Inter.link provides high-quality connectivity, so the approach to expanding our network has to be strategic. This includes doing our best to work with vendors who are either already carbon neutral or have a concrete plan for becoming carbon neutral and crucially, we select data centers in the most suitable locations for our clients.
In this blog, Christian Backe explains why Inter.link chose to connect to the newest site from Datacenter One (Atlas Edge): HAM1 near Hamburg.
Since I have been an employee for two major data center providers, Digital Realty as well as NTT GDC, I have experienced first-hand the constant need for new data center space. Over the last 3-5 years I have noticed a change happening in the data center provider landscape regarding the decision of where to place new data centers.
It is not just the big three global providers who started to build new datacenters outside of the usual suspect cities. Many newly established providers have done this too. One well-funded provider, Datacenter One (Atlas Edge) has eagerly worked to fill the gap in demand as well.
As the digital landscape evolves, the demand for secure, available, and reliable data centers continues to surge. There are several factors driving the strategic deployment of these critical infrastructures beyond Tier 1 cities (e.g. Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam), well-known metros with dense data center environments.
PERFORMANCE
In more major cities beyond the typical data center hubs, new data centers are rapidly emerging. An example is Portus Data Centers aka IPHH (of Arcus Infrastructure Partners who acquired IPHH) who recently added a 14MW data center in Hamburg. This growth reflects the increasing need for enhanced connectivity and data center whitespace, driven by the concentration of businesses, tech companies, and large enterprises that require data centers close to their metro locations for optimal performance and minimal latency.
BROADENING CONNECTIVITY OPTIONS
The datacenter provider IPHH exemplifies the role of regional connectivity hubs in the expanding data center ecosystem. As a critical network connectivity junction, IPHH is an accelerator for new data centers in the Hamburg metro region, such as the brand-new Datacenter One HAM1 facility. This strategic positioning of broader connectivity ensures that data centers can tap into a solid network infrastructure, enhancing their reach and reliability.
POWER AVAILABILITY AND COST EFFICIENCY
A notable trend is the development of data centers slightly outside the main urban areas. For instance, Data Center One has set up its facilities on the outskirts of Hamburg in Ahrensburg. Being approximately 25km away from Hamburg, this new data center takes advantage of the availability of power as well as cost efficiency by building the facility outside of the city center.
INTER.LINK’S ROLE IN THE GROWTH OF THE DATA CENTER ECOSYSTEM
Without the right connectivity providers present, a data center is just a big, cooled warehouse. The three factors relating to new deployments mentioned above (expanding presence, connectivity, and locations outside city centers) and the changes in the data center landscapepave the way for connectivity providers to connect customers and support the symbiotic existence of well-established and newly built data centers.
Inter.link is participating in this momentum, with a newly built data center outside of Hamburg and a historically grown connectivity hub right in the heart of Hamburg.
We have a fully redundant connection to both data centers, providing secure, automated and CO2-neutral certified connectivity in, as well as between, these important locations. We serve customers in both facilities with IP-Transit, Flex Ethernet, and our own tightly integrated DDoS Protection solution.
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