Operations

DataVita launches alternative to public cloud services

DataVita, Scotland’s largest data centre and cloud services provider, has launched National Cloud, a platform that addresses the challenges many organisations face when using the public cloud that supports the wider use of artificial intelligence (AI). National Cloud is designed for workloads that don’t fit well into the traditional public cloud and it offers full transparency and predictability over costs – with no hidden fees or egress charges – removing the risk of the potentially infinite costs that come with existing pay-as-you-go public cloud models. The service is delivered from some of the most sustainable data centres in the UK, offering the lowest digital emissions of any cloud provider in the country, DataVita claims. This also ensures data residency within the UK – whereas many public could operators use overseas facilities – addressing compliance and security concerns for public services and regulated industries. Built on open architecture and interoperable systems, National Cloud allows integration and movement between different products which reduces vendor lock-in risks and enables hybrid cloud capabilities. It is purpose-built to handle complex workloads, supporting the requirements of medium and large enterprises, tech start-ups, and public sector organisations. DataVita has forged a strategic partnership with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) to deliver the new platform, combining the agility of a specialised cloud provider with the robust technology, industry experience, and simplicity of an established market leader. Danny Quinn, MD of DataVita (pictured above), says, "National Cloud is our answer to the recurring issues organisations face with public cloud services. We're actively seeking out workloads that public clouds can't efficiently support, particularly those driven by AI's growing demands and organisations requiring intricate hybrid cloud architectures. Our platform offers the performance, security, and scalability needed for these intensive applications, all while providing cost predictability and sustainability. "Available across the UK, we're already seeing significant interest from organisations looking to escape the limitations of public cloud services and gain more control over their critical workloads and data. Our focus on transparency, sustainability, and expertly tailored solutions sets us apart in the market." Xavier Poisson, Global Vice President for Service Providers & Colocation Providers at HPE, adds, “The National Cloud combines HPE GreenLake cloud’s leading capabilities to manage, observe, automate and secure complex cloud environments, with DataVita’s experience as a leading provider of cloud and connectivity services. With this new platform, customers across the UK will have access to a trusted infrastructure that allows them to stay in full control of their data and derive value from it.” For more from DataVita, click here.

Is poor data quality the biggest barrier to efficiency?

Employing data specialists, selecting the right tech and understanding the value of a patient and meticulous approach to validation are all fundamental elements of an effective data strategy, according to STX Next, a global leader in IT consulting. Recent research shows that data is an asset that many organisations undervalue, with businesses generating over $5.6 billion in annual global revenue losing a yearly average of $406 million as a direct result of low-quality data. Bad data primarily impacts company bottom lines by acting as the bedrock of underperforming business intelligence reports and AI models – set up or trained on inaccurate and incomplete data – that produce unreliable responses, which businesses then use as the basis for important decisions. According to Tomasz Jędrośka, Head of Data Engineering at STX Next, significant work behind the scenes is required for organisations to be confident in the data at their disposal. Tomasz says, “Approaches to data quality vary from company to company. Some organisations put a lot of effort into curating their data sets, ensuring there are validation rules and proper descriptions next to each attribute. Others concentrate on rapid development of the data layer with very little focus on eventual quality, lineage and data governance. “Both approaches have their positives and negatives, but it’s worth remembering that data tends to outlive all other layers of the application stack. Therefore, if data architecture isn’t designed correctly there could be issues downstream. This often stems from aggressive timelines set by management teams, as projects are rushed to facilitate unrealistic objectives, leading to a less than desirable outcome. “It’s important to remember that the data world is no longer recognisable from where we were 20 years ago. Whereas before we had a handful of database providers, now development teams may pick one of a whole host of data solutions that are available. “Businesses should carefully consider the requirements of the project and potential future areas that it might cover, and use this information to select a database product suitable for the job. Specialist data teams can also be extremely valuable, with organisations that invest heavily in highly skilled and knowledgeable personnel more likely to succeed. “An integral aspect of why high-quality data is important in today’s business landscape is because companies across industries are rushing to train and deploy classical ML as well as GenAI models. These models tend to multiply whatever issues they encounter, with some AI chatbots even hallucinating when trained on a perfect set of source information. If data points are incomplete, mismatched, or even contradictory, the GenAI model won’t be able to draw satisfactory conclusions from them. “To prevent this from happening, data teams should analyse the business case and the roots of ongoing data issues. Too often, organisations aim to tactically fix problems and then allow the original issue to grow bigger and bigger. “At some point, a holistic analysis of the architectural landscape needs to be done, depending on the scale of the organisation and its impact, in the shape of a lightweight review or a more formalised audit where recommendations are then implemented. Fortunately, modern data governance solutions can mitigate a lot of the pain connected with such a process and in many cases make it smoother, depending on the size of the technical debt.” Tomasz concludes, “Employees who trust and rely on data insights work far more effectively, feel more supported and drive improvements in efficiency. Business acceleration powered by a data-driven decision-making process is a true signal of a data-mature organisation, with such traits differentiating companies from rivals.” For more from STX Next, click here.

