February 2024 | datacentremagazine.

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DATA CENTRE
STRATEGIES
The Strategic Roles
of Efficiency and
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Infrastructure CLOUD AND 5G
Companies The Edge of
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and Digital
Transformation

SUSTAINABILITY
AND GREEN DNA
DRIVING GROWTH
Co-founder and CEO Dr Christopher Stief and CSO Jörgen Venot on how
DATA CASTLE is Growing its Operations with Sustainability at Heart

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The DataCentre Team

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SENIOR DESIGNERS DIGITAL VIDEO PRODUCERS SENIOR
MARCUS LAW REBEKAH BIRLESON ERNEST DE NEVE MARKETING MANAGER
SAM HUBBARD THOMAS EASTERFORD ALICE PAGE
CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER DREW HARDMAN
SCOTT BIRCH FEATURE DESIGNERS SALLY MOUSTAFA PROJECT DIRECTOR
JULIA WAINWRIGHT LEWIS VAUGHAN
HEAD OF MULTIMEDIA VICTORIA CASEY PRODUCTION DIRECTORS
NEIL PERRY EMMA WALLER MEDIA SALES DIRECTORS
GEORGIA ALLEN
JAMES WHITE
DANIELA KIANICKOVÁ
CHIEF DESIGN OFFICER ADVERT DESIGNERS JASON WESTGATE
MATT JOHNSON CALLUM HOOD PRODUCTION MANAGERS
ADRIAN SERBAN MANAGING DIRECTOR
JANE ARNETA
HEAD OF DESIGN LEWIS VAUGHAN
YEVHENIIA SUBBOTINA
ANDY WOOLLACOTT VIDEO PRODUCTION KENDRA LAU CEO
MANAGER
LEAD DESIGNER GLEN WHITE
KIERAN WAITE
JULIA WAINWRIGHT
 FOREWORD

Building a well-defined
data centre strategy
Ever-increasing demand means data centres
must constantly innovate to keep up with the
changing demands and trends of the digital age
“BUSINESSES
In today's digital age, data centres are critical infrastructure
NEED TO HAVE
for businesses of all sizes. They house the servers, storage,
A WELL-DEFINED and networking equipment that powers everything from
DATA STRATEGY websites and e-commerce platforms to cloud computing
IN PLACE” applications and enterprise resource planning (ERP)
systems. As a result, businesses need to have a well-
defined data strategy in place.
A successful data centre strategy encompasses a range
of considerations, from infrastructure and security to
efficiency and sustainability. An effective plan should clearly
outline how an organisation will manage its data centre
resources to meet and accommodate its business needs.
It should consider factors such as the organisation's IT
infrastructure, applications, data, and security requirements.
This month, we hear from leading data centre
experts on the need for a well-defined strategy in
2024, and explore how data centre leaders should go
about achieving the desired balance of performance,
scalability and sustainability.

MARCUS LAW
marcus.law@bizclikmedia.com

DATACENTRE MAGAZINE
IS PUBLISHED BY

© 2024 | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

datacentremagazine.com 5
 CONTENTS
UP FRONT
012 THE DATA
CENTRE INTERVIEW
Charles Ferland of Lenovo
on edge computing and AI

020 LIFETIME
OF ACHIEVEMENT 012 020
Charles J. Meyers,
CEO at Equinix

026 PEOPLE MOVES 028

The latest executive moves
in the data centre world

028 THE MONTH

THAT WAS
Highlights from January

032

MANUFACTURING
000
TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES
6 February 2024
 FEBRUARY 2024

044

The Data
Castle Team

FEATURES 062
032 TOP 10
5G infrastructure companies

044 DATA CASTLE

Growing into a leading
Data centre
green data centre brand strategies
for 2024
062 DATA CENTRES
Optimising robust data
centre strategies for 2024

072 HUAWEI
Huawei Cloud strengthens
transformative presence
in LATAM

084 SUSTAINABILITY
Harnessing innovation for 072 084
a more sustainable future

datacentremagazine.com 7
CONNECTING SUSTAINABILITY
LEADERS IN MEA
14 MAY 2024 | 10am-4pm GST
VIRTUAL CONFERENCE, DUBAI

GET YOUR FREE TICKETS BECOME A SPONSOR

 FEBRUARY 2024
FEATURES
096 TAIGA CLOUD
096
Building data centre infrastructure
for flourishing Generative AI

112 CLOUD & 5G

The edge of innovation and Taiga
digital transformation Cloud

122 SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC

Schneider Electric and AI’s
disruptive data centre overhaul
112 122
134 TECH & AI
The Gen AI revolution and
its impact on the data centre

144 ATNORTH
Sustainable AI-ready
infrastructure in the Nordics The Edge
of Innovation

144
Schneider
Electric

134

Magnús Kristinsson, The GenAI

CEO of atNorth Revolution

datacentremagazine.com 9
 THE DATA CENTRE INTERVIEW
LENOVO’S
JOURNEY
IN EDGE COMPUTING
AND AI TRANSFORMATION
CHARLES FERLAND
TITLE: VICE PRESIDENT
& GENERAL MANAGER,
EDGE COMPUTING & TELECOM
COMPANY: LENOVO
INDUSTRY: IT SERVICES
& IT CONSULTING
LOCATION: MONTREAL, CANADA
Ferland has more than 25 years of
expertise in leadership positions within
the field of IT. His extensive experience
is focused on software-defined
networking (SDN) and various networking
technologies. Currently serving as the
leader of Lenovo’s DCG Edge & Telco
segment, Ferland spearheads strategic
efforts, oversees product development,
and directs go-to-market initiatives.
12 February 2024
Charles Ferland, VP and General
Manager of Edge Computing &
Telecom at Lenovo, Provides his
Insights on the Impact of the
Company’s Edge and AI Services
G
lobal technology
conglomerate, Lenovo, stands
as a major player and leader
in the tech industry. With an
impressive #217 ranking in the prestigious
Fortune Global 500, the company
operates on a massive scale, employing
a workforce of 77,000 individuals
spread across the globe. Its extensive
reach extends to 180 markets, where
it diligently caters to the needs of millions
of customers daily.
In an exclusive interview with Data
Centre Magazine, we spoke with Charles
Ferland, an IT professional with over
25 years of experience in leadership
roles, particularly in software-defined
networking (SDN) and networking
technologies. He currently heads
Lenovo’s DCG Edge & Telco segment,
driving strategy, product development,
and go-to-market initiatives.
Q: CAN YOU PROVIDE US WITH
A SHORT SUMMARY OF YOUR
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE AND HOW
YOU CAME TO BE AT LENOVO?
» “I started at Lenovo in 2018 when
I came from Nokia with a networking
and telecom background. I’m the
general manager of what we call our
‘think Edge business unit’, which is all
the edge product strategy, and
partnership hardware software that
we’ve put into edge computing.
“I came to Lenovo with the mission
to lead our fourth customer segment.
We’ve expanded our customer
segmentation with a new category:
Communication Service Providers (CSPs)
or telcos. This dedicated team focuses on
managing all aspects of our relationships
with these companies, ensuring seamless
collaboration and value creation.”
Q: HOW WILL THE LAUNCH OF
LENOVO TRUSCALE FOR EDGE
AND AI SERVICES TRANSFORM THE
WAY BUSINESSES APPROACH AI
ADOPTION AND UTILISATION?
» “So one of the key advantages of
working with Lenovo is we’re not forcing
our customers into one direction or
one preference or another. TruScale is
a consumption based model offering
monthly fees that will vary depending
on utilisation. For example, retail will have
months that naturally have more sales,
more transactions, and therefore more
revenue. This means their capacity to pay
for a TruScale service increases as well.
However, during the slower months, the
datacentremagazine.com 13
 THE DATA CENTRE INTERVIEW

expenses of TruScale match their

revenue stream. Offering a TruScale
option gives the ability to move all of
the customers, retailers, and sites at
once and still spread their payment
over a period of time.”

Q: HOW WILL LENOVO’S EDGE

COMPUTING SOLUTIONS
PROVIDE AN AS-A-SERVICE
MODEL THAT OFFERS END-
TO-END SERVICES FROM
DEPLOYMENT TO REFRESH?
» “Edge computing tends to be
very centralised, but the reality is
very distributed. Lenovo’s ability to
do services in 180 markets, to do
physical installation, is key to some of
our success. Because for a UK-based
company, they can have branch
offices or locations all over the world,
and they will have a single service
contract with Lenovo and the ability,
to the same terms and conditions, “TruScale is a
whether it’s deployed in Brazil or
Taiwan, for example.
consumption
“The other value is that within
TruScale, we can bundle more than
based model
just Lenovo hardware. What I mean
by this is often these solutions will
offering monthly
have third-party AI software for fees that will
vary depending
example, there’ll be some networking
elements, and there might be some

on utilisation”
cameras and other sensors.
Not only is the Lenovo hardware
part of the TruScale offering, but
we’re able to bundle and charge on a
consumption based model all of the
components of the solution, not just
the Lenovo branded products.”

14 February 2024
Q: HOW IS LENOVO’S
COMPREHENSIVE PORTFOLIO
DESIGNED TO SIMPLIFY THE
EDGE INFRASTRUCTURE
JOURNEY WITH EXPERT SERVICES
DELIVERED GLOBALLY?
» “We probably have the most
comprehensive hardware portfolio in
the market, which makes a difference.
I keep using retail as an example, but
many of these sites will be different in
size. You’ll have pop-up restaurants
and you’ll have full-blown restaurants,
therefore having a one-size-fits-all on
hardware is not appropriate. We have
invested in multiple products that
can address sites that will have a few
cameras, for example, to sites that will
have hundreds of cameras. That is the
first step in addressing the right price
point by having the different types of
capacity there. The other thing is we build
a portfolio for expansion. If you’re looking
at the ThinkEdge SE360 for example, it’s
a device that has an Intel GPU inside and
you can start your AI journey with that.
If at a later point you’re adding more
workloads that are more video intensive
and you want to add a GPU, well, you can
add up to two GPUs in that product.
datacentremagazine.com 15
THE DATA CENTRE INTERVIEW

“Edge computing
tends to be
very centralised,
but the reality is
very distributed”
 “On the SE450 we can support up
to four GPUs. And on the SE455, which
is our new AMD edge server, we can
support up to six GPUs. Then you can
reach the capacity of a mega-store
with hundreds of cameras and a lot
of data, all of that on one platform.”

Q: WHAT INNOVATIVE
TECHNOLOGIES AND
CAPABILITIES DOES LENOVO’S
THINKEDGE PORTFOLIO OFFER,
PARTICULARLY ITS NOISE-
CANCELLING FEATURES THAT
ARE SETTING NEW STANDARDS
IN THE MARKET?
» “It’s the attention to detail that
makes a difference. One feedback
we had was about sound. We have
all of that compute capability, but if
you bring it into the manager’s office,
into a retail store or a kitchen in a
restaurant, that is never going to work.
“We have several engineers who
have worked for several months and
years working on airflow and how to
dissipate heat more effectively, and
how to use some creative technology
to reduce the noise using different
materials and different air patterns
inside the servers.
“When you hear an edge server from
one of our competitors and a Lenovo
Edge server, the target that we have
is to run below 50 decibels, which is
a normal office conversation. We see
a lot of other products out there that
run at 80 decibels or more, and that
in some cases is actually illegal for
humans to be near that source of noise
pollution for a certain amount of hours.

datacentremagazine.com 17
 FIVE MINUTES WITH...

Lenovo ranks

#217
in the prestigious
Fortune Global 500

US$61.947bn
company revenue (2023)

77,000+
employees

180
markets

“Then we looked at the security aspect.
Data centres are pretty much fences.
There is a locked door with biometrics
and security guards, but now you’re taking
that same compute and you’re putting
it into a restaurant where it’s a lot more
accessible. We put features that secure
the device and the data itself.
“For example, we have a lockable
bezel in front of the server. You can put a
bezel that you lock with a key, so nobody
has access to the cables and to the USB
port. We found many times people were
charging their phones on the USB port! It
doesn’t break the server, but it’s not what
it’s there for.
“We’ve put motion detection inside
of the server as well. If somebody steals
the device, the data is encrypted and the
motion detector is triggered, therefore
the data is locked up and the server is
blocked. The thief cannot have access to
the data, they cannot boot the system, it
simply won’t start.”
Q: HOW IS LENOVO’S THINKEDGE
PORTFOLIO REVOLUTIONISING
EDGE COMPUTING AND SHAPING
THE FUTURE OF SMART CITIES LIKE
BARCELONA?
» “Smart infrastructure, in general,
is becoming very popular and it’s mainly

18 February 2024
about enhancing the quality of life
and security.
We’ve done several projects
around smart cities. These cities
typically have cameras which capture
so much information, but it’s too
much information to take any action.
“The idea is to distribute some
of the compute capability throughout
the environment, process the
information locally, detect, for
example, if somebody is standing in
the street with the two hands in the
air, that might be a moment of interest
and at that point, the video is related
to a central operation centre for a
human to look at. Is it just kids playing,
or is it a robbery?
“The point is how do I improve
the security of the city and how do I
improve the quality of life by optimising
the traffic flow within a city?
“Well, one use case is Barcelona,
where visually impaired people
can walk down the street using
glasses with cameras on them.
Using a Motorola phone which relays
to a private 5G network, the cameras
capture the video feed in real-time,
relaying this to a few 100 metres
at the servers on the corner of
the street.”
datacentremagazine.com 19
 LIFETIME OF ACHIEVEMENT IN DATA CENTRE

CHARLES
J. MEYERS
CEO AT EQUINIX
WRITTEN BY: AMBER JACKSON
Data Centre Magazine Honours President and CEO
of Equinix, Charles J. Meyers, and his Commitment
to Creating the Data Centre Infrastructure of the Future
P
artnering with more than
10,000 Equinix colleagues
worldwide, Charles J. Meyers
is committed to the new era
of the data centre.
Through his work as President and
CEO, Meyers has led the doubling
of global IBX data centres, evolving
the capabilities of Platform Equinix,
building ecosystems with thousands
of the world’s leading businesses as
customers and quadrupling revenues
during his tenure.
His experience in data centre
development and innovating for the
future of the digital age are all part
of his ethos with Equinix to become
a trusted provider within a new
cloud-first world.
Following the curve of
digital transformation
Based in the United States, Meyers
earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical
Engineering from the University of
Colorado. He also holds dual Master’s
degrees from Northwestern University’s
J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of
Management and McCormick Graduate
School of Engineering.
Throughout his career, Meyers has
worked at leading companies like
Verisign, Level 3 Communications and
BellSouth in prominent IT positions.
He joined Equinix in 2010 and holds
more than 25 years of experience in
executive leadership positions at leading
technology and IT companies.
Continually serving customers,
partners, shareholders and communities
across Equinix operations, Meyers has
helped shape company strategy and
continued industry leadership. Prior
to his CEO position, he worked for
the company as President of Strategy,
Services and Innovation, as well as
Chief Operating Officer (COO).
He is now responsible for leading
Equinix’s strategy and innovation, with
a continued track record of growth,
execution and service excellence. He
partners with thousands of Equinix
colleagues to be in service to one another
as well as the customers, partners,
CHARLES J. MEYERS
TITLE: PRESIDENT AND CEO
COMPANY: EQUINIX
INDUSTRY: DATA CENTRES
LOCATION: UNITED STATES
A pioneer in the data centre
sector, Charles J. Meyers is
responsible for leading Equinix’s
strategy, innovation and continued
growth, execution and service
excellence. He holds more than
25 years of experience in executive
leadership positions at leading
technology and IT companies,
including Verisign, Level 3
Communications and BellSouth.
datacentremagazine.com 21
 LIFETIME OF ACHIEVEMENT IN DATA CENTRE
“The broader
source of growth
for Equinix
is digital
transformation as
a phenomenon”
shareholders and communities in which
Equinix operates.
Interconnecting the
digital economy with AI
Charles J. Meyers is leading Equinix’s
appetite for AI, ultimately recognising
the importance of utilising AI technology
ethically and ensuring that it delivers
positive outcomes for users.
“We are a fundamental enabler of
AI,” he said in an interview with Forbes.
“I think that AI is one of the most
powerful driving forces of digital
transformation today.”
Moving further into 2024, Meyers
sees the value of AI as advancing the
‘new wave’ of digital transformation.
Citing the cloud and the pandemic
22 February 2024
as helping to fuel the demand for
new technology, he is working hard
to ensure that Equinix holds enough
data centre capacity to power its
customers as demand only continues
to rise.
The data centre company works
with the likes of Zscaler and Nvidia
who are at the forefront of their
industries and use Equinix infrastructure
in order to innovate further.
Equinix also supports major liquid
cooling technologies, including
direct-to-chip and rear-door heat
exchangers so that customers can take
advantage of the most efficient solutions.
With AI being leveraged for cooling
systems, Equinix has been public about
wanting to cut energy usage by 48%
 Equinix data centre in
Dusseldorf, Germany

