NETWORKS EUROPE The magazine for network and data centre professionals July/August 2021 THE CHALLENGE OF MONITORING 5G NETWORKS DEMYSTIFYING SAFETY FOR UPS LI-ION BATTERY SYSTEMS FIBRE OPTICS FOR THE CLIMATE CHOOSING FIBRE OPTICS TO PROTECT THE ATMOSPHERE HOW TO CONSTRUCT A 5G STRATEGY TO MAXIMISE ITS BENEFITS HOW TO SPECIFY LI-ION BATTERIES IN MISSION CRITICAL DATA CENTRES IN THIS ISSUE: LIQUID COOLING SUSTAINABILITY GAINS THE PERVASIVENESS OF THE DATA-CENTRIC SECURITY STRATEGY KNOWLEDGE GAPS AROUND SASE 05 Foreword 06 News The news desk highlights some of the latest industry stories. 22 Liquid Cooling Sustainability Gains David Craig of Iceotope explains how implementing and capitalising on the sustainable data centre can help to stimulate economic growth. 26 Fibre Optics for the Climate Robert Merki of R&M believes that when it comes to protecting our atmosphere, fibre optics for your broadband is a good choice. 28 Edging Closer to 5G with Edge Data Centres To match the performance expectations of 5G applications, the network needs both centralised large-scale data centres and small de-centralised edge data centres (EDCs), located much closer to end-user devices. Andreas Sila, VP Market Management, Data Center, HUBER+SUHNER discusses the options. 32 Legacy Data Centre Modernisation is Key for Sustainability As the industry focuses on becoming more sustainable, Andy Connor of Subzero Engineering, believes legacy facility modernisation holds the key to its success. 36 Data Centre Transformation Sustainability has become one of the key market differentiators within the data centre sector with many providers making great strides in their sustainability ambitions, but what other actions can the sector take to slow the effects of carbon emissions? Rob McKernan, Senior Vice President, Secure Power Europe Region, Schneider Electric investigates. CONTENTS www.networkseuropemagazine.com 02 223240 NETWORKS EUROPE 1 Tudor Business Centre Waterhouse Lane Kingswood KT20 6EN www.networkseuropemagazine.com Published by: Abacus Communications Limited Publisher: Greg Ward Editor: Laura Vallis Sales Executive: Keith Foster The views expressed in the articles and technical papers are those of the authors and are not endorsed by the publishers. The author and publisher, and its officers and employees, do not accept any liability for any errors that may have occurred, or for any reliance on their contents. All trademarks and brandnames are respected within our publication. However, the publishers accept no responsibility for any inadvertent misuse that may occur. This publication is protected by copyright © 2020 and accordingly must not be reproduced in any medium. All rights reserved. Networks Europe stories, news, know-how? Please submit to editor@networkseuropemagazine.com including high resolution (300dpi+ CMYK) images.40 Trends That Will Shape the Data Centres of the Future Alan Hayward at SEH Technology believes that now is the time for the data centre sector to take the lead when it comes to tackling climate change. 42 Demystifying Safety for UPS Li-Ion Battery Systems Gareth Hackett of Saft explains how to specify Li-ion batteries in mission-critical UPS systems for data centres. 46 The Wheelbarrow Effect While the ‘wheelbarrow effect’ is likely to exist for as long as digital transformation accelerates, Ryan Sheldrake, Field CTO EMEA, Lacework says it is key that teams remember that moving non-cloud- native applications into the cloud environment will only open the door to more risk. 50 How Your Network Became “The Bermuda Triangle” Networking teams have had to solve a whole new world of problems - from connectivity, to performance, to security - it’s what Hansang Bae at Netskope calls a ‘Network Bermuda Triangle of Uncertainty’. 54 Supporting Hybrid Learning As universities look to deliver a seamless digital experience to their students, their IT teams must make use of transformational AIOps in IT monitoring to maintain organisational performance and secure the hybrid learning experience of students. Article by Daniela Streng, VP & GM EMEA at LogicMonitor. 58 The Pervasiveness of Data and Data-Centric Security Strategy Adam Strang at Titus illustrates the pitfalls of information security architecture and how shifting to data-centric strategies will protect data throughout its entire life cycle. 62 A Safe Pair of Hands How do businesses go about choosing a data centre partner? Darren Watkins for VIRTUS Data Centres asks if experience should be a key priority? 66 Cloud Connectivity Eric Troyer at Megaport says many organisations are looking to Network as a Service (NaaS) providers for their expertise in cloud connectivity. 68 Deceptive Email Attacks Are on the Rise Lior Kohavi of Cyren takes a look at how to defend against malicious email attacks by using the workforce to fight them. 72 Knowledge Gaps Around SASE May Hinder Business Progress Michael Wood at Versa Networks, looks at the Secure Access Service Edge (SASE). 76 The Challenges of Monitoring 5G Networks Rick Fulwiler at NETSCOUT looks at constructing a 5G strategy that maximises the benefits while minimising the challenges and risks. 