STT GDC and Phaidra to optimise data centre cooling with AI

ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC), one of the world’s fastest-growing data centre colocation services providers, today announced its collaboration with Phaidra, a pioneer of using artificial intelligence (AI) to improve efficiency, stability, and sustainability, to pilot an AI-based autonomous control system for optimising data centre cooling in STT GDC’s facilities in Singapore. Phaidra provides AI-powered control systems for data centres. Its autonomous AI agents build upon legacy control systems and support facility operations teams by analysing thousands of sensor trends in real-time to maximise energy efficiency, reliability, and cooling performance using specialised deep learning models. Because this is a closed-loop solution, these AI agents continuously learn and adapt to changing facility conditions, such as load variations, due to higher density GPU deployments or external weather changes. STT GDC’s commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030, along with its collaboration with Phaidra, aligns with Singapore’s vision of a greener future for the data centre industry. As the power needs of AI workloads continue to grow, data centre cooling and operational infrastructure must evolve to keep pace. This evolution is essential to more effectively and sustainably manage the heat generated by the high-performance computing requirements necessary to support accelerated computing workloads such as AI and beyond. STT GDC will be the first operator to pilot Phaidra’s AI-powered control systems in Asia, setting a unique precedent by testing them in a hybrid cooling environment that is technically more challenging as compared to traditional air-cooled data centres. Selected STT GDC data centres offer a combination of both air-cooling and liquid-cooling solutions, supporting diverse computing workloads within the same facility. This pioneering effort underscores STT GDC’s commitment to innovative and sustainable data centre management. Based on existing site parameters, an initial estimate of 10% in cooling energy savings is anticipated. As the AI model is fed more operational data, energy savings are expected to increase from the 10% baseline to as high as 30%. This flagship pilot will serve as a model for possible subsequent deployments across STT GDC’s portfolio of data centres globally. Daniel Pointon, Group Chief Technology Officer, ST Telemedia Global Data Centres, comments, “Combining our expertise in delivering AI-ready data centres across major economic hubs with Phaidra’s industry-leading know-how in using AI to optimise mission-critical control systems, we are leading the way in using AI to further drive sustainability within our data centres. Through this collaboration, we are not only seeing meaningful impact on our ongoing decarbonisation efforts, but also significant efficiency gains in data centre operations that already offer a hybrid of both air and liquid cooling. This pilot is testament to our commitment to drive sustainable innovation across our data centres.” Jim Gao, CEO and Co-Founder of Phaidra, adds, “Phaidra is proud to work with a leading data centre services provider like STT GDC. Its culture of operational excellence, relentless improvement and innovation makes for a natural partnership. We look forward to driving the data centre industry forward together.” AI is already making inroads towards transforming the global economy. Analysis from PWC indicates that AI could potentially contribute up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030, along with up to 26% boost in GDP for local economies from AI by the same year. While a sufficient level of AI-readiness is required to take advantage of these economic opportunities, there also must be considerations towards doing so in a sustainable manner. As a leading data centre hub both regionally and internationally, Singapore is uniquely positioned to drive sustainable innovation in the data centre space. Recently, Singapore announced its Green Data Centre Roadmap for sustainable growth, with plans to accelerate data centres’ energy efficiency at both hardware and software levels, as well as to increase data centres’ use of green energy to expand capacity. For more from STT GDC, click here.