WATCH NOW

datacentremagazine.com 23
 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Equinix data centre
in Sydney, Australia
“AI is another wave of
digital transformation”
by optimising energy supply needed
to cool data centre infrastructure.
Equinix, colocation and an
appetite for liquid cooling
Equinix is often described as connecting
places, partners and possibilities.
Headquartered in Redwood City,
California, the company continues to
specialise in Internet connection and
data centres, as well as global colocation.
The company amped up its progress
in 2023, becoming one of the largest
data centre providers in Europe. It also
announced a new hyperscale data centre
in South Korea which is hoping to launch
in Q1 2024. Given that more businesses
are now requiring hybrid multi-cloud
sites, this new facility aims to offer
24 February 2024
solutions for increasing amounts of
AI hardware with power, specialised
cooling abilities and networking.
“I am more concerned about supply
than I am about demand,” Meyers said
in an interview with CNBC, recognising
that AI is “one of many” sources of growth
for the company. However, he is also
keen to note that “the broader source
of growth for [the company] is digital
transformation as a phenomenon.”
Under Meyers’ leadership, Equinix
is working to support direct-to-chip
liquid cooling to power compute-
intensive workloads like AI. It is
supporting advanced liquid cooling
technologies for more than 100 of its
International Business Exchange (IBX)
data centres worldwide.”
 Equinix data centre
in Tokyo, Japan

datacentremagazine.com 25
 PEOPLE MOVES

THE LATEST EXECUTIVE MOVES

IN THE DATA CENTRE WORLD
Data Centre Magazine Highlights the Latest
Executive Appointments and Departures that are
set to Drive Innovation and Business Success

SAMUEL ROSE a rapidly evolving industry, positioning him

JOB FROM: L
 AND TRANSACTION ADVISOR as a trusted and proficient professional
– EMEA DATA CENTRES AT in the field of development surveying.
CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD His new role at JLL will predominantly
 IRECTOR – EMEA DATA CENTRE
JOB TO: D see Rose working on acquisitions, site
TRANSACTIONS AT JLL provisioning and disposals, along with
some very exciting hyperscale and AI
With over 12 years of experience in the field, projects that span across the UK and EMEA.
Rose emerges as a seasoned development
surveyor, able to navigate the intricate landscape
of land acquisition and sales across various MATTHEW FARNELL
sectors in both the UK and Europe. JOB FROM: E
 MEA SALES
Having developed a diverse skill set, Rose DIRECTOR AT
has transitioned to specialising exclusively in the EKKOSENSE
European Data Centre market. Demonstrating JOB TO: G
 LOBAL SALES AND MARKETING
expertise in every aspect of the development DIRECTOR AT EKKOSENSE
process, Rose excels in sourcing strategic
opportunities, skillfully negotiating deals, With a career spanning over two decades,
conducting thorough appraisals, Farnell brings extensive expertise in data centre
and adeptly managing software and infrastructure. Starting his career
complex transactions. at APC as the EMEA Strategic Alliance Manager
This focused dedication for IBM before moving to Dell, Farnell then
to the data centre sector transitioned to Schneider Electric, where
underscores Rose’s he took on the role of Sales Manager for
commitment to staying at the Enterprise IT Business Unit, focusing on
the forefront of business development.

26 February 2024
 In 2022, Matthew joined EkkoSense,
a specialist in data centre performance
optimisation. In his current role, he is dedicated
to assisting data centre operations teams in
prioritising sustainable actions by leveraging an
innovative generation of machine learning and
AI-enabled software solutions.
SHRIHARSHA IMRAPUR
 P & HEAD OF EUROPE –
JOB FROM: V
COMMUNICATIONS,
MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY
INDUSTRY GROUP AT LTIMINDTREE
JOB TO: C
 HIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER
AT CONSULT RED
As CCO, Imrapur is responsible for the sustained
and profitable growth of Consult Red. As a
long-term business leader, he has a passion
for leveraging modern technology, culture and
capabilities to drive business transformation.
He works with executives across a range of
industries to deliver large-scale transformation
successfully and sustainably.
ZAHL LIMBUWALA
JOB FROM: CHIEF OPERATING
OFFICER OF ATLASEDGE
DATA CENTRES
JOB TO: E
 XECUTIVE CHAIRMAN OF THE
ADVISORY BOARD AT MAINCUBES
With 30 years of high-tech sector experience,
Zahl Limbuwala is an established digital
infrastructure investor, entrepreneur and
former corporate C-suite executive. He
has lived and worked around the world,
establishing and growing businesses, leading
teams and delivering solutions in data centres,
systems, network and software development,
automation, robotics and engineering.
DOUG LOEWE
JOB FROM: S
 ENIOR OPERATING
PARTNER AT
MACQUARIE GROUP
JOB TO: C
 EO AT KAO DATA
Loewe is an accomplished industry leader
with an international reputation for strategic
corporate development. He joins Kao Data in
the wake of a successful year of new customer
acquisitions, investments and data centre
deployments. Throughout his career, he has
cemented a reputation for leadership across
start-ups, scale-ups and large corporations.
BRETT LINDSEY
JOB FROM: C
 EO AT
EVERSTREAM
JOB TO: CEO OF INVOLTA
For more than 30 years, Brett Lindsey has
led private equity and infrastructure growth
investments in fibre-based assets. He joins
Involta after serving as the CEO of Everstream
for eight years, having propelled the company’s
growth from a Cleveland-only fibre network
to a leading provider serving enterprise and
hyperscale clients.
datacentremagazine.com 27
 THE MONTH THAT WAS

THE MONTH We Explore how

Google is Continuing

THAT WAS:
to Expand its Global
Data Centre Presence
and highlight how

HIGHLIGHTS Vantage Data

Centers is Balancing

FROM JANUARY Hyperscale With

AI Demand

GOOGLE CONTINUES
EXPANDING ITS
GLOBAL DATA
CENTRE PRESENCE
With Google reportedly
buying land in multiple
locations around the
VANTAGE DATA CENTERS: BALANCING world for its data centres,
HYPERSCALE WITH AI DEMANDS most recently in Missouri,
we explore how the tech
During a time of huge digital transformation, Vantage giant is seeking to develop
Data Centers is keen to continue expanding to meet interconnected data
the new and unprecedented demand for data. centres and support rising
The company continues to be a leading global customer demand in an age
provider of hyperscale data centre campuses, recently of digital transformation.
announcing a US$6.4bn equity investment managed
by global digital investors, DigitalBridge and Silver Lake.

READ NOW READ NOW

HPE ACQUISITION OF JUNIPER
NETWORKS TO ADVANCE COMPANY AI
HPE’s announcement that it would acquire Juniper
Networks for US$14bn signifies a desire of digital businesses
to continue upscaling their AI and data centre offering.
According to HPE President and CEO Antonio Neri,
the deal will accelerate HPE’s AI-driven innovation and
“supercharge its edge-to-cloud strategy”.

READ NOW

BDX: ADVANCING TOP 10: THE DRIVE TOWARDS

DATA CENTRES
IN INDONESIA
WITH INDOSAT
To further advance the
digital landscape in
Indonesia, BDx Indonesia,
a joint venture of Indosat,
BDx Data Centers (BDx),
and Lintasarta, has agreed
to acquire a portfolio of
carrier-neutral colocation
and edge sites in Indonesia.
This will further add to
BDx Indonesia’s continued
ecosystem and work to
accelerate hybrid digital
transformations.
CONSTRUCTION
LEADERS IN THE DATA
CENTRE INDUSTRY
Now more than ever, it is
important for data centre
developers to build and
maintain facilities that not
only meet rising technology
demands, but are also
sustainable.
We consider some
of the leading figures in
data centre construction
as they work to advance
sector expansion and digital
transformation efforts.
GLOBAL MODULAR
DATA CENTRE
GROWTH IN 2024
The data centre sector has
seen a huge shift towards
the cloud, in addition to
increased adoption of new
technologies such as AI,
resulting in an ever-growing
demand for data storage.
To ensure that data and
storage needs are met,
data centre companies are
having to improve their
sustainable practices and
continue to scale.

READ NOW READ NOW READ NOW

datacentremagazine.com 29
The Portfolio
WORK WITH US
 5G INFRASTRU
COMPANIES
Data Centre Magazine Considers
Some of the Leading Companies in
5G Infrastructure as They Showcase
a Commitment to Providing Better
Connectivity for all

WRITTEN BY: AMBER JACKSON

32 February 2024

UCTURE
A
ble to offer higher performance and
improved efficiencies, companies
have been harnessing 5G technology
to empower new user experiences and
connect new industries throughout 2023.
WithIn the data centre sector, some of the
benefits of 5G networks include delivering
higher peak data speeds, lower latency,
greater reliability, an increased network
TOP 10
capacity and increased availability.
With 5G technology, industry leaders like
those featured in this list are aiming to create
a smarter and more sustainable future.
As 5G continues to revolutionise the
telecommunications sector, Data Centre
Magazine rounds up 10 of the leading
companies committed to developing
the relevant infrastructure.
datacentremagazine.com 33

10
Cisco
The Cisco 5G cloud-to-client
approach aims to unify multivendor
mobile solutions into an open and
cloud-native architecture.
Users can build a 5G network
that is cost-efficient, simplified
and trustworthy, allowing them
to differentiate their business
with connected experiences and
cloud services.
The company offers a broad range
of 5G solutions, including an open
vRAN, built in trust and security and
Internet of Things (IoT) for the 5G
era. It prides itself on simplifying an
open and converged access network.
WATCH
34 February 2024
09
AT&T
AT&T is an American multinational
telecommunications company
headquartered in the United
States. It is the world’s fourth-
largest telecommunications
company by revenue and the
largest wireless carrier in the US.
In March 2023, AT&T
announced that it would be
expanding its 5G and fibre
network to better connect both
urban and rural communities
worldwide. Its mission-critical
focus in this regard has resulted
in an investment of more than
US$140bn over the last five years
to bolster network resilience.
WATCH

08
Hewlett Packard
HPE offers a broad range of 5G
services for telcos and enterprises
with the goal of accelerating
innovation. Designed from the ground
up for cloud-native, multivendor
infrastructure and applications, HPE
5G Core Stack provides a fully pre-
integrated 5G solution that’s ready to
deploy and consumable on a pay-as-
you-go basis.
In addition, the company deployed
private 5G and WiFi network at
the 2023 Ryder Cup, with the goal
of delivering new ultra-secure
capabilities, expanded coverage and
enhanced fan and staff experiences.
WATCH
TOP 10
07
Qualcomm
Masters of wireless technology,
Qualcomm has been developing
5G consistently for years, as it
invents new 5G technologies
that redefine the boundaries of
wireless. In its second wave of 5G
innovations, it aims to unleash the
full potential of 5G, establishing
future technical foundations.
The company’s 5G Advanced
services will support new
devices, services, spectrum
and deployments. It also views
5G and AI as complementary
advancing together and mutually
benefiting each other in terms of
performance and efficiency.
WATCH
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06
Intel
Intel architecture powers network
transformation from cloud to edge,
providing peak performance for the
networks of today and tomorrow.
Its 5G networks aim to deliver a data-
centric future where compute is more
intelligent, allowings its customers
better agility and scale ability.
The company’s broad ecosystem
works to expand 5G core readiness
across industries and applications.
Throughout the data centre sector,
it uses its leadership in cloud
computing to transform 5G networks
from the cloud to the edge.
WATCH
TOP 10
05
Rakuten
Rakuten is a Japanese
technology conglomerate based
in Tokyo, founded by Hiroshi
Mikitani in 1997. Working
together with its partners, the
company
strives to serve users and
businesses across 30 countries
and regions worldwide.
Rakuten Mobile announced
in October 2023 that it is leading
in 5G upload speeds in Japan.
It triumphed over its competitors
with 5G download speeds
of 180.9 Mbps. The company
has upgraded its software
with additional features like
lower latency.
WATCH
datacentremagazine.com 37

04
Nokia
Nokia Corporation is a Finnish
multinational telecommunications
corporation established in 1865.
It is a company committed to
expanding on its 5G capabilities,
offering a wide range of technology
and architecture solutions.
The company’s 5G Standalone
Core, for example, aims to free
the innovation within a company’s
network, so that they can automate,
customise and monetise their core
with total confidence. At the end of
2023, it was announced that Nokia
and BT Group are partnering to drive
5G monetisation opportunities.
WATCH
38 February 2024
03
Ericsson
With 5G technology, Ericsson
is working to create a smarter,
safer and more sustainable
future. With 157 live 5G networks
across 66 countries, the
company is at the forefront of
the 5G, Internet of Things (IoT),
edge computing and cloud
network infrastructure era –
making it the first company to
bring 5G to four continents.
Its innovative portfolio
includes Ericsson Radio System,
which allows operators to
launch and grow 5G coverage
fast. Its leading technology
aims to drive society forward.
WATCH

02
Huawei
A leading multinational technology
corporation, Huawei recognises the value
in 5G and works closely with its customers
and partners to innovate and accelerate its
success. Between 2009 and 2013, Huawei
invested more than US$600m into 5G
technology research. Following this, in
2017 and 2018 Huawei invested almost
US$1.4bn into 5G product development.
In April 2023, Huawei executives revealed
5.5G connectivity that will take consumers
closer to the peak speed with a 10Gbps
download, as 5G speeds worldwide
WATCH NOW
TOP 10
decreased thanks to the broader adoption
of its connectivity on existing networks.
Huawei also completed interoperability
development testing (IODT) with mainstream
chip, terminal and network vendors.
In addition, the company pioneered the
launch of an industry-first 5G commercial
chip with the Balong 5G01 and 5G
commercial CPE compliant with 3GPP
Release 15. It states that it is the only vendor
that can provide end-to-end commercial 5G
industry solutions.
datacentremagazine.com 39
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42 February 2024
 TOP 10

Samsung

Samsung continues to push for 5G delivery

and provides commercial 5G services
across the world, particularly in Korea,
the US and Japan. The company prides
itself at being at the forefront of bringing
5G mobile networks and technology to
people all over the world.
The company holds a vision of a
connected world bringing together
multiple technologies, including AI,
IoT, cloud data and computing in order
to transform everyday experiences.
Its 5G Network supports hybrid
virtualisation using both VM and
container, providing network slices
depending on service characteristics.
Additionally, Samsung 5G Network
Automation architecture provides 5G
services by integrating RAN, Core and
MEC centering on the Samsung Network
Automation Platform.
Samsung’s 5G also offers high
bandwidth and exceptional speeds that
are supercharging services like high-
definition (HD) video streaming, virtual
reality and augmented reality (VR/AR),
in addition to enabling mobile device users
to stay connected like never before.

datacentremagazine.com 43
 GROWING
INTO A LEADING
GREEN DATA
CENTRE BRAND

44 February 2024
 © Render Vision

datacentremagazine.com 45
 DATA CASTLE

DATA CASTLE shares how it is growing its

data centre operations with sustainability
and the rapidly-evolving needs of
customers at heart amid the dawn of AI

A
s a joint venture between specialist
colocation and hyperscale developer
DCD Data Center Developers and
Angelo Gordon (TPG), a global investment
company from the US, DATA CASTLE was
co-founded in 2022 by Dr Christopher Stief.
In the year since, it has seen tremendous
growth much like the industry around it.
Since its inception, DATA CASTLE has
established itself as a leading developer of
green data centre operations in Germany,
and envisions seeing that sentiment through
as it continues to expand. As Dr Stief, who
is also DATA CASTLE’s CEO, attests, the
company takes ESG incredibly seriously
and is a frontrunner when it comes to
reusing its waste heat.