78 Innovative Technology Drives Rapid Deployment of New 5G Products Brendan Farley at Xilinx asks if the industry can overcome the challenges associated with cost, power and performance to ensure the second wave of 5G is a success 82 Movers and shakers We take a quick look at some of the industry's movers and shakers, including new appointments, promotions and personnel changes. 627242 www.networkseuropemagazine.comwww.networkseuropemagazine.com CONTENTS 03UPS Service and Maintenance • Battery Replacements • Impedance Testing • Emergency Call-out • Capacitor Replacements • Fan Replacements • Preventative Maintenance .co.ukFrom the editor Summer is finally here! But while many of us aren’t jetting off to milder climes as traffic lights halt holiday travel, at least our industry is beginning to look forward, holding a proactive stance rather than the reactive one held since the pandemic hit. Our editorial programme for this issue features the focus themes of zero-carbon, sustainability and data centre cooling. We have articles covering how implementing and capitalising on the sustainable data centre can actually help to stimulate economic growth, while we consider other options the data centre industry can take to tackle climate change. In other articles we demystify the specification of UPS li-ion batteries in mission-critical systems and look at how networking teams have had to solve a whole new world of problems in the past year or so. We also have a great article on how hybrid learning activities have had to make use of transformational AIOps in IT monitoring to secure and improve the learning experience of university students. Security remains an important factor in handling data. With a How do businesses choose a data centre partner? Should experience be a key priority? We look at how data-centric strategies can protect data throughout its entire lifecycle and the Secure Access Service Edge (SASE). We also consider if the workforce can help to fight against malicious email attacks and discuss how innovative technology can overcome challenges associated with cost, power and performance to ensure the second wave of 5G is a success. Wherever you go on your holidays this Summer, enjoy this issue of Networks Europe. Stay safe and well. Laura Vallis Editor Networks Europe magazine FOREWORD www.networkseuropemagazine.comwww.networkseuropemagazine.com 05www.networkseuropemagazine.com NEWS IN BRIEF www.networkseuropemagazine.com 06 Kao Data becomes first UK data centre to transition from diesel to HVO fuel Kao Data has announced it has taken a further step towards its Net Zero ambitions by becoming the UK’s first data centre to transition all backup generators at its Harlow campus to HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) fuel. This pioneering move, made possible by partnering with Crown Oil, means Kao Data will eliminate up to 90% of net CO2 from their backup generators and significantly reduce nitrogen oxide, particulate matter and carbon monoxide emissions. Today Kao Data delivers one of the UK’s most sustainable colocation data centre campuses. Its existing initiatives include using 100% renewable energy, utilising 100% refrigerant-free indirect evaporative cooling technologies and incorporating hyperscale inspired design to deliver a market-leading PUE of <1.2, even at partial loads. In line with its commitments as a signatory of the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact (CNDCP), the use of Crown Oil HVO fuel marks another significant step in the company’s plans to become a fully carbon-neutral data centre operator by 2030. HVO is one of the cleanest fuels on the market and is a second-generation, advanced renewable diesel alternative. Synthesised from vegetable oils using a specialist hydrotreatment process, HVO has been designed to combat the performance inadequacies of earlier biofuels. It offers improved burning efficiency, delivering the same level of resilience as traditional fossil fuels. Kao Data will replace an initial 45,000L of diesel and switch to an HVO provision of more than 750,000L when the campus is fully developed. Using HVO also offers a number of additional benefits in respect of infrastructure reliability. It eliminates microbial growth which generates sludge that can contaminate fuel lines and potentially lead to engine shut down. Furthermore, HVO requires no modification to existing infrastructure and can be used as a direct replacement for diesel. It has a storage life that is 10 times that of standard diesel and offers resilient, year-round performance in both low and high temperatures. It is also easier to maintain, free from aromatics, sulphur and metals, odourless and completely biodegradable. Simon Lawford, Technical Sales Manager, Crown Oil, said, “HVO fuel is dramatically better for the environment compared to traditional, mineral diesels. It is 100% renewable, biodegradable, sustainable and non-toxic. We’re proud to have worked with Kao Data to initiate a first-of-its-kind project, which will be transformative for the data centre industry, and