DRC inaugurates Raxio data centre

In a landmark move reinforcing the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) burgeoning role in Africa's digital transformation, Raxio Group today inaugurated its state-of-the-art data centre in Kinshasa, marking the country’s largest data centre, with Tier III accreditation by international industry body, the Uptime Institute. Known as Raxio DRC1, the cutting-edge facility is backed by a $30 million investment, and represents a pivotal milestone in the nation’s Plan National du Numérique to drive digital inclusion, foster private sector growth, and transform public services through digitalisation. Located in Limete in the southeast of Kinshasa, the two-storey Raxio data centre spans 1,542 square metres. Its modern design can house up to 400 racks and can reliably deliver 1.5MW of IT power to customer equipment. The 24/7 'always on' facility is ideally located along key fibre routes, delivering best-in-class colocation and connectivity services. Multiple paths for power and cooling systems underpin the centre’s Tier III certification, while the usage of cutting edge components guarantee unmatched levels of efficiency and a strong commitment to sustainability principles. The project was completed in record time since construction started in early 2023, which is a testament to Raxio’s proven track record of designing and constructing data centre facilities in Africa, and the support of government authorities in fast-tracking priority national projects. “The inauguration of our Kinshasa data centre marks a significant achievement for Raxio and a pivotal moment for the DRC's digital landscape,” says Robert Mullins, CEO of Raxio Group. “DRC is one of Africa’s largest and fastest-growing markets with an existing latent demand for digital products and services that is forecast to soar in the coming years. With this facility, we are providing the critical infrastructure essential to supporting the digital economy and enhancing connectivity – and we expect to expand our presence in DRC through additional capacity and new facilities in years to come. Our investment reflects unwavering confidence in the DRC's immense potential and our commitment to sustainable digital development across Africa.” With the widest footprint of any data centre provider on the continent, Raxio's strategy is to address the significant demand for high-quality data infrastructure across Africa. Since opening its first data centre in Uganda in 2021, Raxio has expanded this year into Ethiopia and Mozambique. The launch of the DRC data centre marks the opening of Raxio’s fourth facility this year, with 1.5MW being the group’s largest day one capacity to date. Raxio continues to see strong momentum behind the roll-out of its pan-African digital backbone. Appetite for data centre capacity is growing not just amongst local enterprises and the public sector, but increasingly from some of the world’s largest hyperscale cloud service providers, content delivery networks and mobile network operators as they strengthen their networks and market presence on the continent. The DRC launch aligns with the government's Plan National du Numerique to make expansive digitalisation a catalyst for economic growth, competitiveness and social inclusion, while enabling a range of public and private sector cloud-based digital services. The Provision of data centres is one of the key pillars of the government plan, improving the digital landscape through reduced latency for real-time applications and providing a reliable backbone for mobile and internet connectivity. “Closing sub-Saharan Africa’s connectivity gap is no longer a pipe dream – it is happening now and we are extremely proud to be among the key enablers that are driving digital inclusion,” says Yannick Sukakumu, General Manager, Raxio DRC. “The commitment and pragmatism of the government has been a key enabling factor in spurring our project from inception to completion in record time and stands as an inspiration for the wider region in grasping this incredible opportunity for a broad-based digital economy expansion. We are looking forward to welcoming customers into an international-standard data centre environment.” For more from Raxio, click here.