Meaningful data centre

sustainability solutions
“If you look at ESG in our industry, there’s
a lot of greenwashing,” Dr Stief highlights.
“I think where we really make a difference
is when it comes to waste heat utilisation.
It’s about being honest with each other.”
Whether it be adding a host of green
technologies to the roof of a facility or
adorning data centres with green façades,
Dr Stief advocates that although these are
elements that are nice to have, they have to
be impactful and make a difference rather
than being part of a tick box exercise.
He adds: “Waste heat utilisation is
a game changer in our industry and – from
an investment point of view – that’s why

46 February 2024
 © Render Vision

datacentremagazine.com 47
 DATA CASTLE

Copyright Elbe am Rhein, Werbeagentur

WATCH NOW

“Being green is I’m very proud of this because

it makes a difference.”
definitely in our DNA The sheer importance of this to
DATA CASTLE is echoed by its Head of
and is one of the Construction Pascal Ubrig. Tasked with

central aspects of cultivating an unmistakable green data

our strategy”
DR CHRISTOPHER STIEF
CO-FOUNDER & CEO,
DATA CASTLE
we differentiate with a significant USP from
other asset classes like logistics or hotels.
All our data centres come with an innovative
waste heat utilisation concept and we are
going to develop them further.
“This is something which really has an
impact and benefits the environment,
and also for the people who live nearby.
centre DNA and a unique signature for
data centre design, he works to ensure
DATA CASTLE makes a profound
commitment to sustainability and
performance on the market.
It’s clear to Ubrig that DATA CASTLE’s
sole mission is not just wanting to start
reducing carbon emissions when operating
its facilities, but doing it. For DATA CASTLE,
its green data centre DNA starts with site
selection, design and construction.
“The first priority is to reduce energy
requirements and develop material
strategies that reduce carbon emissions
over the entire life cycle,” he details.

48 February 2024
 DR CHRISTOPHER STIEF
TITLE: CO-FOUNDER & CEO
COMPANY: DATA CASTLE
LOCATION: GERMANY

Dr Christopher Stief co-founded

DATA CASTLE in 2022 and leads
the business as its CEO. Dr Stief is
a data centre expert with proven track
records from large colocation and
hyperscale developments to aggregate
more than 250MW, primarily across
Tier 1 and Tier 2 European data centre
markets. Dr Stief was previously
a Senior Director at a leading family
office in Germany where he was
commercially responsible for data
centre site origination, development
and execution for the firm’s digital
infrastructure fund. Prior to that, Dr
Stief worked as Executive Project
Manager to CEO at e-shelter (NTT
Global Data Centers EMEA), a leading
international data centre operator,
where he focused on site identification
and development. He began his
career in the strategic practice at
Amazon. Dr Stief earned a PhD from
Johannes Gutenberg-University of
Mainz in Business Administration,
and a Master’s degree in Business
Administration from the Alliant
University of San Diego, California.
© Das Kraftbild

datacentremagazine.com 49
 JÖRGEN VENOT
TITLE: CSO
COMPANY: DATA CASTLE
LOCATION: GERMANY

Jörgen Venot is an industry

veteran with over 20 years in
international business development
of which 12+ years in the global IT
and datacenter business.
He is a French national, born
in Sweden, and raised in a very
international environment. He did his
MBA studies across France, the UK,
and Germany. Jörgen has worked for
French, Spanish, German, Luxemburg,
and US companies. He speaks five
languages, and his DNA makes him
a connector and a bridge builder.
As a former employee of Etix
Everywhere (now Vantage) and later,
Data Center Group, where he worked
directly with the Founders both times,
Jörgen initiated multiple strategic
partnerships in Brazil, the DACH
Region and the Nordic countries.
He also initiated joint-ventures and
co-colocation deals including a 1MW
colocation project in Belgium, an 8MW
HPC in Sweden, and what became
a +40MW HPC project in Iceland.
He was also involved early stage in
what became a hyperscale project
in Frankfurt (Offenbach) for a US
cloud player.
Jörgen is a graduate of the Harvard
Business School Online Sustainability
Strategy Program.

50 February 2024
 DATA CASTLE

“Sustainable construction not only

means using innovative and recyclable
building materials, such as recyclable
concrete, but also avoiding high transport
costs by consciously opting for regional
components, building materials and
construction companies.
“In addition to building our data centres
to be highly available in accordance with the
EN50600 and Uptime TIER certifications,
DATA CASTLE’s facilities are certified
in accordance with LEED and DGNB
sustainability standards.
“Our planned data centres will be operated
with 100% green electricity or electricity from
renewable energies from the local electricity
supplier. This will help to significantly reduce
greenhouse gas emissions in the long term
and achieve CO₂ neutrality,” Ubrig continues,
adding that he would like to see a future
where the business invests independently
in renewable energy generation.
“PV systems are planned for high-yield
façade and roof areas. Many areas of the new
buildings will be greened, which will make the
operation of surrounding PV systems more
efficient as the ambient temperature heats up
less than with other building constructions.”
Its data centres’ green roofs and green
façades will have a positive effect on the
microclimate thanks to their shaded nature,
in addition to the plants aiding with the
evaporation of water. The feature also works
as a heat shield in summer and insulation
in winter, providing protection against UV
rays, hail, strong temperature fluctuations,
pollutants and dirt, as well as acting as
sound insulation.
DATA CASTLE’s success in this area is
one of the things that makes Dr Stief and
© Das Kraftbild Ubrig most proud. This sentiment is echoed
by DATA CASTLE’s newly-appointed
Chief Sales Officer Jörgen Venot.

datacentremagazine.com 51
 DATA CASTLE

A Frenchman with Swedish heritage, he has

a self-professed international background
which he now brings to DATA CASTLE
and the wider data centre industry as it
goes through the motions associated with
hypergrowth and prepares for what Venot
calls “the new tech tsunami.”
“Being able to align business and my roots
is a super achievement,” he says proudly.
“What I very quickly noticed in the team
at DATA CASTLE is that we are a mix. We
are still a small team in startup mode so
every month you have new people coming
on board, but we are made up of industry
veterans – even if some of the veterans are
younger – and highly motivated people
who are there to make a difference.”

“We are very clear and transparent

and that’s how we build trust with
customers, our colleagues and
when we talk with the media”
JÖRGEN VENOT
CSO,
DATA CASTLE

The benefits that come from said mix,

Venot declares, are astronomical. When it
comes to sustainability, the combination
of industry experience with bright and
forward-thinking minds allows DATA
CASTLE to grow from the ground up
with green initiatives at its core.

Sustainability underpins
DATA CASTLE’s operations
Venot emphasises: “Being half
Swedish, where people are born with
a sustainability focus because of nature

52 February 2024
 © Render Vision

datacentremagazine.com 53
 © Das Kraftbild
and green power – it makes a nice climate
for data centres.” For this reason, Venot is
proud to be part of a wider team working
towards a greener future for the data
centre industry.
DATA CASTLE is a green data centre
platform that builds and operates in
Germany. A colocation provider that
approaches multi-tenant customers, DATA
CASTLE’s client base consists of enterprise
customers, public customers and hyperscale
tenants. DATA CASTLE currently has two data
54 February 2024
centres being developed in Frankfurt and
Berlin, with a goal to build and operate
more highly-efficient data centres across
the country and beyond.
Dr Stief says: “Being green is definitely in
our DNA and is one of the central aspects
of our strategy. We always say ‘make tech
human again’. We really mean it, and want
to make sure that all our actions are done
by people who have done it before, who have
experience with it and who think about the
implications on employees and the customer.

“Our employees are very, very important
to us. You can feel when you look at what
we have done so far that it has been done by
people who enjoy what they do. We really
try to put the person, the employee, in the
middle of our actions next to the customer
because we really believe that this will have
the best impact for the customer.”
Ubrig adds: “The best of the data centre
industry come together in our company.
Every department in our company is highly
motivated to create something new.
DATA CASTLE
Due to the amount of experience in our
team, combined with the motivation
to create something new, we offer an
attractive basis for new employees
and potential customers.”
DATA CASTLE sees exponential
growth as industry around it booms
Despite only being operational since mid-
2022, DATA CASTLE has come on leaps
and bounds. In that time, it has grown
its workforce and has distinct functions,
datacentremagazine.com 55
“Collaborations jointly
establish the most
sustainable solutions
which ultimately benefit
both our customers
and DATA CASTLE”
CHRISTOPHER STUMM
PROJECT DIRECTOR,
DATA CASTLE

including the likes of sales & marketing

and construction. This has helped keep its
snowballing workforce laser-focused on
the task at hand and contributed to the
company being quick off the mark in its
growth journey.
Christopher Stumm, DATA CASTLE’s
Project Director, highlights how as a young
organisation with no legacy, DATA CASTLE
has the advantage of developing and building
state-of-the-art data centres with the most
innovative and efficient technologies.
“For future technologies that we believe
in, we are keen to establish an island space
which will be separated from live data
centre environments and will allow us to
collaborate with partners looking to try
promising data centre technologies and
topologies,” he envisions.
“Such an environment may help us lift
disruptive solutions into production. As it is
part of our DNA, we provide transparency
with ongoing engagements and results
so that we can not only collect valuable
feedback from our customers but also
share best practices with other data centre
operators, encouraging everybody to make
the industry more sustainable.”
Dirk Pohl, DATA CASTLE’s COO, further
solidifies how DATA CASTLE has developed
enormously as it continues to establish itself.

56 February 2024
 DATA CASTLE

Christopher Stumm,
Project Director at
DATA CASTLE “We have pooled a lot of expertise
by recruiting very experienced people
from the data centre world,” he states.
“This has enabled us to strengthen
our sales, construction and operations
departments. We are well equipped for
the tasks ahead, although we will certainly
be recruiting more colleagues in the
near future. We are holding very specific
discussions with potential customers due
to our increased efforts in the areas of
sales and marketing.”
Taking the momentum of this upward
trajectory forward with them, the DATA
CASTLE team is working tirelessly to ensure
this positive work ethic and wider industry
impact can help it become the leading
green data centre platform in Germany.
“Sustainable data centres are a really big
trend, the green aspect is super important,”
Venot explains. “We are very clear and
transparent and that’s how we build trust
with customers, our colleagues and when
we talk with the media.
“We are people who care about what
we say, and when we say something
we mean it.”
This is echoed by Dr Stief: “You can
really feel that we are a startup. We are
a company that has a lean structure, but
this is a strength for us because everybody’s
super motivated. We have people who
understand the business, who are super
experienced and who make their own
decisions very quickly. Combining this with
having a large investor makes for a nice mix.”

AI: Both propelling and pressurising

the data centre industry
With sustainability undoubtedly a core part
© Das Kraftbild of DATA CASTLE, the team works tirelessly
to ensure it stays true to its values while also
meeting the needs of its client base.

datacentremagazine.com 57
 © Das Kraftbild

58 February 2024
 DATA CASTLE

Pascal Ubrig,
Head of Construction
at DATA CASTLE The demands of AI are putting massive
pressure on data centres while equally
propelling the growth of the industry.
With this in mind, DATA CASTLE, as it grows,
keeps its finger on the pulse when it comes
to emerging technologies to ensure it puts
its best foot forward while staying true to
its green roots.
“It’s a super challenge of course,” Venot
expresses, “and there are multiple factors.
With our strategy to be sustainable, we
have a heat recovery programme for all the
projects we are putting on the market and,
at the same time, it’s becoming legislation.
“So we are navigating in a business that
is not completely legislated, but it’s that
way because the business is going much
faster than decision-makers. We put a lot
of resources into sustainability to ensure we
are doing it for today and for the long term.”

Importance of industry partnerships

One thing the team at DATA CASTLE is keen
to stress is that their success, and that of the
wider industry, cannot be attained alone.
“It’s a global industry but it’s also a small
world,” Venot jokes. “That’s one of the
positives. You build your network inside
a business and you know that you can rely
on the people and that’s how you make
the magic happen. You learn a lot.
It’s never fixed, it’s always moving.
“Today we are working in Germany,
but customers might come from the
Nordics, US or Asia. You always have
a local project, but it’s a global industry.
Even if you talk with hyperscalers, in the
end, you always need local people that
know everything about local rules,
regulations and how to tackle business.”
And when selecting who DATA CASTLE
works with to bring these green facilities to
life for its customers, the team is extremely

datacentremagazine.com 59
 DATA CASTLE
“The power densities
in data centres will
continue to increase,
thanks in part to
current trends
such as AI”
DIRK POHL
COO,
DATA CASTLE
conscious when choosing the likes of
planners and contractors from outside
the business to ensure that its green data
centre DNA philosophy is understood
and respected.
Stumm says, especially when it comes
to working with those who have a similar
ESG mindset, collaboration feels more
like a true partnership.
“These collaborations jointly establish the
most sustainable solutions which ultimately
benefit both our customers and DATA
CASTLE – and frankly speaking, makes
our work lots of fun,” he shares.
“When it comes to AI, we are well aware
of the workloads which are known to be
very power-hungry. However, this does
not prevent us from searching for and
utilising innovative data centre designs and
technologies that support customers, and
us, running AI workloads and infrastructures
as efficiently as possible.”
This is but another way DATA CASTLE
sees its business growing – by making the
most of the wider industry to inform and
help curate its next steps.
Looking back, Dr Stief adds: “Our growth
journey has been very, very fast already.
Eighteen months from now, we will be in
a very mature status of the construction
60 February 2024
of the data centres. We will have already
leased the data centres to our customers
and are in negotiations and have new
projects in the pipeline, so we will see
DATA CASTLE expand to other locations,
but also within Frankfurt and Berlin.”
This is no mean feat, as the team,
especially Pohl, emphasises. Looking ahead,
Pohl sees challenges looming on the horizon,
which he intends to tackle head-on.
“The power densities in data centres will
continue to increase, thanks in part to current
trends such as AI. As we expand, we will also
have to address issues such as environmental
protection, sustainability, stricter legal
requirements and power shortages at some
locations. Price increases in the construction
and operation of data centres are also
current and future challenges that all
data centre operators will have to face.”
Laser focused on seeing existing projects
maturing and growing its team to keep up
with this outlook, Dr Stief is also excited
by how DATA CASTLE’s technology will
improve as a result.
“We can always improve,” he says,
acknowledging that there is no room to
stand still. And DATA CASTLE’s growth may
not be limited to just operating in Germany.
“Germany will probably not be the end of
our journey,” he says coyly, not giving too
many future plans away.
“We are very aware that we need to do
everything step by step because we want
to do this properly, therefore we’re starting
solely with Germany. The next step, the one
which makes the most sense, is expanding
to German-speaking countries.
“The rest of the team is very hungry
and we want to do more.”
Dirk Pohl, COO
at DATA CASTLE

© Das Kraftbild

datacentremagazine.com 61
 DATA CENTRES

OPTIMISIN
DATA CENTRE
FOR 2

The Foundation of a
Successful Data Centre
Strategy Lies in its
Infrastructure, Encompassing
Both Physical and IT
Components
WRITTEN BY: KATY ALLAN
I
n today’s digital age, data centres are
critical infrastructure for businesses
of all sizes. They house the servers,
storage, and networking equipment
that powers everything from websites
and e-commerce platforms to cloud
computing applications and enterprise
resource planning (ERP) systems. As a result,
businesses need to have a well-defined data
strategy in place.

