There's a common theme we encounter here at TeleGeography Explains the Internet.
The enterprise WAN has undergone significant changes in the past several years to align the network with digital transformation, cloud adoption, rising bandwidths, and cost control. While these changes make the network more resilient and affordable, they can also introduce new challenges in complexity and management.
Last month, I had the pleasure of speaking at Cairo ICT about colocation and connectivity trends.
I covered global bandwidth first, followed by a rundown on bandwidth in the Middle East and Africa.
Next up, data centers and interconnection hubs, with a discussion on where the hubs are, what makes a hub, and how hubs grow. Finally, I talked about end-user demand, which is very important with the growth of internet and demand.
You can catch a video of this presentation and download my slides below.
For TeleGeography Explains the Internet to truly explain the internet, sometimes we have to get into where your internet comes from. Internet sourcing for those in the know.
ICYMI: we recently launched a dynamic new tool called the Market Connectivity Score (MCS).
The MCS is our answer to the question “Where is the next big hub going to be?” and pulls from our wide array of research areas to evaluate the health of more than 3,000 metropolitan markets worldwide.
Today, let's take a brief look at three of the markets highlighted in the MCS: Frankfurt, Singapore, and São Paulo.
Earlier this week, operators of two communications cables—C-Lion 1 and BCS East-West Interlink—reported faults in the Baltic Sea.
Local internet service seems largely unaffected, but a swirl of sabotage allegations have emerged in the global press.
Without making a ruling on any ongoing investigations, let’s look at the facts.
Where are we building data centers? Why? What markets are primed for interconnectivity glory? Which ones are getting left in the dust?
Our Data Center Research Service estimates that there are 24 metropolitan markets that have more than 1 million square feet of operational data center capacity and four-year CAGR of at least 10%.
Nine of those 24 markets are in Asia and seven are in Europe. Even more extraordinary—four of the Asian markets are in India alone.
Last week on the pod, we shared what network managers need to know about AI and machine learning. This week, we're back on the AI beat, specifically looking at how it can support corporate network automation.
Per usual, we had a little help. Our guest today is Jamie Pugh, CTO at Globalgig.
Jamie joined the show not only to ponder all things automation but also to discuss enterprise network orchestration in the era of an increasingly complex WAN.
The data center market is in the midst of an unprecedented shift that started—publicly at least—five years ago with the announced moratoria on new development in Singapore and Frankfurt. Those regulatory interventions highlighted the challenges the industry faces in securing sufficient power.
Since then, it turned out that data centers would need much more power than had been realized—just at a time when regulators and community organizations were growing increasingly critical of the sector's existing demand.
Our Data Center Research Service estimates that, as of 2024, colocation operators in the top ten data center markets by MW consume about 13 gigawatts (GW) of power.
That's enough power to generate electricity for roughly 10 million homes—or, in this case, only about 1,000 commercial data centers!
Starlink, the satellite broadband provider operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX unit, is making rapid inroads in Latin America.
As of November 2024, Starlink’s services are live in 28 countries/overseas territories in Latin America, with more launches planned for 2025.