help point the way forward for significant reductions in industrial greenhouse gas emissions.” Gérard Thibault, Chief Technology Officer at Kao Data, said, “This pioneering approach to replace our generator’s diesel provision with HVO fuel, is a key step in the company’s efforts to become Net Zero, and a further demonstration of our leadership in the international data centre sustainability field.” n Hospital Trust deploys Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure IT Expert Schneider Electric, in collaboration with its Elite Partner, Advanced Power Technology (APT), has deployed its award-winning EcoStruxure IT Expert software at the Birmingham Women and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. The open, vendor-agnostic and interoperable data centre infrastructure management (DCIM) platform will provide the Trust with a dedicated remote monitoring solution, offering data-driven decision-making, increased resiliency and uptime for its distributed IT and critical backup power systems. EcoStruxure IT Expert is an advanced remote monitoring tool providing wherever-you-go visibility, alarms, preventive management capabilities and data-driven recommendations to mitigate security and failure risks and drive efficiency. It is part of Schneider Electric’s IoT-enabled EcoStruxure architecture. Marc Garner, VP, Secure Power Division, Schneider Electric UK&I, said, “For healthcare professionals, the availability of power infrastructure and mission-critical systems is non- negotiable. Our EcoStruxure software offers the Birmingham Women and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust greater visibility, increased resilience and will help mitigate downtime across its distributed edge environments.” Founded in 2017 as a merger between two existing hospitals, the Birmingham Women and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist provider of healthcare services for more than 140,000 patients. The Trust’s operations are supported by an extensive IT infrastructure system, whose functions were consolidated and integrated across both of its hospital campuses. They include two on-premise data centres, a growing number of distributed network closets and more than 100 uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) that safeguard critical equipment and patient data. n Fluke Reliability’s eMaint CMMS software added to RS Components’ maintenance solutions Fluke Reliability has announced a partnership with RS Components (RS) to provide eMaint computerised maintenance management system (CMMS) software to RS’ customers. By adding eMaint, RS is providing a world-class CMMS solution that helps its customers better manage work orders, predictive maintenance schedules and parts inventory, to improve reliability. Fluke Reliability Solutions President, Ankush Malhotra, said, “Fluke Reliability is excited to team up with RS to expand its cutting-edge maintenance engineering services with eMaint’s award-winning CMMS software. RS delivers robust maintenance solutions and expert knowledge to its customers and we are pleased to have eMaint part of the RS offering.” Richard Jeffers, Director of Industrial Digital Solutions, RS Components, said, “At RS, we have always strived to bring best-in-class maintenance engineering services and solutions to our customers so they can keep their operations running as efficiently as possible. eMaint not only brings world-class reliability solutions but also world class customer service to help our industrial customers succeed.” eMaint CMMS enables maintenance professionals to manage work orders and requests, preventive maintenance, purchasing and inventory control, planning and scheduling, asset history, cost tracking, condition monitoring and document storage, as well as create robust reports. The software saves companies time and money by improving the organisation, planning and optimisation of maintenance activities. eMaint was one of the first providers of CMMS to offer a completely web-based software as a service (SaaS) model. Since 1986, the company has leveraged continuous software updates combined with exceptional support to expand its global footprint. The company’s diverse global client base consists of small, midsized and enterprise organisations in industries such as manufacturing, facilities, services, fleet, energy, packaging, government and education. nProximity rolls out Tier 1 carrier and cloud gateway connectivity services Proximity Data Centres has announced two new connectivity services to accelerate the choice of high speed, low latency connectivity solutions available to enterprise customers using its rapidly growing portfolio of UK-wide edge colocation data centres. These initiatives will be delivered in tandem with Next Connex. Proximity Connect and Proximity Cloud Connect will enable customers to easily access diverse network connectivity services to and from racks hosted at Proximity’s edge colocation data centres, while also meeting their growing hybrid cloud hosting requirements. For example, connecting directly to major London based facilities such as Telehouse