62 February 2024
NG ROBUST
E STRATEGIES
2024
A successful data centre strategy
encompasses a range of considerations,
from infrastructure and security to efficiency
and sustainability. An effective plan should
clearly outline how an organisation will
manage its data centre resources to meet
and accommodate its business needs.
It should consider factors such as the
organisation’s IT infrastructure, applications,
data, and security requirements.
Implementing strategy across the board
Across enterprises, there are many areas
where strategy plays a crucial role. From
the physical infrastructure, which covers
the building itself as well as the power,
cooling, and network systems that support
it, to the overall operational excellence,
including the processes and practices that
enable organisations to achieve consistently
high levels of performance.
datacentremagazine.com 63

LEWIS WHITE
TITLE: VICE PRESIDENT, ENTERPRISE
INFRASTRUCTURE – EUROPE
COMPANY: COMMSCOPE
INDUSTRY: TELECOMMUNICATIONS
LOCATION: LONDON, UK
White is a seasoned professional
with a track record of success in the
telecommunications industry. He currently
leads CommScope’s Global Customer
Success (GCS) operations across EMEA
and Latin America. Before this, he held
various positions at CommScope, Molex,
and Trescray Services LLP, demonstrating
his versatility and expertise in the sector.
DATA CENTRES
“DATA CENTRES
CRAVE ENERGY.
THAT IS
INDISPUTABLE”
LEWIS WHITE
VICE PRESIDENT,
ENTERPRISE INFRASTRUCTURE
COMMSCOPE
When it comes to the success of a facility,
John Bidgood, CTO for Systal Technology
Solutions, explains: “I learnt very quickly –
the hard way – how business-critical data
centres were. They had the highest SLAs
(service level agreements) we had to meet
as a support team. And if something broke
day or night, a data centre outage was a level
of support escalation like no other.
“So many times, in my early career I was
woken up at 3am to help fix data centre
incidents. As I grew in my career and better
datacentremagazine.com 65
 DATA CENTRES

“WE’LL SEE OPERATORS LOOKING

TO SWITCH TO NEW, MORE
POWER-EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGY,
WITH SMALLER SPACE AND
COOLING REQUIREMENTS”
FRED LHERAULT
FIELD CTO EMEA OF
EMERGING MARKETS,
PURE STORAGE

understood the business criticality of these

systems, I understood only too well the
revenue or even reputational impact a major
failure would have.”
Lewis White, Vice President of Enterprise
Infrastructure – Europe at CommScope
considers data centres to be so much more
than a facility to centralise the customers’
IT operations. “They can mean success
or failure in the support of operational
demands and moreover the ability of an
organisation to deliver services to their
customers,” he says. “On top of this, they
need to have the highest levels of reliability
achieved through both the technologies
deployed and the architectures behind
how they are all hung together.”
The strategic role surrounding
efficiency and sustainability
Due to their nature, data centres consume
a huge amount of energy, therefore it is
vitally important to make these facilities
as energy-efficient as possible. This can be
done by utilising the latest technological
advancements, such as more efficient
servers, liquid cooling systems, and
innovative data centre designs. As well
as this, through the adoption of renewable
and clean energy sources, such as solar or
wind, data centre operators can significantly
reduce their environmental impact and
contribute to a more sustainable future.
Data centre strategy will continue to
see investments being led by the ongoing
demand of their customers for flexibility
and scalability. However, the over-arching
theme of ESG will grow in influence upon
how these demands are met and will evolve
to be a key decision criterion for enterprises
of all sizes in considering which practices to
adopt and which operators to align with.
“Data centres crave energy.
That is indisputable,” explains White.
“The International Energy Agency (IEA)

66 February 2024
suggest that they account for 1% of global
electricity usage, however, they also
represent a means to realise technologies
and approaches that can allow organisations
everywhere to become more efficient and,
in turn, contribute to ESG goals.
“Cloud computing and the data centres
that support the cloud are much more
likely to utilise renewable sources and have
less Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG)
than instances of multiple local servers
residing in older, lower-tech buildings. In an
article published in Nature in 2020, it was
suggested that moving IT to the cloud may
just ‘hide’ emissions as it takes the onus on
reporting away from the customer who is no
longer generating emissions themselves. As
regulation and expectation of transparency
around emissions and carbon footprint
FRED LHERAULT
TITLE: FIELD CTO EMEA /
EMERGING MARKETS
COMPANY: PURE STORAGE
INDUSTRY: TECHNOLOGY
LOCATION: LONDON, UK
Lherault is a technological expert with
extensive experience in the EMEA region,
specialising in helping clients select,
architect, and implement mission-critical
compute and storage solutions. With
an ability to collaborate with developers,
engineers, vertical technology experts,
and decision-makers, he is able to
effectively articulate the advantages
of technological advancements.
datacentremagazine.com 67
 DATA CENTRES
WATCH NOW
increase in the cloud data centre space,
this argument may become challenged.”
Bidgood considers the biggest area of
IT spending to be on hosting infrastructures
in data centres. “This is often around 40%
of the typical IT budget,” he says. “In this
40%, the power and cooling costs of these
centres are proportionally the biggest
part. Even before the typical maintenance:
network, security costs, and personnel costs.
“Whilst these costs vary hugely from
setup to setup, it is important that systems
are hosted in such a way as to maximise
power, cooling, and space efficiencies,
while also ensuring the hardware is up
to date to minimise demand on these
facilities. Hyperconvergence of compute,
storage, network, and security into a single
consolidated hardware platform should
68 February 2024
be utilised as much as possible to
minimise footprint.”
An increase in demand requires innovation
According to research by Clifford Chance,
the pandemic fueled the growth of the
global data centre market and is estimated
to reach €235bn (US$254bn) by 2026 with
a projected Compound Annual Growth
Rate of 4.5%. The ever-increasing demand
for data centres means that these facilities
must constantly innovate to keep up with
the changing demands and trends of the
digital age.
This includes investing in new
technologies, such as cloud computing
and artificial intelligence (AI), which White
believes has already made its mark in 2023.
“AI has already had an impact on the major
cloud providers who have moved quickly
to provide specialist platforms to enable
and maximise this tech, and large-scale
enterprises should also think about how they
will access high-performance computing
platforms that support generative AI.”
Fred Lherault, Field CTO EMEA of
Emerging Markets at Pure Storage believes
the demand for greater efficiency and
innovation in data centres will grow as
capacity crunch hits. “Many organisations
that are reliant on data centres are reporting
that their most pressing issue right now is
one of capacity,” he says. “A growing number
of data centres are full and don’t have
the space or power available to deploy
new platforms. In 2024, this will result in
widespread efforts to achieve efficiency
gains, even on existing data centre platforms,
JOHN BIDGOOD
TITLE: CTO
COMPANY: SYSTAL
TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
INDUSTRY: IT SUPPORT AND SERVICES
LOCATION: WARWICK, UK
With over 25 years of experience,
Bidgood is responsible for driving
enterprise transformation through
operational excellence and strategic
initiatives. With a proven track record of
success in evaluating new technologies and
developing solutions that support clients’
business objectives, Bidgood is skilled in
building relationships with stakeholders
and managing complex projects.
datacentremagazine.com 69
 The global data
centre market is
estimated to reach

US$254bn
by 2026

70 February 2024
 DATA CENTRES

as this is the only way they will be able to

reclaim space and power to accommodate
the use of new technologies inside the
data centre. To optimise the sustainability
of existing data centre footprints, we’ll see
operators looking to switch to new, more
power-efficient technology, with smaller
space and cooling requirements. This is in
essence extending the life of the data centre
– an essential factor when considering the
need for new technologies in the wake of the
rise of AI.”

How the future of strategy is evolving

The rapid advancement of AI and the
growing demands of data analytics are
placing immense pressure on traditional
data centres, threatening their ability to
meet the evolving needs of businesses.
Bidgood explains, “With quicker adoption
of AI and the requirements for computing
data analytics whilst still meeting the
necessary sustainability goals, the traditional
data centre will be under even more threat.
“Data centre operations, including
the supporting network, have historically
been manual and the pace will quicken to
support even more automated operations
in the future, both from a support and
provisioning perspective.”
The future of data centres lies in a hybrid
approach that combines the strengths of
traditional models with emerging solutions.
In the evolving landscape, the role of data
centres will transform. Businesses must
adopt a strategic mix of on-premises
infrastructure, cloud services, and edge
computing to achieve the desired
balance of performance, scalability, and
sustainability, as well as harness the power
of data for innovation and growth.

datacentremagazine.com 71
HUAWEI CLOUD
STRENGTHENS
TRANSFORMATIVE
PRESENCE IN LATAM
 HUAWEI

AD FEATURE
WRITTEN AND
PRODUCED BY:
SCOTT BIRCH

datacentremagazine.com 73
 HUAWEI

With more than 25 years of experience

in Latin America, Huawei has strengthened
its presence and partnerships to help
deliver digital transformation

H
uawei celebrated 25 years in
Latin America with a series of
events in countries across the
continent and by welcoming
key partners to China.
Since opening an office in Brazil in 1998,
Huawei sees Latin America as a region
of increasing importance. Its cloud business
now boasts more than 1,400 partners
across multiple LATAM nations with
whom Huawei works to promote and
enable digital transformation.
The appetite for cloud services has grown
globally, and LATAM is proving particularly
open and embracing of the opportunities
that cloud technology can deliver. This is
where Huawei Cloud is playing a role.
In 2022, the number of Huawei Cloud
users in Latin America more than doubled,
and the number of partners increased by
more than 90% year on year.
Digitalisation in Latin America was
accelerated in recent years with some
markets standing out as front runners
such as – Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Colombia,
Peru, and Argentina.
According to Statista, with internet
penetration and smartphone ownership
averaging 77%, more people in those markets
increasingly prefer online shopping and other
digital activities. Set against this backdrop,
the development of a robust digital
infrastructure will be important for Latin
America’s ongoing economic development.

74 February 2024
 Mark Chen, President
of Huawei Cloud Global
Solution Sales
 HUAWEI

Crucial to that infrastructure are data

centres, and Huawei Cloud plans to have
by the end of 2023 11 Availability Zones (AZs)
in Latin America, with three new ones in
Brazil, Mexico, and Chile. This total makes
Huawei Cloud the vendor with the largest
number of nodes in Latin America.
This means that Huawei Cloud is in prime
position to help Latin American organisations
realise their digital ambitions.
Sectors that are benefiting from cloud
in LATAM include e-commerce, finance,
fintech, media, logistics, education,
government, telecommunications,
and manufacturing.
The significant growth that Huawei Cloud
has enjoyed in the region can be put down
to several factors, but one of the most
Xu Jingbin, Director of
important is the deep understanding of
Huawei Cloud Computing
the local digital environment. This allows Global Delivery Service
Huawei Cloud to share relevant, real-world and Continuous Operation
experiences with its partners, and an
understanding of their challenges and
the best solutions available. It also announced its “In Latin America for
Latin America” overall expansion strategy.
Huawei Cloud committed to LATAM The event gathered industry, business,
Huawei Cloud also has solid foundations and technology leaders to demonstrate best
in Latin America, backed by Huawei’s practices and share the latest technologies
proven commitment to the region and innovations in discussions with
for more than a quarter of a century. customers and partners.
Not only that, but Huawei’s 30 years This was the first opportunity to hear
of global ICT experience means it is Huawei Cloud’s cloud native strategy for
perfectly placed to marry that international Latin America, and the company used this
expertise with deep understanding of as a platform to announce five new solutions
the local market. targeted at the e-commerce, media and
Huawei’s commitment to the region entertainment, fintech, online education,
and to developing Cloud Services in the and finance industries to support them
region, was celebrated and made stronger in their digital transformation processes.
at a series of events held in China and key “Latin America is transforming towards
Latin American markets. digitalisation,” said Huawei’s president for
Huawei Cloud hosted the Latin America the continent, Daniel Zhou, during the event.
Compass event in 2023, highlighting the He added Huawei is seen as a reliable leader
importance of the region to the company. in the cloud sector.

76 February 2024
Cloud Native 2.0
As part of the Compass event, Cloud Native
Computing Foundation (CNCF) and Huawei
Cloud hosted the Huawei Cloud Elite Club
– Latin America Chapter to discuss cloud
native development, with decision makers
from the internet, finance and logistics
industries in attendance.
Huawei Cloud proposed Cloud Native 2.0
– a system for all industries and all scenarios
so every enterprise can become cloud native.
Huawei itself is a typical example of
transforming from a traditional enterprise
to a cloud-native enterprise – illustrated by
its MetaERP system. In 2019, Huawei decided
to develop a completely self-controlled
MetaERP system to replace the old ERP
system. This was the most extensive and
complex transformation project Huawei
has undertaken.
Huawei invested significant resources
and assigned several thousand people to
this project, while also working with industry
and ecosystem partners to overcome
related challenges. This cloud-native
MetaERP system has gone live, replacing
the old ERP system, and now handles 100%
of Huawei’s business scenarios – while
ensuring zero faults, zero delays, and zero
accounting adjustments.
Cloud native is not only a technology,
but also an advanced way of thinking.
Driven by agile and innovative business
requirements, enterprises’ operation
models, organisational structures,
and innovation methods are bound
to undergo profound changes.
All-digital, all-cloud, AI-driven,
and Everything-as-a-Service are core
elements of cloud-native thinking.
datacentremagazine.com 77
 HUAWEI
Huawei believes that in the cloud native
world, all devices, terminals, and sensors
will be connected and digital, and all
infrastructure and applications will be
cloud-based.
Huawei Cloud continues to practice
its Everything-as-a-Service strategy,
using cloud-native, full-stack technologies
to serve more than four million customers
and developers worldwide.
Huawei Cloud –
In Latin America, for Latin America
The success of the Compass event was
followed towards the end of 2023 with
a Latin America series of Summits that saw
Huawei Cloud senior executives share the
78 February 2024
latest updates and solutions with partners
in Brazil, Chile, Peru and Mexico.
Building on the stated strategy
‘In Latin America, for Latin America’, Huawei
cemented its commitment to each country
and latest achievements in cloud native,
AI, data governance, databases, and digital
content production.
These included Pangu Models 3.0 –
leveraging AI for a wide range of industries
including finance, manufacturing, mining,
meteorology, and railway.
Huawei Cloud also delivers DataArts,
a one-stop data governance pipeline
to convert huge volumes of distorted
data into high-quality data for better
decision-making.

GaussDB, an ultra-distributed, ultra-
scalable cloud database has been widely
applied in sectors like banking, insurance,
securities, and energy.
MetaStudio is Huawei Cloud’s one-stop
digital content production pipeline. Utilising the
Pangu virtual human model, Meta Studio can
produce virtual humans in just three minutes.
Huawei Cloud combines software
development pipeline CodeArts with
the Pangu R&D model to build CodeArts
Snap – an intelligent programming assistant
for developers.
In terms of security, SecMaster is
a well-rounded security defence system
that can help enterprises with systematic
construction and constant operations.
Derrick Sun, CEO of
Huawei Brazil
Huawei Cloud not only offers advanced
technologies and industry practices,
but also establishes a comprehensive
customer service system.
With 900 ecosystem partner services,
Huawei aims to provide intelligent, end-to-
end, and full-lifecycle services on the cloud,
making it easier for customers to migrate
to the cloud and continuously innovate
their services.
Building on Brazil success
As part of Huawei’s aim to provide ‘A Better
Cloud for Digital Brazil’, Derrick Sun, CEO
of Huawei Brazil, shared some success
stories from Huawei Cloud accelerating
digital transformation for customers.
datacentremagazine.com 79
 HUAWEI

MV Sistemas, the largest medical

information company in Brazil, which
seamlessly migrated its data from
on-premises databases to GaussDB
to efficiently process and analyse complex
data at scale. This migration has allowed
them to intelligently manage their data
while ensuring cost-effectiveness.
In the e-commerce and logistics sectors,
Neogrid uses more than 60 Huawei Cloud
services to replace those of peer vendors,
such as big data, database, and serverless
services, reducing costs by more than 20%.