Cloudian and Lenovo announce AI data lake platform

Cloudian and Lenovo today announced the general availability of a new Cloudian HyperStore AI data lake platform that reportedly delivers new levels of performance and power efficiency. Built on Lenovo ThinkSystem SR635 V3 all-flash servers with AMD EPYC 9454P processors, the new solution demonstrated performance of 28.7 GB/s reads and 18.4 GB/s writes from a cluster of six power-efficient, single-processor servers, delivering a 74% power efficiency improvement versus a HDD-based system in Cloudian testing. AI workloads demand scalable, secure solutions to meet the performance and capacity requirements of next-generation workloads. Cloudian’s limitlessly scalable, parallel-processing architecture – proven with popular AI and data analytics tools including PyTorch, Tensor Flow, Kafka, and Druid – accelerates AI in capacity-intensive use cases such as media, finance, and life sciences. The system’s single processor architecture delivers not only superior performance with just one socket, but also amplifies power efficiency, a metric that is emerging as a key concern as power consumption for generative AI is forecasted to increase at an annual average of 70% through 2027, according to Morgan Stanley. Lenovo combines Cloudian’s high-performance AI-ready data platform software with its all-flash Lenovo ThinkSystem SR635 V3 servers and 4th Gen AMD EPYC processors to deliver an exceptionally high-performance, efficient and scalable data management solution for AI and data analytics. “There’s a big focus on the AI boom in Australia, New Zealand and across APAC, and it’s easy to see why when bodies like the CSIRO say the Australian market alone could be worth close to A$500 billion (£258.6bn) in the next few years,” says James Wright, Managing Director Asia Pacific and Japan, Cloudian. “But there’s a storage and infrastructure layer that companies and government agencies need to power the data-hungry workloads central to AI’s performance and functionality. What’s out there now simply won’t cut it. Imagine trying to power the mobile applications we use today with the simple mobile phones we had 20 years ago – it wouldn’t work and it’s no different at the infrastructure level, particularly with AI in play. “Cloudian’s data lake software on Lenovo’s all-flash servers simply breaks through the limitations we’ve had in terms of performance and power efficiency to power and secure modern applications and data workflows. These are the breakthroughs we need to drive AI, and particularly sovereign AI, which the CSIRO and many industry and government stakeholders are calling for in Australia.” Michael Tso, CEO and Co-Founder at Cloudian, adds, “Lenovo’s industry-leading servers with AMD EPYC processors perfectly complement Cloudian’s high-performance data platform software. Together, they deliver the limitlessly scalable, performant, and efficient foundation that AI and data analytics workloads require. For organisations looking to innovate or drive research and discovery with AI, ML, and HPC, this solution promises to be transformative.” Built for mission-critical, capacity-intensive workloads, the platform features exabyte scalability, industry-leading S3 API compatibility, military-grade security, and Object Lock for ransomware protection. “Combining Lenovo’s high-performance all-flash AMD EPYC CPU-based servers with Cloudian's AI data lake software creates a solution that can handle the most demanding AI and analytics workloads,” notes Stuart McRae, General Manager, Lenovo. “This partnership enables us to offer our customers a cutting-edge, scalable, and secure platform that will help them accelerate their AI initiatives and drive innovation.” Kumaran Siva, Corporate Vice President, Strategic Business Development, AMD, comments, “AI workloads demand a lot from storage. Our 4th Gen AMD EPYC processors, together with Lenovo's ThinkSystem servers and Cloudian's AI data lake software, deliver the performance and scalability that AI users need. The single socket, AMD EPYC CPU-based Lenovo ThinkSystem SR635 V3 platform provides outstanding throughput combined with excellent power and rack efficiency to accelerate AI innovation.” Proven in over 800 enterprise-scale deployments worldwide, Cloudian on-premises AI data lakes help organisations securely turn information into insight and develop proprietary AI models while fully addressing data sovereignty requirements. The combined Lenovo/AMD/Cloudian solution is available now from Lenovo and from authorised resellers. For more from Cloudian, click here.

Data centre vacancy rate falls below 10%

The colocation data centre vacancy rate dropped below 10% in Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris and Dublin (FLAPD) for the first time ever in Q2 2024, amid continued strong demand for space. According to new research from CBRE, take-up (44MW) exceeded new supply (30MW) for the fourth straight quarter and the vacancy rate fell in Europe’s top five data centre markets as a result. The vacancy rate of FLAPD stands at 9.8% and is expected to fall to 7.9% by year end, according to CBRE’s data. If that expectation comes to fruition, it will be the fifth consecutive year the vacancy rate has declined. Hyperscalers' interest in colocation data centres remains particularly high, driven by the need to deliver digital services, as well as keeping sought after supply away from their competitors. However, providers are finding it increasingly difficult to accommodate given a lack of available power and appropriate land in the primary markets of Europe. Data centre construction is increasingly difficult in markets, such as Frankfurt and Amsterdam, where regulation features prominently in development plans. As a result, take-up regularly exceeds the new supply delivered in most large European metro markets. CBRE anticipates 646MW of new supply to be delivered this year, and for take-up to reach 693MW across the 15 markets tracked by the firm. Kevin Restivo, Head of European Data Centre Research at CBRE, says, “Data centre capacity is an increasingly precious commodity given the considerable demand for space and competition for it. Providers that can secure the necessary resource and build data centres are able to command higher prices for the space.” For more from CBRE, click here.