North and West or Equinix LD5 by establishing private Layer 2 and Layer 3 connections to WAN services, as well as seamlessly connecting directly into public cloud provider networks such as AWS, Microsoft, Google and Oracle. In addition to delivering fast, high availability services between London and Proximity’s UK edge data centres, there is also the potential to connect to Cloud provider data centres in Dublin. John Hall, Managing Director, Proximity Data Centres, said, “We’re offering customers using our UK network of regional edge data centres straightforward access to competitively priced world-class connectivity, with fully diverse routes, scalable bandwidth and consistent high performance - backed by the network provider. At the same time, our colocation services combined with Proximity Connect and Proximity Cloud Connect enable a seamless bridge for supporting customer hybrid cloud solutions where private and public cloud solutions require high-speed low latency interconnection.” Bob Griffiths, Managing Director, Next Connex, said, “Our partnership with Proximity is good news for carriers as well as enterprise user organisations looking to move their data closer to users and customers throughout the UK. With the millions of pounds traditionally involved in installing fibre into data centres, the long lead times and complex buying processes, our strong carrier relationships and technical expertise will help ensure Proximity’s new connectivity initiatives are quickly rolled out and easily accessible to their customers. Next Connex is an Enterprise-grade UK Network carrier – our value is in providing a unified approach to Infrastructure, Network and Virtual data centre solutions, designing and building solutions with the required levels of diversity, resilience and redundancy.” Proximity’s growing network of UK regional edge data centres will expand to 20 sites within the next 12-18 months. This will enable the company to offer UK-wide coverage with all its edge data centres selected for their proximity to major conurbation areas. Its scalable edge facilities meet individual customer requirements, from specific regional data centre services through to multi-site rollouts. n NEWS IN BRIEF www.networkseuropemagazine.comwww.networkseuropemagazine.com 07 Smart Buildings Show opens registration Smart Buildings Show has announced its 2021 event has now opened for registration. The free-to-attend conference and exhibition will take place at the London ExCel on the 6-7th October 2021, featuring some of the leading names in the commercial smart buildings, technology and energy sectors including Priva UK, Trend, ABB and Siemens Smart Infrastructure. Following its recent call for papers, Smart Buildings Show returns with four theatres, delivering industry- leading thought leadership and technical content; presenting visitors the opportunity to share and discuss the growing new trends within the sector. The theatres include Connected - Management, which will look at how smart buildings are managed and how the workplace has changed post-covid; The Connected - Controls Theatre, which will look at physical devices in smart buildings; The Connected - Spaces & Infrastructure Theatre, which will focus on smart buildings, wellbeing, networks, connectivity and power; and the Training Theatre, which will offer visitors the chance to enhance their industry credentials via CPD-accredited presentations. Ian Garmeson, Managing Director, Turret Group, said, “We are delighted to welcome visitors back to Smart Buildings Show conference and exhibition. This year’s show will provide visitors with the first in-person event to focus on smart buildings and their associated critical infrastructure since the start of the pandemic. We believe it will provide a fantastic opportunity to network among fellow industry peers and demonstrate how our sector will play a key role in helping the UK to build back better.” n Airedale launch updated EasiCool Evo Precision air conditioner Airedale has launched the latest in its EasiCool range of precision cooling units, EasiCool Evo. Updated with new technology and with an extended operated envelope, the efficient, compact and flexible EasiCool Evo has been specifically designed with the global small/ edge data market in mind. Airedale R&D teams have worked hard to deliver improved efficiency, performance and IoT functionality, with cooling capacity of 31-98kW and an Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) that is up to 25% higher than the previous ranges. Airedale’s EasiCool range is the global reference in precision cooling, with installs spanning over 3,000 applications and four continents since 2005. This latest evolution builds on the reputation for compactness and efficiency, with up to 57% more cooling power than previous models. EasiCool Evo also delivers more cooling kW per sqm following a complete redesign of the case layout, making it significantly more efficient and attractive to small and medium sized data centres, computer rooms and other on-site equipment rooms, where space is at a premium and precision