EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
LAST YEAR , WE EXPANDED OUR REACH IN CANADA WITH THE ACQUISITION OF 13 DATA CENTRES .
way , we are always ready to offer the best service to our customers in the locations they require .
RUSSELL POOLE , MANAGING DIRECTOR UK , EQUINIX
he past year has posed a unique set
T of challenges for companies around the world . Forced to adapt to the ‘ new normal ’, enterprises of all shapes and sizes have been rearchitecting their IT infrastructures to embrace a global shift to remote working , a continued move to cloud and a growth in the number of data-hungry applications and services .
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic , data centre companies – particularly those operating in the colocation space – have experienced incredible surges in interconnection bandwidth – the private exchange of data between businesses , away from the public Internet . Factors that have impacted this include a growth in the number of digitally savvy employees and a rise in the use of unified communications tools such as WebEx , Zoom and Cisco , which have reported a more than 100 % increase in application traffic .
The Global Interconnection Index Vol . 4 , Equinix ’ s annual market study that tracks the growth of the digital economy , forecasts that overall interconnection bandwidth will achieve a 45 % compound annual growth rate ( CAGR ) from 2019 to 2023 within the EMEA region . In London , interconnection bandwidth is expected to grow to reach 1,337 Tbps by 2023 . This growth is at least three-times higher than Paris and more than twice that of Amsterdam .
To remain relevant , it is important that data centre companies continue to innovate and provide solutions that enable the real time transfer of data across geographical locations . At Equinix , we use tried and tested analysis and planning processes to allow us to successfully conduct rigorous M & A activity and expansion buildouts . That
Last year , we expanded our reach in Canada with the acquisition of 13 data centres ; entered the Indian market for the first time , with the acquisition of two data centres from GPX India ; and announced the construction of a new data centre in Milan , among others .
It has also become increasingly important for data centre operators to be more considerate of their carbon footprint in recent years , due to increased scrutiny from customers and governments since the Paris Agreement was signed .
In every data centre , we implement energy efficient components and utilise construction materials that complement our long-term sustainability goal of 100 % clean and renewable energy for our global platform . Equinix ’ s LD7 data centre is one of the most technologically advanced colocation facilities in the world and a major addition to the thriving London Slough campus . Energy efficiency is achieved at this site with the aid of an innovative chilled water system in combination with an Adiabatic heat rejection system . This contributes to LD7 having lower energy consumption and a smaller carbon footprint than other facilities of its kind .
By thinking holistically and considering the long-term , we believe that our sustainability progress and attention to ESG issues will increase the benefits that Equinix can bring to our rapidly evolving world .
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