Malaysia’s first 5G orchestration platform announced

Maxis has partnered with Singtel to introduce Malaysia's first all-in-one platform for 5G network, edge computing, cloud and services orchestration, built on Singtel’s Paragon for telco networks. The platform will make 5G-Advanced (5G-A) and 5G technology, edge and multi-cloud computing more accessible to Malaysian businesses and accelerate digital transformation across various verticals such as manufacturing, logistics, healthcare and public services. The partnership was formalised during the Malaysia Commercialisation Year (MCY) Summit 2024, an event organised by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) to drive the national commercialisation ecosystem. The Summit was officiated by Guest of Honour YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) exchange took place at the Maxis booth between Goh Seow Eng, CEO of Maxis, and Manoj Prasanna Kumar, Chief Technology Officer of Singtel Digital InfraCo. Made available in Malaysia through Maxis’ enterprise arm, Maxis Business, the platform will enable ‘on-demand’ edge computing services, providing customers with access to low-latency computing, GPU as a Service (GPUaaS) and storage. With its multi-access edge computing (MEC) capabilities, data from end-users and devices can be processed at the edge. This, combined with Artificial Intelligence (AI), provides real-time processing and intelligent decision-making. Paragon offers a powerful marketplace available to both Maxis customers and partners, making it easy for enterprises to create network slices on-demand and deploy mission-critical 5G applications on MEC – all with the click of a button. Goh Seow Eng, CEO of Maxis, says, "Our collaboration addresses customer needs by providing a unified 5G platform that simplifies orchestration across network and cloud environments. The platform enables greater access, speed and flexibility for businesses to deploy and manage 5G and cloud computing solutions seamlessly. "This will help them to focus on their core business, further strengthening their competitiveness globally. As the country’s leading integrated telco, we look forward to accelerating 5G-A and 5G adoption and the digitalisation of Malaysian businesses as the preferred digital business partner.” Bill Chang, CEO of Singtel Digital InfraCo, adds, "We’ve seen a strong shift in demand from enterprises for 5G and edge computing capabilities to accelerate their digital transformation. Singtel has been leading the charge, forging various strategic partnerships with telcos globally with Paragon, being instrumental in this adoption. "Paragon enables faster monetisation of 5G infrastructure by reducing complexities for telcos to deliver and scale 5G use cases. We are pleased to partner with Maxis to mutually expand and deepen the service opportunities of 5G and edge monetisation in Malaysia.” The platform’s capabilities can benefit businesses through a wide range of enterprise applications across different verticals that require high-speed data processing, such as real-time analytics, mixed reality and autonomous systems. The platform will be locally hosted and deployed in Malaysia, to cater to the cybersecurity and data sovereignty requirements for Malaysian businesses. Platforms built and powered by Paragon have now successfully been deployed in four ASEAN markets. With Maxis bringing the capability exclusively to Malaysia, multinational companies will be able to operate with ease, with a common experience and unified architecture across the region. The deployment is timely given Malaysia’s upcoming ASEAN chairmanship in 2025, where the nation will play a more active role leading the regional bloc’s economic and digital aspirations. Maxis says that the partnership demonstrates its commitment to bringing innovation to the market and enabling Industry 4.0 transformation through real-world use cases. In addition to 5G and cloud-native solutions, this commitment includes leading the development of next generation solutions in Malaysia around AI and Generative AI, IoT, and 5G-advanced technology. Singtel Paragon is a comprehensive solution that enables enterprises to connect with the 5G network and securely deploy their edge computing applications and services rapidly on the telco’s infrastructure, thus reducing time-to-market and shortening the innovation curve. Paragon will also lower the barriers for adopting MEC services, unlocking efficiency and business innovation for enterprises. For more from Singtel, click here.

