2), the facility supports the manufacturing of cooling solutions ranging from 200W to 2MW+, including adiabatic free cooling chillers, large custom air handling units (AHU), thermal wall units, a new range of large direct expansion (DX), packaged DX, free cooling with economiser units, a new range of in-row cooling units, wall mount units, and rack cooling systems. The facility also boasts state-of-the-art psychometric labs, providing performance testing, a customer experience centre, and design support capabilities. It is located in an India Green Building Council (IGBC) compliant park focusing on sustainability and reducing environmental impact. CEO of Vertiv, Giordano (Gio) Albertazzi, says, “With increasing global digitalisation and the rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the data centre industry is experiencing growth and a demand for more capacity, including for data centre thermal and power infrastructure. India’s emergence as a data centre hub in the APAC region is a key reason that we built this third manufacturing facility in India, and it reinforces our commitment to nurturing the country’s data centre ecosystem while also addressing global demand.”

Prescient Data Centres unveils its new website

Prescient Data Centres, a commercial carrier-neutral data centre based in Northern Ireland, has unveiled its new website. The newly designed website features a full suite of enhanced services and solutions, bolstering its position as the only neutral colocation operator, with a facility in Northern Ireland directly serving the region with connectivity and reach beyond. Prescient’s new website showcases a comprehensive look at the data centre, providing details regarding the data centre’s security, safety, building management information, and cooling and power solutions. The website also focuses on colocation, connectivity, and support services. Additionally, it shares the company’s solutions and partners, including details about the at Prescient. “We are committed to giving our customers, present and future, the best possible experience with Prescient Data Centres,” says Doug Friend, CEO of Prescient. “Through our new website, we clearly communicate our industry-leading services for our customers and those who are considering making Northern Ireland a home for their data.” Prescient Data Centres operates Northern Ireland’s first commercial carrier-neutral data centre. The company offers data centre services in colocation, connectivity, and other solutions to assist in reaching local, national, and international digital infrastructure. Located within Prescient DC’s world-class facility, it offers super-efficient and exceptionally resilient, high-security data storage. Prescient DC’s unique location offers stress-free access to the UK and EU. Its proximity to Northern Ireland enables low-latency connections to North America with proximity to the cable landing, located in Northern Ireland. This strategic location allows the independent data centre to serve as a pivotal hub for cloud services in the region.

Involta acquires data centre and land in Green Bay

Involta, an award-winning colocation, hybrid IT and managed services firm, has announced the acquisition of a 24.5-acre site, housing an existing data centre in the Green Bay region. Through this acquisition, Involta will implement a multi-phased approach to extend the current data centre footprint to an expandable campus with up to 20 MW of capacity. The future campus is poised to meet rising enterprise colocation demands with the Involta SecurePower colocation model, providing mission-critical data centre space with industry-leading power, security and connectivity services directly embedded into its facilities. Located just 40 minutes from Green Bay, the campus project will support the fast-growing needs and performance requirements of high-tech industries, alongside the colocation and services needed for enterprise workloads and AI applications. In addition, the proximity of the location is highly desirable for edge deployments. The area provides a low-risk zone with moderate temperatures to help regulate power demands, along with attractive tax incentives and the recent designation by the Biden administration confirming the state as an official U.S. Regional Tech Hub (RTH). “The Green Bay market is a sought-after region across our portfolio of enterprise clients spanning healthcare organisations, manufacturers and financial institutions,” says Bruce Lehrman, Founder and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors for Involta. “As this market continues to grow, our evolving footprint in this vibrant region will deliver the capacity, fibre infrastructure and hybrid IT services required to support high-performance computing for the most demanding and complex regulated industries.” At the epicentre of Involta’s expansive data centre network, the 20-MW campus will bolster the company’s future development of energy-efficient data centres. By doing so, it brings robust and redundant fibre infrastructure to the Wisconsin market, driving more connectivity locally and nationally whilst delivering unmatched access to its Midwest data centres from Iowa to Minnesota to Ohio. This acquisition marks Involta’s 13th data centre location. Involta’s data centre facilities are located across multiple edge markets, setting the standard for industry-leading security, redundant power, and climate control nationwide.

Crusoe announces data centre expansion with atNorth in Iceland

atNorth, a Nordic colocation, high-performance computing, and artificial intelligence service provider has announced its collaboration with Crusoe Energy Systems to collocate Crusoe Cloud GPUs in atNorth’s ICE02 data centre in Iceland. This is Crusoe’s first project in Europe and the partnership advances Crusoe’s mission to align the future of computing with the future of the climate. It plans to do this by powering Crusoe’s high-performance computing infrastructure with clean energy sources. “I’m thrilled that our quest to source low carbon power has led us to Iceland,” says Cully Cavness, Crusoe’s Co-Founder and President. “This partnership with atNorth allows us to bring the concentrated energy demand of compute infrastructure directly to the source of clean, renewable geothermal and hydro energy.” “It is very important to atNorth that we are collaborating with companies that share our approach to sustainability,” says E. Magnús Kristinsson, CEO of atNorth. “Crusoe’s commitment to maximise their compute while minimising their environmental impact made them a perfect fit.” The atNorth ICE02 site leverages more than 80MW of power, benefiting from the sustainable geothermal and hydro energy produced in Iceland. The country also benefits from low latency networks and fully redundant connectivity to customer bases in North America and Europe via multiple undersea fibre optic cables.  “AI and machine learning are driving the demand for data centres to grow at a record rate,” says Chris Dolan, Chief Data Centre Officer of Crusoe. “We’re excited about our initial commitment to atNorth and look forward to potentially expanding capacity even more in the future.”  The news follows atNorth’s recent acquisition of Gompute, a provider of High Performance Computing (HPC) and data centre services, and the announcement of three new sites: FIN04 in Kouvola, Finland; FIN02 in Helsinki, Finland; and DEN01 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Supply to match demand in top European data centre markets this year

New colocation data centre supply is set to match demand in the largest European markets tracked by CBRE this year, as providers look to satisfy hyperscalers' appetite for space. According to new research from CBRE, there is 572MW of new supply expected across the Frankfurt, Paris, London, Amsterdam and Dublin (FLAPD) markets in 2023, with an equal amount of take-up expected to for the same period. The annual forecast is reflective of a strong third quarter for the colocation data centre industry. Take-up soared to 215MW in Q3 2023, nearly quadruple that of the previous quarter (54MW), largely due to pre-let capacity that was delivered in Amsterdam and Frankfurt. CBRE predicts Q4 2023 take-up to exceed this, as a number of sizable data centres in Paris, Frankfurt and London are expected to open before the end of the year. As a result, new supply (283MW) and take-up (265MW) levels in the FLAPD markets are likely to reach record highs in the final quarter. CBRE’s Head of Data Centre Research for Europe, Kevin Restivo, says that hyperscaler buying patterns are changing but demand should remain strong. “Hyperscalers' requirements are becoming more specific and sales cycles are longer. However, the need for greater amounts of capacity to ensure future needs are met and keeping capacity away from competitors remains.” Beyond the FLAPD markets, Madrid, Milan, Warsaw and Zurich are expected to account for a large proportion of the 101MW predicted take-up in Europe’s secondary markets this year. Andrew Jay, Head of Data Centre Solutions at CBRE, adds, “With the exponential growth of AI, it’s unlikely that demand will slow down anytime soon. The challenge remains in the lack of available power and AI-appropriate facilities across Europe.”