temperature control is essential. EasiCool Evo offers various airflow configurations, with front, rear, top or base return air options, thus increasing versatility of the product. An expanded operating envelope allows return air temperatures ranging from 18-40° C and ambient temperatures of -20°C to +52°C. Downflow and upflow arrangements are available on all models for maximum versatility. It comes in four standard case sizes, with EC fans as standard, improved filtration options (standard filters ISO C-75 or upgrade option is ISO -1-60) and variable heater bank options, meaning energy and air quality efficiency is maximised. There is also an option of a low- ambient kit if required. The introduction of dual-cool functionality, alongside the standard Chilled Water (CW) or Direct Expansion (DX) cooling options, offers reassurance to the most critically temperature controlled environments. Asim Ansari, Export Sales Manager, Airedale International, explained, “EasiCool is a popular unit in our export markets, especially in the Middle East where Airedale has a dedicated office in Dubai and a strong network of business partners. EasiCool has been around since 2005 and has a strong pedigree in a wide range of applications, from computer rooms and labs up to colocation data centres. Its relatively small footprint, in comparison to other precision cooling units, makes it attractive to many of our export clients.” nwww.networkseuropemagazine.com 08 NEWS IN BRIEF Aruba prioritises sustainability at the Global Cloud Data Center Aruba has reported an increased interest in its green data centre services in H1 2021, as companies across Europe prioritise a “green recovery”. The company has begun work to improve energy output by expanding its Global Cloud Data Centre campus near Milan. It is completely powered by renewable energy, much of which is generated onsite through hydroelectric and photovoltaic systems – with geothermal energy used for cooling. The proposed expansion plan will include upgrades to the hydroelectric plants and photovoltaic systems which adds another 6MW to the total renewable energy produced on-site. Two new data centres will also be added. Called Data Center-B (DC-B) and Data Center-C (DC-C), they will have 9MW and 8MW of operational power, respectively. The new modules will go alongside Data Center-A (DC- A), the first of the data centres inaugurated within the campus, whose 10 data rooms are currently operating near capacity. The latest Global Cloud Data Center expansion is in response to the high demand we are seeing for environmentally friendly data centre services. Sustainability is an essential value for the company and when Aruba first conceived of the Global Cloud Data Center, it was committed to both prioritising this, and delivering the best possible technologies to customers. As such, Aruba has continued to invest significant sums in energy efficiency and the supply of energy from renewable sources. It’s pleasing to see companies across all sectors responding positively to this ethos. Going forward, the intent is to maintain the lowest carbon footprint across the entire Aruba data centre network and act as advocates for positive change across the industry. As part of this commitment, Aruba co-signed the Climate Neutral Data Center Pact in January of this year. The pact is designed to support the European Green Deal which was adopted in early 2020. Representing the most significant industry players in cloud infrastructure and data centres, 24 companies and 14 associations agreed to the self- regulatory initiative. Its goal is to make data centres in Europe climate neutral by 2030 by determining energy efficiency with measurable targets, purchasing 100% carbon-free energy and prioritising water conservation. n Corero and Juniper provides critical DDoS protection to Plusnet Corero and Juniper have teamed up to provide Plusnet with their joint DDoS Protection Solution to protect its infrastructure, business and customers within seconds of a DDoS attack. Over the past 20+ years, DDoS attacks have always been a part of the threat landscape but their frequency, magnitude and sophistication are increasing. Plusnet, which serves 200 cities and regions of Germany, previously relied on an internal data filtering solution to analyse anomalies in traffic patterns. However, this in-house solution required manual intervention which was neither practical nor effective as attacks mounted and evolved. Plusnet needed to automate DDoS mitigation with effective, dynamic and scalable protection to defend its national network from attack-driven outages. Ralf Weber, Head of Competence Center Network & Security, Plusnet, said, “During the testing phase of the Juniper-Corero solution, we could immediately see a manageable stream of DDoS attacks. With the Juniper- Corero solution, Plusnet is able to further improve network protection without any significant impact on network performance.” Samantha Madrid, Vice President, Security Business & Strategy, Juniper Networks, said, “Plusnet leverages Juniper Connected Security to enable the threat-aware