80 February 2024

Supporting Chile’s Digital Infrastructure
Customers in Chile are also benefiting from
Huawei Cloud’s expertise – in government,
retail, energy, carrier, and education sectors.
Eduardo Hernandez Cansino, CTO of
Huawei Cloud Latin America, shared how
Chilean food retail giant SMU built their own
e-commerce platform leveraging Huawei’s
cloud native technologies, to better serve
their 10 million customers.
Chile’s online Zapping TV platform
partnered with Huawei Cloud to deliver
ultra-low latency and stable streaming at
lower prices during the 2022 World Cup.
Teleperformance, the world’s second
largest provider of outsourcing customer
relationship management and call centre
William Dong, President
of Huawei Cloud Marketing
service, adopted Huawei Cloud Workspace
to elevate their service quality and bolster
information security in Chile.
Huawei Cloud also facilitates the
construction of e-government clouds and
unifies resource construction, application
development, and data management for
multiple Chilean government organisations.
Huawei Cloud powering Peru
Li Ziyu, President of Huawei Cloud Peru,
shared insights on six industry-specific
solutions, covering online education, smart
finance, digital government, carrier, smart
electricity, and smart mining, which all aim
to expedite the digital transformation
journey of Peruvian enterprises.
datacentremagazine.com 81
 HUAWEI

In the education sector, Huawei Cloud

has applied digital technologies such as AI,
big data, and cyber security to help César
Vallejo University, Peru’s largest university,
deploy their learning management system
(LMS). This has doubled the access to online
teaching and reduced LMS operational costs
by 25%, significantly enhancing education
quality for 180,000 students.
In the financial sector, AFP Integra,
a subsidiary of Peruvian financial services
multinational SURA, leveraged Huawei
Cloud’s Cloud Container Engine (CCE) and
Web Application Firewall (WAF) to address
user experience issues caused by high
latency during peak hours.

Making a difference in Mexico

In Mexico, more than 300 customers have
chosen Huawei Cloud, covering finance,
media, government, and carrier services.
For digital banking, Huawei Cloud provides
a financial cloud native foundation featuring
high performance, elastic resources,
agile services, and high compliance and
reliability. Huawei Cloud enables real-time
transactions and promotes the development
of mobile payment and consumer finance
– working with leading fintech company
Libertad in Mexico.
Huawei Cloud has served more than 10
government customers in Mexico, providing
products and services powered by cloud
native and data-AI convergence to build
digital and intelligent government services.
With its innovative technologies, industry
expertise, and customer-centric services,
it is clear that Huawei Cloud continues
to empower Latin American customers
to better go, use, and manage the cloud.

82 February 2024
 You Yang, CEO of
Huawei Cloud Mexico
 SUSTAINABILITY

HARNESSING IN
A MORE SUSTAI
The Time for Action on
Climate Change is now.
Therefore, it is Essential for
all Industries to Step up and
Take Ownership Surrounding
Global Emissions

WRITTEN BY: KATY ALLAN

84 February 2024
NNOVATION FOR
INABLE FUTURE

datacentremagazine.com 85
 SUSTAINABILITY

D
ata centres are the backbone
of the digital age, housing the
servers and other equipment
that power our increasingly
interconnected world. They
provide the infrastructure that allows us
to access websites, send emails, stream
movies, and use cloud-based applications.
However, these massive facilities come at
a significant environmental cost.
Data centres are among the most energy-
intensive buildings on the planet and the
energy consumption of these facilities has
been on the rise for several years, driven by
the rapid growth of data generation and the
increasing reliance on digital services. As
the demand for cloud computing, artificial
intelligence (AI) and other data-intensive
applications continues to surge, the energy
consumption of data centres is projected
to grow even further.

Environmental impact of data centres

The energy consumption of data centres
has created a number of environmental
impacts. Jo Debecker, Global Head of Wipro
FullStride Cloud explains: “Data centres
account for nearly 1% of energy-related
greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute
to a growing global climate change issue.
Companies in various industries use
considerable amounts of water and energy
to run and cool their data centres and
servers – causing increasing concern around
the world, and putting pressure on the grid
power available for supporting daily life.”
Globally, climate change is a major
issue that demands urgent attention.
The increasing frequency and severity of
extreme weather events, rising sea levels,
and more intense wildfires pose significant

86 February 2024
 “To keep up with rapid
accelerated innovation
and near-constant
industry disruptions,
companies must adapt”
JO DEBECKER
GLOBAL HEAD OF WIPRO FULLSTRIDE,
WIPRO

datacentremagazine.com 87
Supporting Data Centres
in the Transition to
Net Zero Carbon
The combined knowledge and experience
of MiCiM and OI allows us to work collaboratively
with clients from strategic sustainable design
development through to implementation

LEARN MORE
 SUSTAINABILITY

risks to infrastructure, communities, and

the economy. SIMON BRADY
“Climate change issues are at the top of TITLE: PRODUCT MANAGER
many leader’s agendas,” says Simon Brady,
COMPANY: VERTIV
Product Manager at Vertiv. “As a key focus
of sustainability initiatives, data centre INDUSTRY: APPLIANCES, ELECTRICAL,
operators have made significant progress in AND ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURING
improving data centre energy efficiency over LOCATION: GLASGOW, UK
the last decade, but as digital transformation
advances, most recently with AI, capacity With 30 years as a
growth is working to offset some of those data centre expert,
savings in terms of total energy consumed.” Brady has led at
The International Energy Agency (IEA) industry forefronts,
reports that significant advancements in specialising
energy efficiency have helped to restrain the in product
expansion of energy consumption from data management,
centres and data transmission networks, marketing and
which together consume approximately sales. As the SVP
1-1.5% of global electricity. of Product Management at Submer,
“Water availability is also becoming an he drove global immersion product
issue in some areas of the world,” says Brady. strategies, aligned with customer needs,
“Statista has cautioned that global water withdrew nonviable products, and led ESG
demand will reach 4,350 billion cubic meters optimisation projects.
in terms of withdrawal by 2040. In the last

datacentremagazine.com 89
 JO DEBECKER
TITLE: GLOBAL HEAD OF
WIPRO FULLSTRIDE CLOUD
COMPANY: WIPRO
INDUSTRY: IT SERVICES
AND IT CONSULTING
LOCATION: ZURICH, SWITZERLAND
few decades, the growth in water demand
With two decades of has doubled that of population growth.”
industry experience,
Debecker excels in Sustainability is not just a buzzword
leading complex A number of industries are growing at a
transformations and rapid pace, however, as they grow, so does
driving consistent their data centre energy consumption.
growth. In his role, The urgency of addressing climate change
he shapes the cannot be overstated. With the UK aiming
company’s cloud to reduce its carbon emissions by 78%
strategy, directing application management, by 2035, it’s clear that every sector, from
development, modernisation and cloud businesses to households, must step up
infrastructure. Focused on client success, and take responsibility.
he accelerates Wipro’s delivery engine, Colin Holyoake, Data Centre Design
develops unique solutions, and upholds and Sustainability Manager at IBM says:
company values. “The IBM Hursley Data Centre is already
making remarkable strides towards carbon

90 February 2024

WATCH NOW
neutrality by implementing practices like
removing redundant infrastructure, adopting
innovative cooling systems, and leveraging AI
to optimise performance. The approach has
been holistic and systematic. Reevaluating
existing infrastructure is crucial, and the
industry should prioritise operational
efficiency over constructing new buildings.”
“To keep up with rapid accelerated
innovation and near-constant industry
disruptions, companies must adapt,” says
Debecker. “Modern-day cloud infrastructure
handles energy requirements and carbon
emissions in a highly sophisticated and
efficient manner. In most cases, these
providers operate almost fully on renewable
energy, and in some cases, the heat
SUSTAINABILITY
generated by the IT systems is ploughed
back to power cities, thereby creating
100% zero-carbon emission centres.”
Overcoming the challenges
of sustainable energy
In response to these concerns, the data
centre industry has embarked on a
journey towards greater energy efficiency.
Technological advancements, such as
more efficient servers, liquid cooling
systems, and innovative data centre designs,
are helping to reduce the energy footprint
of these facilities.
“In recent years, sustainability has been a
focus area for the data centre industry, and
that aligns with the 2023 emphasis
datacentremagazine.com 91
 Use more image
captions as often
as possible
on increased regulation from governments,
as well as interest in alternative energy
sources,” highlights Brady.
“One of the biggest challenges is the
industry’s ability to meet growing demand
for capacity vs limited by resources. New
technologies, such as AI, are putting huge
demands on compute power. But the data
centre industry has already made significant
progress in improving the efficiency of
products, services and operations.”
Brady further goes on to explain that
some of the key innovations include thermal
management systems – which are the
highest energy consumers in the data centre
infrastructure space after the servers; new
92 February 2024
power technologies that leverage renewable
energy sources such as fuel cells; intelligent
power management with controls that
improve the energy usage of equipment; use
of recyclable or recycled materials; and use
of AI and digital twin technology to reduce
waste in the manufacturing process.
The path to net-zero
The term net-zero represents a vision
of a future where our actions no longer
contribute to greenhouse gas accumulation
in the atmosphere, ensuring a stable climate
for generations to come. Debecker explains
how Wipro is committed to achieving Net
Zero emissions by 2040, in line with the
 SUSTAINABILITY

COLIN HOLYOAKE
TITLE: DATA CENTER DESIGN AND
SUSTAINABILITY MANAGER
COMPANY: IBM
INDUSTRY: IT SERVICES AND IT
CONSULTING
LOCATION: HURSLEY, UK
Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting a rise
in temperature to 1.5°C. Holyoake currently
“60% of the electricity we consume in leads the global
our campuses is from renewable energy data centre strategy
and the water we consume is 37% recycled,” to enhance internal
he says. “We are focused on key climate development
change goals, including carbon mitigation, efficiencies whilst
energy efficiency, participative water optimising and
management, campus biodiversity, and reducing energy
environmental profit and loss valuation, consumption
within and outside Wipro’s ecosystem.” through data centre design at IBM. In his
According to Brady, Vertiv has made role, he has demonstrated success in
steady advancement in its commitment driving operational savings, managing
to be a responsible global and corporate teams, and executing significant migration
citizen, working with experts to help become and consolidation projects.
more sustainable. “We do what we can from

datacentremagazine.com 93
 SUSTAINABILITY

“Looking forward,
collective industry
action, collaboration,
and knowledge
sharing is required to
accelerate progress”
COLIN HOLYOAKE
DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY
MANAGER,
IBM

94 February 2024
sourcing more renewable energy
to optimising process and resource
use across the value chain – all aimed
at minimising our environmental
impact globally.”
As the digital world continues to grow,
data centres will continue to play an
increasingly important role, however,
it is crucial to find ways in which to operate
these facilities more sustainably. By
continuing to invest in energy-efficient
technologies and renewable energy sources,
the data centre industry can help to reduce
its environmental impact and ensure a more
sustainable future for the digital age.
With AI and Gen AI, use cases will become
more prevalent across businesses over the
next 12-18 months. There will be a huge
surge in demand for energy by cloud data
centres as well as edge data centres, and
providers who can demonstrate a clean
and green way of delivering that energy
will emerge as the winners.
“For the industry to move forward and
further its sustainable practices, we must
overcome the misconception that for
a data centre to be more sustainable, we
need to build a new one,” explains Holyoake.
“Instead, it is important to reevaluate
existing infrastructure and implement
comprehensive approaches to enhance
operational efficiency. Otherwise, we are
simply moving an existing issue into a new
building. Looking forward, collective industry
action, collaboration, and knowledge
sharing is required to accelerate progress
towards sustainability. Education will
continue to play a critical role in promoting
responsible data practices, and the industry
should continue to share success stories,
fostering a sustainable future for generations
to come.”
datacentremagazine.com 95
BUILDING
DATA CENTRE
INFRASTRUCTUR
FOR FLOURISHIN
GENERATIVE AI
WRITTEN BY:
TOM SWALLOW

PRODUCED BY:
LEWIS VAUGHAN

96 February 2024
 TAIGA CLOUD

RE
NG

datacentremagazine.com 97
 TAIGA CLOUD

Managing Director of
Taiga Cloud (part of The
Northern Data Group)
Karl Havard showcases the
company’s clean-energy-
powered CSP offering for

A
generative AI businesses
ll of this talk about technology
evolution – artificial
intelligence (AI) looming and
companies building much
more advanced solutions
to natural digital transitions in the world –
makes you wonder how companies can
build the most intricate systems at such a
fast rate. The development and operation of
highly intelligent AI is reliant on significantly
larger amounts of data, and the areas to
process and store said data have their
own operational challenges and carbon
footprints to manage.
For Taiga Cloud, It’s all in a day’s work
to ensure that the latest digital projects are
supported in a sustainable way: powered
by clean energy and with minimal impact
to the environment.
Europe’s largest provider of clean-
energy-powered machine learning (ML) and
artificial intelligence (AI) capacity was born
out of German based Northern Data Group.
Recognising the ever-growing demand for
high-performance compute technology,
the company foresaw the need for much
more computing capacity to support
Generative AI development and other
associated technical revolutions.
Having joined Northern Data in March
2023, Karl Havard, now Managing Director

98 February 2024
“We will provide a high level of managed
services and expertise to support our
customers as the market matures”
KARL HAVARD
MANAGING DIRECTOR,
TAIGA CLOUD
for Taiga Cloud (formerly Northern Data’s
Cloud Solutions business) shared Aroosh
Thillainathan’s vision to support growing
trends and leverage the best technologies
of its partners.
“One thing that struck me when initially
engaging with Aroosh and Northern Data
Group was the vision and the opportunity
to build a brand new type of cloud business
specifically for Gen AI. Such opportunities
don’t come along that often; it’s a hugely
exciting one, and it made the decision to
join Northern Data Group very easy,”
says Havard.
Taiga Cloud is supported by its sister
business Ardent Data Centers; a key strategic
100 February 2024
partner from a data-centre perspective,
which was also born out of Northern Data
to manage its own specific business area.
Although Taiga operates worldwide, its heart
lies within Europe, it is a European company,
and has the ability to offer its customers true
EU compliance and sovereignty.
“We do have global customers, but our
heart is in Europe. We’re building the largest
estate of the latest Nvidia hardware, and
this expansion will continue right through
2024, and beyond. The A6000 and A100s
we already have, have been in place for two
years, all now being used. For those that
don’t know, the A100 is what ChatGPT was
trained on,” says Havard as he demonstrates
 TAIGA CLOUD

KARL HAVARD
TITLE: MANAGING DIRECTOR
COMPANY: TAIGA CLOUD
INDUSTRY: DATA CENTRE

Following years of experience

creating cloud-based enterprise
solutions with global hyper-scalers, Karl
joined Northern Data Group to form Taiga
Cloud in March 2023. Inspired by the vision
to create a purpose built Generative AI
Cloud, inside of Europe; one which could
democratise access to GenAI compute
power and to do so in a compliant and
sustainable way.
Karl brings a breadth of insight,
experience and industry knowledge
having previously worked for Amazon
Web Services as Head of the EMEA
Go-to-market for the AWS & Accenture
Business Group. Prior to this, he
previously led GFT Group’s award-
winning Google Cloud Alliance, was
a Managing Partner for a middle tier
consultancy and he has also worked
for Google.
Now nearly 30 years in the IT
industry, Karl previously earned his
stripes (literally) having served 10 years
as an Electronic & Communications
Engineer in the British Army. When
Karl is not working towards shaping the
future of open access to clean powered
ML and AI compute capacity, he can
be found at home with his wife,
four daughters, three dogs and two
Harley Davidsons, or at the King Power
Stadium supporting his beloved
Leicester City.
Bulk Data Centers:
Compute power for
the GenAI revolution
As Generative AI projects arise, Bulk Data Centers
commits to providing sustainable compute power
to deliver for the latest technology developers.
Rob Elder
Chief Commercial Officer
Bulk Data Centers
In an era where technology evolves at a
breakneck pace, Bulk Data Centers, a subsidiary
of the Norwegian Bulk Infrastructure Group, is a
pioneering force – notably in the development
of sustainable data centres to support large IT
loads, such as the load required by generative
artificial intelligence (GenAI). Since 2006, Bulk has
delivered the digital infrastructure required for
the rapid adoption of more intelligent systems,
which ultimately produce an abundance of
data for information business growth.
Rob Elder, Chief Commercial Officer at Bulk,
shared insights into the company’s strategies,
challenges, and partnerships, particularly
highlighting its collaboration with Taiga Cloud,
which is a long-term partnership generating
opportunities for next-level technology.
Bulk specialises in industrial real estate, fiber
networks, and data centre services, navigating the
complex, evolving IT equipment and unpredictable
customer technology configurations. “The
biggest challenge is speed and a lack of final
understanding of the customer’s technology,”
says Elder. Addressing these challenges, Bulk
invests in standardising data centre designs and
infrastructure, aiming to anticipate customer needs
and streamline implementation processes.
This proactive approach is essential in
accommodating GenAI and high-performance
computing (HPC). Elder emphasises Bulk’s reliance
on industry conversations, customer dialogues,
and insights from manufacturers and original
equipment manufacturers (OEMs). This combination
of experience and flexibility allows Bulk to pivot
towards emerging needs, ensuring their data
centres remain relevant and cutting-edge.
One of Bulk’s significant strategies includes building
for the future while considering the constant
technological evolution. Elder remarks, “We build
for a minimum of 15 years. The investment in
data centres is significant, and future-proofing
the real estate and infrastructure is essential.”
This foresight is evident in Bulk’s commitment
to accommodating future technology shifts, like
Bulk Data Centers delivers ultra-flexible, highly connected, and massively scalable
data center and colocation solutions backed by personalized service - specialising
in providing sustainable destinations for AI, HPC and Hyperscale workloads.
Part of Bulk Infrastructure, the company is headquartered in Oslo, Norway
with locations and offices in Norway and Denmark.