New open access data centre in DRC goes live

The first phase of OADC Texaf Digital - Kinshasa, a joint venture between Open Access Data Centres (OADC) and TEXAF, is now live. OADC Texaf Digital is establishing a vibrant digital ecosystem supporting Internet Exchanges, content providers, cloud operators, carriers, telcos and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in offering a wide range of digital products and services to business and domestic customers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The 2MW-capable facility is the DRC’s first live open-access, carrier-neutral and Uptime Institute Tier-III certified data centre, with ISO27001 post live certification on track for Q3 2024. Clients are already establishing and installing in the facility, and all major fibre network providers are present to provide vibrant interconnect to tenants. The facility offers integrated core digital infrastructure solutions comprising tailored colocation services together with a wide range of reliable connectivity and peering options. Power to the data centre is fed from utility sourced from hydro generation ensuring environmentally sustainable power generation in tandem with low Power Utilisation Effectiveness (PUE). The facility underpins and is accelerating the country’s digitalisation and ICT capabilities, enabling clients to cost-effectively, flexibly and securely grow their operations within the DRC. With a population of more than 16 million, Kinshasa is at the epicentre of demand for digital connectivity services within the DRC and the region. OADC Texaf Digital - Kinshasa, located within TEXAF’s Silikin Village digital hub, is operated by OADC, Africa’s fastest-growing data centre company. Configured with 1,500 square metres of IT white space to accommodate more than 550 racks, it delivers colocation, interconnect and peering services to support the colocation needs of enterprise clients, content distribution networks, local and international cloud providers. This enables them to improve efficiency, expedite digitisation initiatives, and more effectively service business and customer needs. This infrastructure, with its white space architecture and the interconnect and peering ecosystem, is ideally suited to the large international Content Distribution Networks, global content companies and cloud providers that will be able to invest in the DRC. Mohammed Bouhelal, Managing Director of OADC Texaf DRC, comments, “OADC Texaf Digital - Kinshasa is central to boosting many sectors of the DRC’s economy, creating rich and vibrant digital ecosystems, and providing content distribution networks and cloud content providers with access to a quality peering location in the country. “We already have over 12 leading national and international carriers connected, with the banking sector being the leading adopter of OADC Texaf Digital - Kinshasa solutions. The open-access, carrier-neutral facility is set to transform the country’s digital infrastructure by creating a comprehensive, vibrant interconnection and peering ecosystem involving multiple carriers, ISPs, content providers and Internet Exchanges.” The facility embodies carrier-neutral principles, maximising interconnection opportunities for all clients. Increased competition and improved operator cost-efficiencies will contribute to the expected decrease in the cost of internet connectivity for the Congolese people and companies, serving as a major enabler for expansion of the DRC’s digital ecosystem. It will not only offer businesses a viable alternative to self-build and self-manage data centre facilities - with all the benefits of dedicated resource, expertise, management time and costs that come with that - but also support the cloud infrastructure and content needs of a wide range of businesses and enterprises. Carriers will benefit too, as OADC Texaf Digital - Kinshasa offers them both additional connectivity revenue opportunities and the opportunity to extend their service portfolios to include managed colocation services. OADC and TEXAF have partnered in creating this essential building block of the DRC’s digital transformation. This fully validates TEXAF’s strategy of attracting international industry leaders such as OADC into the country and specifically into the new Silikin Village digital hub. Christophe Evers, Chairman of OADC Texaf’s Board of Directors, adds, “Establishing a strategic partnership to build a data centre in the DRC is crucial for driving digital transformation and economic growth in the region. By leveraging the joint strengths and expertise of OADC and TEXAF, we are not only enhancing digital connectivity and infrastructure but also creating opportunities for businesses to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. “This collaboration underscores our commitment to delivering world-class data centre services that meet the growing demands of enterprises and support the broader objectives of economic development in the DRC. It is a cornerstone of the DRC’s National Digital Plan announced by the President of the Republic.” For more from Open Access Data Centres, click here.