network, ensuring its operations are comprehensively protected 24/7 against the growing risk of DDoS attacks.” n Cutting-edge privacy feature from Atlas VPN allows users to have rotating IP addresses Atlas VPN has introduced a privacy feature called SafeSwap that further enhances the anonymity of its users. Atlas VPN is the only VPN provider to offer this type of functionality that allows users to have many rotating IP addresses without having to switch between different VPN servers. Unlike regular servers used by other VPN providers that only assign you a single IP address, the SafeSwap servers have a pool of different IP addresses. Once a user connects to one of these servers, their outgoing traffic will be routed via multiple IP addresses that will constantly and automatically switch for their online sessions without any drop in speed. This makes it even harder for snoopers, authorities, Internet Service Providers and advertisers to spy on user’s online activity. Atlas VPN's COO explained, “Our team of experienced software engineers built this one- of-a-kind privacy tool to satisfy even the most privacy-conscious of our users. Along with our recently released Tracker Blocker feature, SafeSwap offers an ultimate defence toolkit against trackers and ads.” At the moment, the feature is available for Atlas VPN Premium users on Android, iOS and Windows. Users can choose from three SafeSwap server locations, including Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Singapore and Los Angeles, United States. The company is working on extending its SafeSwap server selection, as well as bringing the feature to macOS in the near future. n Wireless Logic acquires Things Mobile Wireless Logic has further strengthened its European presence and global capabilities with the acquisition of Things Mobile. Based in Milan, Things Mobile is a managed service provider that delivers connectivity for international customers across a wide range of IoT applications and has experienced rapid growth since its launch in 2017. The foundation for Things Mobile’s growth has been its low- touch digital sales and service model and propositions that meet the underlying needs of its target markets. With major customers in the fast-growing energy, eHealth and micromobility sectors, Things Mobile is well positioned under Wireless Logic ownership to capitalise on these and other high growth IoT sectors and exploit new market opportunities. The acquisition was completed in July and the Things Mobile team will remain in place led by Co-Founder and CEO, Manuel Zanella. Zanella comments, “Since the launch of the Things Mobile brand, our talented team has delivered phenomenal growth by simplifying the process of IoT connectivity for our customers. We’re now looking forward to the new opportunities that we will be able to offer our customers and employees under Wireless Logic’s ownership.” nNEWS IN BRIEF www.networkseuropemagazine.com 09 Iceotope and Hewlett Packard Enterprise to provide liquid cooling at the edge Iceotope has announced an OEM agreement with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) to offer its liquid-cooled chassis with HPE ProLiant servers in its Ku:l Extreme Data Centre solution. The combined solution runs in enterprise data centres as well as at the extreme edge to enable reliable performance and efficiency while ensuring the high level of protection required for harsh edge environments. Ku:l Extreme is a highly ruggedised micro data centre solution for distributing enterprise-grade computing to extreme edge environments where people, airborne contaminants, moisture and the elements provide an IT challenge and threat. This game-changing solution is single server enabled, ultra-efficient and highly scalable. It provides zero-touch operation with advanced out of band management, offering complete control of the entire system, remotely. Iceotope Technologies CEO, David Craig, said, “Today, IT and data centre managers are being tasked to meet targets for sustainability whilst data gravity creates more complexity as it draws more and more processing and analytics power to the edge, in closer proximity to the point of use. This OEM agreement with HPE provides access to the most efficient and effective solution for maintaining servers in an optimum environment for reliable IT services.” The announcement of the OEM agreement with HPE follows on from the 2019 formation of a strategic alliance between Iceotope, Schneider Electric and Avnet, to offer an innovative response to challenges driven by rising chip and rack densities, pressures to increase energy efficiency, space constraints, water usage restrictions and harsh edge environments. With RedFish-compliant out of band management capabilities and Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure IT solution, remote monitoring and management is taken to a new level enabling proactive insights on critical assets that impact the health and availability of IT environments, so infrastructure performance is optimised and risk is minimised. Liquid cooling offers significant benefits in the areas of simplicity, cost, heat