the increasing density of IT equipment and the
likely transition to more liquid cooling methods.
Sustainability is another cornerstone of Bulk’s
philosophy, especially evident in its choice of
Norway as a data centre hub. Elder explains:
Elder’s insights reveal a company deeply attuned
to the rapid pace of technological change,
but with scale and long-term growth in mind.
This brings together large land and power
infrastructure combined with high-capacity
international fiber networks, and a connectivity

"In Europe, established data centre markets
are quite constrained. Norway offers access
to 100% renewable energy, significantly
reducing potential carbon emissions."
This focus on environmental responsibility
aligns with the growing demand for
sustainable data solutions.
The partnership with Taiga Cloud exemplifies Bulk’s
collaborative and forward-thinking approach.
Elder describes this relationship as centred
on transparency and collaboration, aimed at
meeting ambitious timeframes and technology
requirements. “Our strategy is about being open,
transparent, and collaborative,” he asserts. Through
this partnership, Bulk and Taiga Cloud address
sustainability objectives, optimise systems for
efficiency, and plan for future scalability.
ecosystem that further unlocks the potential for
companies like Taiga to attract customers and
grow. Bulk Data Centers emerges as a provider
of data solutions, but also a strategic partner in
navigating the complex landscape of modern
computing and AI now and into the future.
The partnership with Taiga Cloud underscores
Bulk’s capability to meet evolving demands
while upholding sustainability and operational
efficiency. This approach positions Bulk at the
forefront of the data centre industry, ready to face
the challenges and opportunities of the future.
Get in touch and find out more about how Bulk Data
Centers can support your workload requirements.
Learn more
 the significance of Taiga’s current footprint
“We will always, across Northern Europe.

wherever we build
“We invested an initial €400m in
June 2023, and boosted this with a

or whoever we further €320m in early December 2023

to expand our GenAI estate. We will be
partner with on the close to 20,000 GPUs of the latest H100s
in 2024, The H100 being the machine that
data-centre front, everybody in the industry is trying to get

use 100% carbon- their hands on. Our first installation will be
live at the end of 2023.”
neutral energy” Building the compute power
that GenAI developers need
KARL HAVARD
While this is good news for the startups and
MANAGING DIRECTOR,
TAIGA CLOUD AI-powered businesses in Europe, there’s

a high level of demand for the GPUs that
Taiga Cloud needs to support a growing
number of GenAI clients. Luckily for the
company, its Elite Partnership with NVIDIA,
the manufacturer of this hardware; as well
as other strategic alliances with Hewlett
Packard Enterprises (HPE) and
Giga Computing Technology, has helped
ensure Taiga Cloud are the first to market to
deliver this highly sought after technology
in Europe. Not only has this already built
a concrete position for Taiga, it has also
enabled the business to offer a tailored set
of services to its clients in order for them
to get the most out of the capacity that
they adopt.
TAIGA CLOUD
Use more image
captions as often
as possible
“One of our key values and beliefs is
that, by building this in Europe, and on
such a large scale, we have a duty to all
types of organisations who want to use
this technology to bring their best ideas to
life. This includes the startup community,
enterprises, research industries and even
educational institutions. We are not going to
sell out to one customer, despite having the
opportunities to do so.” says Havard.
But, what exactly does this mean? He
explains further: “We want to democratise
access to this computer power, which
means we’ll offer portions of our estate to
various different organisations to allow them
to train, tune and infer their large language
datacentremagazine.com 105
 TAIGA CLOUD
models and to offer them the ability to
roll-on and roll-off the platform to suit
their needs.”
Not only will such a model enable access
to more businesses as and when they
require Taiga’s service, but also encourage
higher utilisation to reduce the impact from
an environmental perspective. If customers
can “roll-on and roll-off” as and when they
need, then no power goes to waste.
“The easy thing for us to do would be to
sign massive three-year deals that utilise
all of our estate capacity, but the reality is
others are doing this in the marketplace,”
says Havard. “Fundamental to Taiga Clouds
vision is to bring a fresh perspective and
democratise access to this technology which
GIGA POD
The Future of
AI Computing
A turnkey AI data center starts
with the NVIDIA HGX H100 GPU
in GIGABYTE servers and full racks,
gathered in a GIGA POD
Contact Sales >
106 February 2024
will make a long lasting and positive impact
on society. We do not want to constrain
or restrict access to the computing power
that others are desperate to get their hands
on, due to the supply being limited for the
foreseeable future. So we’re very happy to
enable our customers to take one-month
or three-month rolling contracts, as well
as longer ones that enable our customers
innovation.”
Taiga Cloud is very humble with its
hot-commodity GPUs, which aids its
engagement, specifically with startups,
giving them the service they need on a
flexible basis. A statement that defines it all
comes from Havard who says the business’s
existence is to help organisations of all kinds
NVIDIA GPUS: BUILDING FOR GENERATIVE AI
Taiga Cloud provides access
to more than 20,000 of
NVIDIA’s latest GPUs from the H100
and A100 to the A6000. Leveraging
peak computing power puts Taiga at
the top of its game in Europe while
also focusing on the future of Generative
AI applications.
H100 GPU
The NVIDIA H100 GPUs, offered by
Taiga Cloud, are to deliver an order-of-
magnitude performance leap for large-scale
GenAI and HPC workloads.
A100 Cloud GPU
To train AI models, the A100 offers immense
computational power, which Taiga also
combines with a flexible usage system. These
solutions can be scaled to meet the growing
number of GenAI applications.
A6000 Cloud GPU
This GPU offers double-speed processing,
which is optimised for power efficiency
and high-level desktop performance for
forms of data application, such as complex
3D computer-aided design (CAD) and
computer-aided engineering (CAE).
datacentremagazine.com 107
“As well as the low
PUEs of 1.2 or less,
the clean energy to bring their best ideas to life. In mentioning

aspects, and the this, he goes on to praise some of the great

feats to have come from partnering with
location, Bulk also its services.
“We’re really pleased that Poolside AI
offers some really decided to work with us and use our GenAI

strong elements
Cloud. They have a great proposition, which
is to unlock humanity’s potential by using

around tier-three GenAI to simplify software development.

They’re creating a world where you don’t
capability” necessarily have to be a coder to actually
build software,” Havard explains. “Soon you
will be able to use Poolside to write prompts
KARL HAVARD
MANAGING DIRECTOR, that will make software development more
TAIGA CLOUD accessible. This is a great partnership as we

WATCH NOW
share similar values, and we’re inviting more
organisations like them to partner with us.”
This is great indeed and also shows
the commitment that Taiga Cloud is
making to wider industries. As an AI
development enabler, the company’s
service can be linked to groundbreaking
innovation and potential solutions.
A sustainable approach at the heart of
data-centre development
The company doesn’t falter when it
comes to sustainability. If anything, from
discussing this with Havard, it seems as
though the company has it figured out.
With the target being net-zero emissions,
TAIGA CLOUD
the company is actively sourcing 100%
renewable energy for its operations, and
when it comes to cooling, direct-to-chip will
be the standard that Taiga is setting – not to
mention getting creative with the positioning
of its sites; on the edge of the Arctic Circle
and many metres below sea-level.
One of its data centres is located in a
disused mine, which provides the perfect
environment for natural cooling and also
eliminates the concerns about space. From
an energy perspective, though, Taiga sources
its energy from renewable means, citing
hydroelectric power as a key component of
its Scandinavia-based operations.
“We will always, wherever we build or
whoever we partner with on the data-centre
front, use 100% carbon-neutral energy to
power and cool the sites,” Havard says. “As
well as having these clean sources of energy,
we also use it in the most efficient ways.”
datacentremagazine.com 109
 TAIGA CLOUD

“Our power usage effectiveness (PUE)

numbers will always be 1.2 or lower” – the
perfect score being one. “In fact, Boden in
Sweden is 1.05 and Lefdal in Norway is 1.15.”
He continues: “If you can get parity, it
means all the energy is powering and cooling
the IT equipment and nothing else. We will
always want to be as efficient as we possibly
can be and we’re evaluating all sorts of
different powering and cooling technologies;
we know we can do more.”
Setting it in stone, the lifelong
sustainability goal is clear for Taiga Cloud –
reduce emissions to zero and only consume
the energy that it needs. With support
from the likes of NVIDIA, HPE and Giga
Computing Technology, the team is capable
of accessing the right equipment to help
achieve this goal. Moreover, partnering with
a provider like Bulk is a foundational move
that supports the sustainable day-to-day
running of its data centres.
“As well as the low PUEs, the clean energy
aspects, and the location, Bulk also offers
some really strong elements around tier-
three capability. Customers that have
moved through their evolution of generative
AI and moving to interference, will need
absolute tier-three capability,” says Havard.
“Fundamental to
“There are various elements to it, Taiga Cloud’s vision
including very high-levels of security
and resilience, as well as only allowing is to bring a fresh
a maximum of 1.6 hours per annum
downtime. So we absolutely need that type
perspective and
of partner. Bulk offers that.” democratise access
to this technology”
Leveraging the partnership with Bulk
also enables lower latency, achieving 10
milliseconds round trip time, or less, which
some of our customers insist on. KARL HAVARD
“Our growing estate is spread across our MANAGING DIRECTOR,
TAIGA CLOUD
data centres and is configured in identical

110 February 2024

islands, securely segmented for each of
our different customers’ needs. We have
built them to the highest spec, and to
be clear the H100s are the SXM version,
in islands of 2,032 GPUs, with BlueField
DPU management and 3.2TB InfiniBand
interconnectivity. Basically, super efficient
to provide the desired outcomes, faster.”
In the foreseeable future, Taiga’s
partner network and devotion to new
innovations in GenAI will see the company
through its continuous development to
provide startups and technology majors
the computing power to deliver on their
goals. The partner network the company
is building will provide additional ML & AI
services and software to its customers
and accelerate the achievement of their
desired objectives.
“The next 12 to 18 months are all about
effective execution,” Havard explains.
“As the H100s come in, we’ll be making
sure they are deployed on time, clients are
onboarded, and that they’re working at their
absolute best.
“On top of that, we will provide a
high level of managed services and
expertise to support our customers as
the market matures.”
datacentremagazine.com 111
 CLOUD & 5G

THE EDGE OF
INNOVATION
AND DIGITAL
TRANSFORMATIO
Edge Data Centres Have Emerged as a Game-
Changer in the Field of Data Processing, Offering
a Major Shift in how Data is Handled and Utilised

WRITTEN BY: KATY ALLAN

T
he increasing adoption of Internet
of Things (IoT) devices and the
growth of real time applications
are driving the need for edge data
centres. IoT devices generate
a huge amount of data that needs to be
processed and analysed in real time, and
centralised data centres can be too far
away to handle this data effectively.
Edge data centres are smaller facilities
located closer to the source of data
generation than a traditional centralised data
centre. This means that they can process and
analyse data more quickly and efficiently,
which can be crucial for applications that
require low latency or high bandwidth.
Edge data centres have a number of
benefits, and can improve the performance
of applications that require low latency,
such as virtual reality and augmented reality.
By processing data closer to the user, edge
data centres can reduce the time it takes
for data to travel to and from the central
data centre, which can significantly improve
the responsiveness of the application.
The need for edge data
centres and computing
Highlighting the importance of edge data
centres and computing is Jon Abbott,

112 February 2024

ON
Technologies Director – Global Strategic
Clients at Vertiv, who says:
“Edge data centres and computing
solve a myriad of organisational needs
and can be used across industries, such
as healthcare, education and retail. Its
infrastructure can be placed within an
enterprise’s premises or secure remote sites
while being managed or hosted by service
providers, offering various benefits, including
improved performance and user experience.
By placing edge sites closer to end users,
latency and response times are reduced,
leading to enhanced productivity, customer
satisfaction and competitiveness.”
Data latency – the time it takes for
data to travel from one point to another
in a network – has always been a concern
for data centre managers. However, in
recent years, it has become a critical issue
due to the generation of big data, IoT,
cloud and streaming services, and other
technological advancements.
End users and devices nowadays not
only demand, but expect seamless and
uninterrupted access to applications,
services, and data stored in data centres,
regardless of their location or the network
they’re connected to. This has led to
an increasing emphasis on low latency,
datacentremagazine.com 113
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“Edge computing
is quickly evolving
into a critical
technology for the
AI and 5G-powered
information age”
JON ABBOTT
TECHNOLOGIES DIRECTOR –
GLOBAL STRATEGIC CLIENTS,
VERTIV
as even a slight delay can be noticeable
and detrimental to user experience.
“The reduction of network latency
is the main benefit of edge data centres,”
says Jürgen Hatheier, International CTO
of global networking infrastructure and
software provider, Ciena. “Other benefits
include reduced power density and, in some
cases, data sovereignty rules mandate data
CLOUD & 5G
being on-premise. They also offer practical
benefits from a build perspective in terms
of power consumption.
“Large campuses of data centres
can place a strain on local power grids,
whereas micro data centres can be better
spread across the country and linked
together. For example, in Germany,
all of the data traffic ends up in Frankfurt
because that is where the country’s large
data centre hub is. This requires huge power
consumption in one place. The industry
is now thinking about whether high-speed
fibre can be used to connect edge sites
more practically and sustainably.”
The challenges and considerations
for edge data centres
There is no doubt that edge computing
opens up a range of new possibilities for
businesses, yet it complicates the task
of managing local operations for data
centres and IT teams due to the expansion
of network infrastructures, known as
‘network sprawl’.
datacentremagazine.com 115
 CLOUD & 5G

Network sprawl is a growing concern

in the era of cloud adoption, and refers
to the uncontrolled expansion and
fragmentation of an organisation’s IT
network. This chaotic growth leads to
several detrimental consequences,
including increased complexity, inefficient
resource utilisation, heightened security
risks, compliance challenges, and
reduced agility.
Abbott explains: “One of the primary
concerns with edge deployments is the
need to maintain and manage a large
number of geographically dispersed sites,
which can be both time-consuming and
resource-intensive. At Vertiv, we help our
customers by offering a range of IT remote
access software and solutions including a
comprehensive IT management platform
that combines the infrastructure monitoring
software with remote access support.”
Vertiv’s range of solutions and services
can help enterprise customers maximise
their technology investments by
accelerating the integration of compute,
including AI-capable computing, into
on-premise data centres, enhancing the
capabilities of edge sites, and extending
equipment life.
“Monitoring and management systems
can help to optimise the utilisation of
critical equipment by operating it more
efficiently,” says Abbott. “For example,
identifying stranded capacity reduces
energy waste and costs, and combining
monitoring with remote access and
support capabilities make it possible
to reduce the need for on-site personnel
and to enhance the ability to manage
the infrastructure in challenging or remote
sites and locations.”