RSM increases network resilience with Macquarie

Macquarie Telecom, part of Macquarie Technology Group, has signed an agreement with RSM Australia across both SD-WAN network and voice services. The partnership first began in late 2019 amid a period of significant growth for RSM. From the implementation of cutting-edge SD-WAN technology across its 32 locations, with a significant presence in regional Australia, RSM has seen a remarkable transformation in network performance and user experience. This success drove RSM to extend the partnership to include SIP trunking in 2021 – the use of VoIP – to maintain telephone service across the large and far-flung organisation. RSM, a global provider of accounting and professional services that was established over 100 years ago, realised its existing MPLS network was not the best solution to support its rapidly expanding business – particularly in terms of resiliency, capacity, and cost. The previous network, providing private connectivity between RSM’s locations and cloud, did not deliver the expected resiliency. This inadequacy, coupled with the high cost and challenging relationship with the previous provider, prompted RSM to seek a more reliable, cost-effective, and customer focused solution. The company recognised the potential of SD-WAN technology to greatly improve network bandwidth and resiliency, and went to market for a partner to deliver this solution. Macquarie Telecom emerged as the top contender following a rigorous due diligence process, and the roll-out began in late 2019, just prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Macquarie Telecom’s proactive and responsive approach ensured the deployment continued smoothly,” says Andre Bracetti, IT Manager at RSM.  Deployment was completed by mid-2020, significantly enhancing RSM’s network performance and reliability as a result. This success was further highlighted by RSM’s recent decision to extend the partnership. RSM’s commitment to reaching regional areas has been a key component in its decision to initially engage, and now extend the partnership, with Macquarie Telecom. According to Andre, a crucial part of the firm’s history and strategy is to be closer to its clients, particularly those in regional areas: “SD-WAN has completely transformed the service we can provide our clients, from Bunbury to Ballarat and everywhere in between. Previously, we faced limited bandwidth and frequent outages, especially in our regional offices. With the new technology, we’ve increased capacity and resiliency, reducing IT outages, and significantly improving network reliability.” Previously, some of RSM’s regional offices had access to very limited bandwidth, which often led to poor user experiences. With SD-WAN, a secondary link was added to every location which not only improved capacity but also reliability, drastically improving user experience. Client experience is a top priority for RSM, and Andre notes that Macquarie Telecom’s shared passion for customer experience made the partnership a perfect fit. He comments, “We have what we refer to as a ‘priority one’ event. This means any type of disruption that impacts multiple people in multiple locations. We chart the trends of priority one events over time and there is an obvious downturn in network outage events since Macquarie Telecom implemented SD-WAN. Even when we’re alerted to an issue, with the resiliency that Macquarie Telecom SD-WAN provides, there’s no impact on user experience.” The partnership has allowed RSM to focus on strategic initiatives rather than managing network stability issues. This shift has enabled the team to concentrate on improving system performance, enhancing security, improving digital literacy, and supporting business acquisitions and office moves.  Andre continues, “The role of an ideal partner in innovation is important. We chose Macquarie Telecom because of its competitive edge and the reliability of service. This partnership has minimised distractions and allowed us to focus on strategic growth and client satisfaction.” Aaron Tighe, Western Australia State Manager, Macquarie Telecom, adds, “RSM is deeply committed to maintaining world-class customer service. At Macquarie, we seek to make a difference in markets that are overcharged and underserved, with customer experience magic at the centre. It is a privilege to support RSM as the company excels in a challenging market.” Looking ahead, RSM continues to prioritise innovation and expanding its regional reach, with a recent practice established in Gosford and others on the horizon. The partnership with Macquarie Telecom will play a crucial role in this journey, providing the technological foundation necessary to explore new opportunities and enhance service offerings.  For more from Macquarie, click here.

STX Next teams with appliedAI for new management suite

STX Next, a global IT consulting specialist, has partnered with Europe’s largest initiative for applied artificial intelligence to deliver the appliedAI Management Suite, a management product that increases AI value creation and facilitates EU AI Act compliance. The solution makes risk assessment and AI portfolio optimisation easier, and will drive progress for the next generation of AI initiatives. Through a centralised dashboard, the service seeks to increase return on investment whilst minimising the time, resources and costs associated with meeting compliance requirements. It sets out clear guidance and interpretation of regulatory guidelines to support organisations in navigating the complexities of the AI landscape. It targets AI and legal departments, aiming to make Europe a pioneer in AI, and a strong competitor on the global market. The final product included tools such as a feasibility calculator that evaluates factors like data readiness, model deployment, and overall deployment ease on a one-to-five scale. Other features include a risk classifier solution for AI use cases in the early stages that supports with remodelling and modifying potential solutions. The management suite can integrate with an organisation’s existing IT infrastructure to support data management and analysis, collecting from multiple sources including MLOps platforms, experiment-tracking tools, and data catalogues. The team at STX Next worked with appliedAI to develop the suite using a range of technologies, including Python, Django, Kubernetes and Google Cloud. The partnership was struck due to STX Next’s wide-ranging expertise in software development and IT applications, as well as the company’s comprehensive AI experience. Commenting on the collaboration, Ronald Binkofski, CEO at STX Next, says, “Since the introduction of the EU AI act in March 2024, many businesses have sought effective new ways to manage their AI projects to ensure compliance while maximising their potential value. “When the AI boom arrived, concerns were quickly raised around its governance and the protection of users. The new regulations were introduced by the EU to ensure that AI systems used in the region are safe, transparent, traceable, non-discriminatory and environmentally friendly, and as such they present complex but important challenges for businesses. “Our partnership with appliedAI is a result of our shared support for the progression of responsible innovation. Our collaboration should make establishing the next series of AI projects a much less laborious process, and will contribute to a safer and fairer future for AI. Added together, this will make it much easier for new projects to reach their full potential.” For more from STX Next, click here.