capture and energy efficiency. While these advantages are both tangible and measurable, other liquid cooling technologies will have design constraints that are likely to be imposed on the IT design, with possible performance limitations depending on the solution provider. Iceotope's chassis-level precision immersion cooling solution removes the heat from every part of your system, reliably and efficiently. Precision delivery of dielectric coolant mitigates the need to constrain the design of the IT solution while maximising the cooling directly to the hotspots. This means there are no performance-throttling hotspots and no front-to-back air-cooling, or bottom-to-top immersion constraints. n Data reliance fuels record data centre investments Knight Frank has released key findings from its Data Centre Report 2021 which evidences that the data centre market has experienced strong momentum in 2021. The report, published in partnership with DC Byte, shows EMEA markets have seen take-up rise by 4% in the last quarter, to 120MW with a 10% increase in new supply overall, totalling more than 180MW. In APAC, total supply increased by just under 200MW, reflecting a similar pace to 2020 take up - recorded at just over 800MW - making total supply 5800MW across the region. The Data Centre Report 2021, which provides comprehensive coverage of 28 key markets, has closely tracked the significant pandemic-driven data usage shift in 2020, which in turn magnified the traditional “buy” cycle and led to record developments. This year the data shows it is apparent that while some markets have kept up with this pace, others, mostly Tier II cities, have reported little supply growth in early 2021. In EMEA, the core (FLAPD) markets of Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Paris and Dublin continued their momentum, yet the trend is towards expansion outside of these markets with Africa poised to become a significant hyperscale region; highlighted by the level of supply coming online in South Africa and Kenya. Istanbul and Warsaw are also noted as “edge” markets to watch. Development in EMEA’s leading markets has been most notable in Q1 in Dublin with 108MW added, which represents 75% of 2020’s new supply. London and Moscow both saw 40MW added, while Zurich added 33MW. In APAC, the total IT MW consumed increased by 5% to just over 90MW in the first quarter which is on track to meet 2020 take-up levels of 385MW. Among the top-performing markets, Mumbai is expected to match last year’s increase, with 56MW added in Q1 2021. Sydney reached half of last year’s take-up in the first quarter alone and has already more than tripled last year’s new supply. Ed Galvin, Founder and CEO at DC Byte, said, “Our data suggests that the accelerating take-up rates will only continue to rise, quickly absorbing the 2020 supply. This will prompt continued commitments to bring new data centre facilities online in 2022 and beyond, further reflected by new developments that have already been committed to. We have never seen such rising demand for comprehensive intelligence in this space. The pressure on all suppliers - consultants, operators, developers – to have detailed information, almost at their fingertips, reinforces how responsive investors need to be in making fast, well-informed decisions.” Stephen Beard, Partner and Co-Head of Global Data Centres at Knight Frank, said, “The increase in data centre facilities is becoming more widely distributed, as providers expand into new territories to add political and geographic diversity as well as meeting new data protection legislation requirements.” n CMP Products launches technical 'Knowledge Base' CMP Products has launched a comprehensive ‘Knowledge Base’ to support customers and users of cable glands in a variety of industry sectors. Knowledge Base is a compilation of technical expertise and advice, gathered over CMP’s 60+ years’ experience in the art of terminating cable glands. The easy-to-use guide provides users with useful technical knowledge and application recommendations to aid in the selection and installation of cable glands, as well as providing advice on best practices for both industrial and explosive atmosphere installations. The platform aims to present comprehensive information relating to key industry topics in a clear and straightforward way. Topics such as compliance testing, compatibility with different cable types, selection of barrier type cable glands and corrosion prevention are all covered in the guide and illustrative diagrams and examples support explanations. Key industry standards are broken down into easy-to-read sections, interpreting key points to consider when selecting cable glands for various applications. Lee Frizzell, Technical Director, said, “Our new platform was developed to create a ‘Knowledge Base’ for appropriate technical information relating to global cable gland requirements. We regularly engage with clients across a range of applications and our Knowledge Base draws from these various experiences, to provide advice and best practice to installers and engineers alike.” nNext >