116 February 2024

 JON ABBOTT
TITLE: TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR –
GLOBAL STRATEGIC CLIENTS
COMPANY: VERTIV
INDUSTRY: ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
LOCATION: GREATER BRIGHTON
AND HOVE, UK

Abbott is an entrepreneurial and driven

technologist with over 20 years of experience
in the evolving Global Network Community.
He possesses a proven track record of
innovation and leadership, consistently
translating market trends and emerging
technologies into actionable solutions.

The emergence of new technologies

The integration of AI, IoT, and smart city
technologies is creating an explosion of data,
particularly high-resolution imagery and
video, as we connect millions of sensors to
create intelligent environments. Hatheier
comments: “These sensors not only add
traffic to the network but generate massive
amounts of data that move around the
network and between data centres to create
value for enterprises and society alike.

datacentremagazine.com 117
 CLOUD & 5G
WATCH NOW
“As a key enabler of innovations that
drive network connectivity, Ciena is helping
our customers – the network providers –
to provide the necessary underlying network
infrastructure to support these emerging
technologies and bandwidth to support
growing traffic demands.”
Generative AI, which has been the hot
topic of 2023, has also had a huge impact
on the edge. Hatheier explains that the basic
concept of why GenAI has such a big impact
on the edge is the so-called ‘inference’.
“Inference is where real-world data meets
a pre-trained AI model (that pre-training has
happened in the big data centre),”
118 February 2024
he says. “With a growing number of users, the
inference needs to scale on the edge, and
that edge could even be within an enterprise
or somewhere close with low latency.”
The promise of edge
computing in the future
Edge computing is rapidly gaining
traction, driven by groundbreaking
technological advancements such
as 5G wireless networking, IoT and AI,
as well as data sovereignty.
From an application perspective, new
deployments at the edge will generate and
capture vast amounts of data.

The use of machine learning will be
pivotal in delivering real-time responses
for intelligent decision-making – from
IoT devices acting as sensors to detect
any measurable activity, to healthcare
in remote locations with limited
connectivity and the handling of patient
device data analysis.
“Looking ahead, edge computing
promises to benefit a wide range of
industries,” says Abbott. “From cloud
gaming to smart grids, to autonomous
robots in industrial settings, they all
have something to gain from processing
data closer to the end device. In fact,
JÜRGEN HATHEIER
TITLE: INTERNATIONAL CTO
COMPANY: CIENA
INDUSTRY: TELECOMMUNICATIONS
LOCATION: LINZ-WELS-STEYR,
AUSTRIA
With over 20 years of experience in the global
network community, Hatheier is passionate
about driving innovation and value for
customers. As CTO for EMEA and APAC at
Ciena, he leads a team of talented experts in
spearheading Ciena’s leadership position for
future-state connectivity solutions.
datacentremagazine.com 119
 IDC estimated that
global edge computing
Investments would reach

US$208bn
in 2023, an increase of

13.1%
over 2022

120 February 2024

 CLOUD & 5G

“Edge data centres

and computing
solve a myriad of
organisational needs
and can be used
across industries”
JON ABBOTT
TECHNOLOGIES DIRECTOR –
GLOBAL STRATEGIC CLIENTS,
VERTIV

edge computing is quickly evolving

into a critical technology for the AI
and 5G-powered information age.
“In February this year, IDC estimated
that global edge computing Investments
would reach US$208bn in 2023, an increase
of 13.1% over 2022, and as enterprises race
to integrate AI into their businesses,
they will need to ensure edge sites are
equipped to handle the increased
demands of AI-capable computing.”
As the ever-increasing volume of
data generated by connected devices
continues to grow at scale, organisations
are embracing the transformative potential
of edge computing to enhance network
performance, enable seamless digital
experiences, and deliver innovative
products and services. However, as the
edge of the network evolves into a critical
hub of data processing and analysis, the
underlying infrastructure must also adapt
and expand to meet the demands of this
evolving landscape.

datacentremagazine.com 121
Schneider
Electric and AI’s
disruptive data
centre overhaul
WRITTEN BY: PRODUCED BY:
MAYA DERRICK LEWIS VAUGHAN

122 February 2024

SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC

datacentremagazine.com 123
 SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC

Off the back of Schneider Electric’s

AI whitepaper, Natalya Makarochkina
discusses how the technology is
shaping the future of data centres

T
here’s no doubt AI has become
one of the most prominent
buzzwords of the last 12 to
18 months. Constantly hitting
headlines around the world,
it has become a mainstream technology,
transforming people’s lives and the way
companies operate.
AI is set to continue disrupting the
status quo in the data centre space. Despite
presenting the data centre industry with
limitless opportunities, to thrive it must
be respected, ethically implemented and
facilitated – and its physical impact must
not be underestimated.
Financially demanding, while putting
constraints on water, land and energy
supplies, the demands and challenges of
AI implementation have been stressed by
many, including Schneider Electric.
A global leader in energy management
and automation solutions, Schneider
Electric boasts a whole host of specialties,
including the likes of critical infrastructure
and providing innovative technologies for
power distribution, cooling and automation,
as well as optimising energy efficiency
and reliability.
A seasoned IT and technology executive,
Natalya Makarochkina is the multinational
company’s Senior Vice President (SVP) of its
Secure Power Division and has worked for
Schneider Electric since 2015. Starting in the
business in her native Russia, she moved to
Dubai, UAE in 2017 to take up her current
position.

124 February 2024

 SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC

NATALYA MAKAROCHKINA
TITLE: S
 ENIOR VICE PRESIDENT,
SECURE POWER DIVISION
COMPANY: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
INDUSTRY: AUTOMATION
MACHINERY MANUFACTURING
LOCATION: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Natalya Makarochkina is the Senior

Vice President of the Secure Power
Division at Schneider Electric.
Leading a team of around
700, she plays a pivotal part in
supporting Schneider Electric’s
customers and partners on their
digital transformation journeys,
encompassing diverse zones such
as MEA, East Asia, Pacific, Japan
and South America. Makarochkina
has been with Schneider for more
than eight years.
Prior to joining Schneider,
Makarochkina held several senior
management and sales positions
at major international technology
companies, including HPE, Philips,
Oracle and Red Data.
Makarochkina holds an Executive
MBA from the University of Antwerp
and a Master’s degree from the
Higher School of Economics.
Working in Schneider’s Secured Power
Division, Makarochkina’s role is part of the
company’s services in data centre physical
infrastructure solutions for customers in
the form of data centres, server rooms
and edge computing solutions.
“At Schneider Electric, our slogan is ‘Life
is On’, and I’m so proud to be part of a
company that lives and breathes this ethos.
Beyond Schneider Electric’s well-established
reputation for sustainability, both globally
and within the data centre industry, what
truly sets us apart is our commitment
to inclusivity. We have developed a
groundbreaking whitepaper focused on
extending energy access to those on the

126 February 2024

periphery – an initiative that resonates
deeply with our core values.”
“It is extremely
important that
The AI Disruption: Challenges and
Guidance for Data Center Design the integration of
The whitepaper in question, The AI
Disruption: Challenges and Guidance
AI applications in
for Data Center Design, was released in data centres be
September 2023, and acknowledges the
profound impact that AI is having on data approached in a
centres and the need to accommodate this
groundbreaking technology in a sustainable
sustainable manner”
manner.
Calling for AI start-ups, as well as the NATALYA MAKAROCHKINA
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT,
likes of enterprises, colocation providers SECURE POWER DIVISION,
and internet giants, to step up and consider SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC

datacentremagazine.com 127
 SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC
the impact of the densities on data centres’
physical infrastructure, the paper talks
through the resulting challenges, providing
guidance on power, cooling, racks and
software management.
“Everyone talks about AI nowadays,”
Makarochkina says. “It is something that has
had an impact on our lives in a positive way,
and naturally has had a major impact on data
centres. It is extremely important that the
integration of AI applications in data centres
be approached in a sustainable manner.”
AI already represents 4.3GW of data
centre power demand today, with a
projection of that figure potentially growing
26% to 36%, resulting in up to 20GW by 2028.
“This significantly outpaces the growth of
data centre power demand at the moment,”
Makarochkina adds, sharing that AI already
128 February 2024
accounts for 11% of data centre power. “We
really need to understand how to be more
efficient. It’s important to make sure that,
when we talk about AI, we’re talking not
only about large data centres but also
about edge data centres.”
Calling for emphasis on how to monitor
and manage edge data centres, as well
as how to combine growing AI with
sustainability along with climate obligations,
Schneider Electric is using its position to
pioneer sustainability – where it has saved
440 million tonnes of CO₂, 90 million alone
in 2022 – driving meaningful and life-
changing innovation.
Makarochkina continues: “Our whitepaper
discusses how the disruption caused by AI
has led to significant changes and challenges
in data centre design and operations, as
“Our whitepaper well as the high demand. We estimate that
AI workloads will represent 15% to 20% of
discusses how the the total data centre energy by 2028. The
question is, what will we do to adopt it
disruption caused efficiently and handle the requirements
of AI applications?”
by AI has led to The report calls for data centres to

significant changes
be optimised with new technologies,
accommodating AI workloads and high-

and challenges in density AI clusters to keep up with this

ongoing digital evolution.
data centre design AI and the modern data centre
and operations” “When we talk about digital twins, it means
you can design a data centre before you
start building it,” Makarochkina details.
NATALYA MAKAROCHKINA “This is a fundamental change and a great
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT,
SECURE POWER DIVISION, element in the design and management
SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC of data centres.”

datacentremagazine.com 129
“There is no argument
whether we’ll have AI
or not. When we talk
about AI and IoT, then
we’ll also talk about
a totally different
new landscape”
NATALYA MAKAROCHKINA
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT,
SECURE POWER DIVISION,
SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC

The bonuses digital twins bring are

immense, including being able to measure
and make suitable adjustments, to
efficiency and reliability and any subsequent
sustainability goals. Makarochkina also
maintains that AI must centre on an
integrated approach.
“AI is not only in the cloud and in large
data centres, but we are also talking
about edge data centres, which have to
be managed,” she continues. Along with
Schneider’s data centre infrastructure
management system (DCIM), day-to-day
data centre operations can be optimised,
whether in a large-scale or edge facility.

AI’s role in the evolution of data centres

Looking to the future, Makarochkina
foresees AI having an impact in three distinct
areas: power, cooling and physical demands.
She notes: “We estimate the potential
increase in energy consumption to be about
20% by 2028, so we are already talking about
the huge AI workloads, especially when it
comes to training. AI can consume 100KW
per rack.

130 February 2024

 SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC

“It is difficult to provide, and it is a really

high requirement for efficiency as well
as for power challenge. So, interference
workloads operating at various rack
densities may benefit from high voltage
disruption, but also, it’s challenging to
meet capacity with this existing standard
where we have 60 to 63AMP rack power
distribution units.
“What’s more, we talk about the
change in cooling and people are talking
a lot about liquid cooling and air cooling.
We’re using it a lot and we try to make
it as efficient as possible.”
For example, Schneider Electric has
economisers, software that makes use of
air cooling more efficiently. “When we think
about liquid cooling, the transition will bring
logical and financial considerations. We
predict next year we’ll see the continued
roll out of liquid cooling in data centres,”
Makarochkina adds.
And finally, physical demands.
Discussing the requirements for AI clusters,
Makarochkina emphasises the need for
larger arrays of racks with specific larger
dimensions. “They result in a totally
different design which will be required for
data centres and this will be one of the
biggest challenges as well,” she concludes.

Shaping the future

Makarochkina acknowledges that
there is nothing stopping the tsunami
of the adoption and development of
AI, believing that it is at the forefront
of shaping the future.
“There is no argument whether we’ll
have AI or not. When we talk about AI
and IoT, then we’ll also talk about a totally
different new landscape, both in terms
of learning as well as processing an
using computer visions.”

datacentremagazine.com 131
 SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC

Makarochkina attests, as does the

company she represents, that regulation
and ethical implementation is a vital
consideration when it comes to AI. And,
with its widespread influence and adoption
growing at unprecedented speeds, the
combination of AI with other emerging
technologies is where Makarochkina
envisions the upward trajectory of AI
catapulting to.
“There are no sectors which will
remain untouched by AI,” she says. When
incorporated with the likes of 5G, for
example, AI can guide and ensure the
correct allocation of resources – whether
that be detecting anomalies or managing
traffic. When combined, AI and 5G –
along with edge computing and IoT –
can spearhead autonomous cities too.
It is one of the main factors behind the
success of smart cities.
“If you look at Shanghai for example,
you see lots of AI already in play,” adds
Makarochkina.
“For example, there is widespread use of
face recognition, so much so, that people
are not even using their credit cards to make
payments in shops anymore. So, when you
shop, you take your items to the till and your
shopping is automatically billed to your
account.”
Despite some applications of AI and its
respective emerging technologies feeling
like they are still a considerable way off into
the future, the technologies needed to bring
them into the here and now are in touching
distance. And, as both Makarochkina and
Schneider Electric are keen to emphasise,
to prepare for what’s coming, work is
needed today.

datacentremagazine.com 133
 TECH & AI

THE GEN A I
REVOLUTION
AND ITS IMPACT ON
THE DATA CENTRE
With Generative AI set to Have a Dramatic Influence
on the Data Centre Sector in the Future, we Hear From
Experts on Some of the Benefits and Challenges

WRITTEN BY: AMBER JACKSON

A
rtificial Intelligence continues
to represent a new era of
disruption for the data centre
industry. Industry leaders are
having to consider how they can
design, or re-design, their facilities to suit the
‘AI era’ and keep up with enterprise demand.
Generative AI (Gen AI) in particular has
gained significant attention in recent years
due to its ability to create and transform
new and original content. However, this
has undoubtedly increased demand for
data centre capacity and power, which
will continue to impact the market moving
further into 2024 and beyond.
With this in mind, Data Centre Magazine
hears from some of the industry experts
considering how Gen AI could continue
to impact the sector in the near future.
Gen AI use in the data centre:
A game changer?
It is no secret that AI continues to
revolutionise data centre operations.
As companies are confronted with rising
demands, which will only increase again
in 2024, AI has been cited by industry
leaders as a way to improve efficiencies
and lower costs for businesses.
According to Sascha Giese, Tech
Evangelist at SolarWinds, Gen AI can
simplify the process of interacting with
infrastructure and make it more accessible
for IT professionals that may not know
multiple programming languages.
“That’s especially true when it’s tailored
for voice commands,” he says. “Gen AI
models can be trained to ‘translate’ spoken
statements and enter commands into
datacentremagazine.com 135
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SASCHA GIESE
TITLE: TECH EVANGELIST
COMPANY: SOLARWINDS
INDUSTRY: SOFTWARE
LOCATION: BERLIN, GERMANY
Giese holds more than 10 years of
technical IT experience and has worked
for SolarWinds since 2014, first as a senior
pre-sales engineer. He now works as a
global tech evangelist, where he provides
insights into implementing full-stack
observability and other IT trends.
TECH & AI
the command-line interface of devices or
orchestrators. This is particularly effective
in vendor-agnostic scenarios.”
When considering additional benefits
of Gen AI, Karsten Winther, EMEA President
at Vertiv, says: “The transformative power
of AI extends beyond these benefits,
particularly in the realm of cognitive
infrastructure. By leveraging AI, data centre
operators can implement predictive
maintenance strategies that go beyond
traditional approaches, helping deliver
optimal performance, minimising risks
and reducing downtime.”
Another significant attraction of AI
technology is that it holds potential to
reduce the environmental impact of data
centres. With the industry looking to reduce
its footprint and enact its ESG strategies, AI
datacentremagazine.com 137
TECH & AI
THE RISE AND RISE OF AI
A recent survey conducted by Telehouse
found that more than three in five (61%)
IT decision-makers are anticipating a
rise in their organisation’s investment to
address future technological challenges
between now and 2030.
Niklas Lindqvist, General Manager
Nordics at Onnec Group, previously told
Data Centre Magazine that worldwide
AI spending is set to reach US$300bn
by 2026. He said: “We have now reached
a tipping point where AI adoption is
becoming exponential. Data centres will
be under huge pressure – operators will
want to ensure business continuity, but
also gain and retain customers. AI raises
major implications over how to design
the data centre of the future.”
could offer new solutions. Over the
next year, businesses are keen to
consider how mass AI power can
coexist with sustainability.
Winther says that smart energy
systems could provide opportunities
to stabilise power grids and optimise
energy consumption. He adds: “AI can
be a game changer in ensuring operational
continuity and reducing carbon footprints
in data centres. By processing and analysing
real-time data, AI enables several digital
services that further empower traditional
preventive and reactive services.
 “AI CAN BE A
GAME CHANGER
IN ENSURING
OPERATIONAL
CONTINUITY
AND REDUCING
CARBON
FOOTPRINTS IN
DATA CENTRES”
KARSTEN WINTHER
EMEA PRESIDENT,
VERTIV

“These include monitoring services, demand and supply, AI can enhance

advanced incident management
and condition-based maintenance.
AI-powered energy conservation tools
optimise equipment calibration, resulting
in operational savings and reduced
energy costs.”
In terms of addressing the evolving energy
landscape, Winther states: “The integration
of AI in smart energy systems is particularly
interesting. AI algorithms are able to analyse
real-time data, enhancing grid management,
demand response and efficient resource
use. By continuously monitoring energy
the distribution of renewable energy,
maximising its effective use.
“Moreover, AI algorithms can predict
changes in energy patterns, enabling
proactive measures to maintain grid
stability and reliability.”
Challenges and considerations:
“Not a quick fix”
It is important to understand that AI
technologies are a tool, not an overall
solution. SolarWinds’ Sascha Giese says:
“Given its critical role, training Gen AI in

datacentremagazine.com 139
 TECH & AI

a data centre environment and sensitive information,

is a huge challenge. The margin AI could be used negatively
for error is very slim, with any by cyber criminals to infiltrate
hiccup having huge knock-on US$76bn and extract data.
effects for the organisation – operating costs for data centres Cyberattacks are continually
by 2028
including potential blackouts. (Source: Forbes)
rising and becoming
As such, training AI models more sophisticated and,
involves thorough planning
and careful deployment over
42% growth unfortunately, businesses
expected for the Gen AI market, are not yet equipped enough
an extended period of time.” from US$40bn in 2022 to to handle the strain. Whilst Gen
US$1.3tn over the next decade
He also describes Gen AI (Source: Bloomberg AI could be used negatively in
in a data centre as “an ongoing Intelligence) this way, it can also be used as a
process that should follow tool for data centres to improve
DevOps methodologies.” their digital defences.
With these technologies holding the As AI systems continue to evolve and
power and potential to digitally transform transform, data centre operators must
data centres, inevitably this comes with also be mindful of the ethical risks. If these
its risks. Given that the data centre holds warnings are ignored, customers and
a pivotal role in storing, processing and partners could be catastrophically impacted.
managing huge swathes of critical data To avoid these, industry professionals

“DATA CENTRE OPERATORS MUST

KEEP IN MIND THE RISK OF AI
BEHAVING UNPREDICTABLY
AND POTENTIALLY HARMING
THEIR CUSTOMERS”
SASCHA GIESE
TECH EVANGELIST,
SOLARWINDS
WATCH NOW

datacentremagazine.com 141

KARSTEN WINTHER
TITLE: EMEA PRESIDENT
COMPANY: VERTIV
INDUSTRY: MANUFACTURING
LOCATION: VENETO, ITALY
Winther has worked with Vertiv for nearly
six years, first as EMEA Vice-President and
now EMEA President. With an extensive
background in sales, his expertise allows
him to lead the overall EMEA strategy
for the business. As a result, he is well-
positioned to understand the significance
of AI infrastructure.
142 February 2024
would do well to harness Gen AI in a way
that eliminates bias and also encourages
utmost transparency.
Looking ahead: The future
of implementing Gen AI
Giese describes the future of Gen AI
within the data centre as “unlocking
a new level of efficiency.”
He says: “This shift will alleviate some
burden on IT professionals who usually
find themselves overwhelmed with
responsibilities related to data retrieval
and presentation. Gone are the days of
IT professionals writing complex queries
or manually creating reports. Now, the
machines can do the heavy lifting.”
Similarly, Winther explains that AI
holds the potential to empower data
centre operators to make informed

decisions, reduce costs and minimise
their environmental footprint.
“The development of AI algorithms
specifically designed for cognitive
infrastructure will further enhance
the capabilities of smart energy systems.
These algorithms will enable data
centres and other industries to make
intelligent decisions in real-time,
optimising energy usage, predicting
equipment failures and proactively
managing power consumption.
“By leveraging AI’s ability to analyse
vast amounts of data and learn from
patterns and trends, data centres can
continuously improve their energy efficiency
and reduce their environmental impact.”
Winther also cites the value of these new
technologies to unlock renewable energy
solutions. He says: “AI can help optimise
TECH & AI
the integration of intermittent renewable
sources like solar and wind power into
the energy grid. By analysing weather
patterns, energy demand and supply,
AI algorithms can determine the most
efficient and effective ways to use
renewable energy resources.
“This integration will not only reduce
reliance on fossil fuels but also contribute
to the stability and resilience of a more
sustainable power grid.”
As Gen AI, and AI more generally,
continues to evolve over the next twelve
months, it is clear that the data centre will
continue to innovate and push boundaries.
From energy, to security, to operations,
AI advancements could hold the key to
creating a digitally resilient and sustainable
industry that is well-equipped to handle
rising demand.
datacentremagazine.com 143
SUSTAINABLE
AI-READY
INFRASTRUCTU
IN THE NORDICS
WRITTEN BY: PRODUCED BY:
MAYA DERRICK LEWIS VAUGHAN
 ATNORTH

URE
S
datacentremagazine.com 145
 ATNORTH

atNorth’s CEO discusses the

leading pan-Nordic operator’s
tremendous growth journey
and how it continues to push

M
innovation in the wake of AI
uch like many who work in the
data centre industry, Eyjólfur
Magnús Kristinsson, CEO of
the pan-Nordic colocation,
high-performance computing
and artificial intelligence service provider
atNorth, had a far-from-conventional entry
into the field.
An engineer by training, Kristinsson gained
his Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering at the
University of Iceland before going to Denmark
for his Masters in Industrial Engineering.
“One could argue I haven’t spent my whole
career doing that much engineering, although
I’ve spent my whole career in the data centre
and IT industry,” Kristinsson jokes. But with his
logical engineering brain, Kristinsson is armed
for what the data centre industry throws at its
workforce – the ability to think on your feet
and critically analyse to then problem solve,
and fast.
He adds: “The essence of my engineering
studies is the ability to learn new things and
understand complex models and systems,
and I’ve benefited a lot from that during my
whole career.”
Following a varied career starting in sales
before moving up into managerial roles across
the IT industry, Kristinsson is now at the helm
of atNorth, a pan-Nordic data centre and
HPC AI operator which soon will be present
in all Nordic nations. Currently operational in
Iceland, Sweden and Finland – and launching
atNorth’s ninth data centre in Denmark in

146 February 2024

 Magnús Kristinsson,
CEO of atNorth

datacentremagazine.com 147
 ATNORTH

Q4 of 2024 – atNorth provides data centre

services to international customers as well
as advanced HPC and AI services. Since
atNorth’s inception in 2009, the company
has been laser-focused on sustainability
and has built its service offerings on the
foundation that it operates in locations with
access to renewable energy and where
extremely high levels of energy efficiency
can be achieved. For example, all its new
data centres are built to reuse heat.
“If you ask someone that doesn’t know
the data centre industry what they know
about it, normally the feedback that you get
is that it is something slow, boring and not
a lot happens, that it lacks excitement. But
when you work in the industry it’s the exact
opposite. What I love is the speed at which
at North’s Reykjavik
it’s moving. ICE01 data centre
“Obviously that also includes all the great pictured in winter
customers the industry caters for, but I think
the importance of the data centre industry
is how almost with all technologies that we for large-scale HPC and AI workloads,”
are working with today in the data industry Kristinsson explained. As well as establishing
we can be extremely impactful in terms of themselves in metropolitan areas, atNorth
sustainability.” is ensuring it has a footprint in more remote
locations, too.
atNorth: Providing AI-ready He added: “There, we can cater for
infrastructure in the Nordics workloads in the magnitude of 100 to
One of those growing technologies, a couple of hundred megawatts. Besides
unsurprisingly, is AI. For this reason, atNorth that, we are also focusing highly on servicing
is extremely well focused on executing our customers higher up the stack. We are
on its strategy to build a pan-Nordic deep operating AI and HPC-dedicated clusters
data centre platform. Operating in Iceland, for our customers and are doing a lot of
Sweden, and Finland, as well as working on a innovation there.”
new facility in Denmark, atNorth anticipates In recent months, atNorth acquired
that in the near future it can announce its key HPC industry player Gompute. Since
footprint expansion to the last remaining the acquisition, atNorth has leveraged the
unconquered Nordic country of Norway. Swedish company’s platform to build on
“In all of those markets in which we top of its own progress in the HPC and
are building, we hope to especially cater AI industry.

148 February 2024

 “The Nordics, we
believe, is one of
the best locations in
the whole world”
MAGNÚS KRISTINSSON
CEO,
ATNORTH

ICE03 is a tier 3 data centre

located in thriving tech hub
Akureyri, in the north of Iceland
ATNORTH

MAGNÚS KRISTINSSON
TITLE: CEO
COMPANY: ATNORTH
INDUSTRY: DATA CENTRE
LOCATION: THE NORDICS

Kristinsson joined atNorth

in 2018, prior to which
he was Managing Director at
Advania for almost eight years
and the Chairman of the board
at Iceland Datacenter. He has
been instrumental in developing
and progressing the business
since its inception and is
widely quoted in the media as
a leading figure in the Nordic
data centre industry. His goal
is to create a decarbonising
platform for high-density
IT workloads by operating
data centres throughout
the Nordics.
 Magnús Kristinsson,
CEO of atNorth

“atNorth has grown immensely”

MAGNÚS KRISTINSSON
CEO,
ATNORTH

“AI is creating a boom in the industry,”
Kristinsson says, relaying why for this reason
atNorth is preparing for the disruption the
technology brings. “Though, I think that the
industry has seen nothing yet because AI is
still not widely adopted.
“There are obviously a large number of
startups and a few enterprises, including the
hyperscalers, that are using AI widely but this
is putting a lot of stress on data centres and
not least the power grids where data centres
are operating.”
For this reason, he explains, the Nordics
are increasing in popularity when it comes
to locations for data centre or IT workloads,
especially power-hungry AI workloads.
Kristinsson shares: “It makes most
sense to locate those workloads where
there is ample power and where you can
run those workloads in the most efficient
way. The Nordics, we believe, is one of the
best locations in the whole world to run
those types of workloads. This is our focus
at the moment.”

datacentremagazine.com 151
 Optimize Enterprise and
High-Performance Computer Operations
with Scalable Direct Liquid Cooling

PERFORMANCE
Maximize performance Increase rack density Less energy consumption
with efficient cooling for 2-10X compared to and a smaller carbon
enterprise and HPC systems traditional air cooling footprint

Characteristics boasted by Nordic
locations not only make its data centres
efficient and scalable, but also support
atNorth’s core sustainability values and
underpin its belief that the Nordics is where
the data centres of the future are. For
example, facilities in the region can make the
most of the naturally cold climate, which can
offset the need for server cooling systems.
Not only does atNorth locate and build
its facilities in regions where there is a
highly-skilled workforce and access to true
renewable energy, renewables are often
the sole form of power available. Heat from
its Stockholm data centre is redirected to
district heating systems to heat local homes,
while new facilities will reuse heat in a range
of other ways.
“Local district heating systems are very
developed here,” Kristinsson shares.
ATNORTH
Inside atNorth’s
Helsinki data
centre campus
CREDIT: PETRI ANTTILA
“Our data centre in Stockholm is reusing
the excessive heat for the benefit of local
district heating, as will those in Copenhagen
and Helsinki.
“This obviously supports our sustainability
story quite a lot. On top of this, we are
deploying liquid cooling systems in all of
our sites, and this is for the benefit of the
high-density workloads. At the same time,
especially in Iceland, where heat reuse
is not as adopted, we are innovating to
increase rack density to AI standards
based on air cooling as well. We have a
lot of initiatives to support and underpin
our sustainability story.”
Despite there not being a one-size-fits-
all approach when it comes to picking a
particular data centre location, atNorth
vouches for the region as a whole as a
leading destination for these reasons.
datacentremagazine.com 153
 ATNORTH
Inside atNorth’s
Helsinki data
centre campus
CREDIT: PETRI ANTTILA
Strong ecosystem of partners
integral to success
Despite atNorth leading the way when
it comes to sustainability in the data
centre space, and making the most of
the world around them in an ethical and
respectful manner, Kristinsson is quick
to acknowledge that success in this area
is also down to another strength – of
partners with shared values.
“In the growth market we are in at
the moment we are laser focused on
bringing more capacity and great service to
our customers,” Kristinsson advocates.
“That being said, we need a very strong
ecosystem of partners to support us
154 February 2024
achieving those goals. Our policy is to
use local partners where we build and
operate our data centres. That is a part
of our social responsibility, but obviously
we also need international partners that
are not always located where we are building
our data centres and we have built I think
an exceptionally strong ecosystem of
partners that are helping us serve our
customer goals.”
One of said exceptional partners is CoolIT.
The leading liquid cooling solution provider
for HPC, cloud and enterprise markets
worldwide helps atNorth provide direct
liquid cooling solutions to its customers,
a partnership which has been applauded for
WATCH NOW

datacentremagazine.com 155
ICE02, located close
to Keflavik international
airport, Iceland

atNorth operates in

four
of the five Nordic
nations and by

Q4 of 2024
will have

nine
up-and-running
data centres

“AI is creating a boom in the industry”
MAGNÚS KRISTINSSON
CEO,
ATNORTH
its ongoing success and for aiding businesses
to reduce their carbon footprint.
Kristinsson emphasises: “We would not
work without our partners. We are not trying
to do everything ourselves, and would
rather focus on what we want to be best
at. Therefore, we are nothing without our
partners, that goes without saying.”
Innovation at the core of atNorth’s future
“It’ll be crazy but extremely fun,” Kristinsson
adds, looking forward to what the future
has in store for him and his atNorth
colleagues. “We will continue to innovate
and we will continue to build in terms of
customers, our data centre footprint and
our partner network.”
One of the reasons Kristinsson predicts
the coming months will bring excitement
and disruption is thanks to one of the
industry’s – and wider world’s – most
dominating technologies, AI.
“A lot of the demand we’re seeing coming
to the market comes from AI,” he analyses.
“But we have not seen everything yet on
that front. That means that we, and all data
centres, will need to continuously adapt to
the rapid changes that we are seeing and
will see in the AI industry, whether that be
releases of new equipment, for example.”
Although this means an immense amount
of pressure is, and will continue, to be put
on data centre operators, Kristinsson is
ATNORTH
positive that it will keep him and his team
busy for the next few months and further
down the line.
And while taking time to look ahead,
Kristinsson is proud of how far atNorth has
come. Even from before when he joined as
CEO in 2018, he has seen significant change.
“atNorth has grown immensely,” he
says, proudly. “We started in one small
data centre in Reykjavík capital area, where
I’m sitting now, which almost only serves
the local market.”
Now operating a network of seven
facilities across the geography, with two
under construction and more in the pipeline,
atNorth’s customer portfolio has exploded in
terms of both numbers and variety.
“What we called high density back in 2011
or 2012 is not even medium density today.
So I mean things have changed incredibly
since we were designing our first assets,”
Kristinsson declares.
2023 was a year of celebration for
atNorth. As well as announcing its highest
revenue to date, it has maintained its
core values the whole way, mastering
the true balancing act of not letting quality
suffer as a result. And, looking forward,
there is no sight of that upward trajectory
slowing down.
datacentremagazine.com 157
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Angela Prof Paolo Steve Adam

Hultberg Taticchi, OMRI Smith Elman
Professor of Strategy and Head of Communications
Global Sustainability Head of EMEA
Sustainability & School and Thought Leadership
Director Sustainability
Deputy Director for Energy Management