equinixa company dedicated to the construction of digital infrastructure in various countries around the world, has confirmed the construction of a second data center in the city of Barcelonadue to its evolution towards a strategic location for terrestrial and submarine cable networks, both those already established and those that are in the development and planning phase.
This new data center, when it comes into operation, will be a strategic connection point for communications in EMEA, and will make Barcelona a leading location for the mooring of submarine cables. The main ones that will be connected will be the following: 2Africa, which connects coastal points of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula; the Aqua Comms Europe, Middle East-India cable that will link Barcelona with points in India; Sipartech’s Medloop, which will go from Barcelona to Genoa, Marseille and Ajaccio; and Medusa, which will link Barcelona to Lisbon and other points on the European, Mediterranean and African coasts.
Equinix’s facilities in Barcelona are home to more than 45 network operators, allowing the company to provide connectivity to the CATNIX regional Internet exchange, as well as the Equinix Internet Exchange. Customers using your facilities can leverage your digital services to rapidly and securely build digital infrastructure, with automated bare metal and virtual network services, to connect to and consume the network on demand.
The new Equinix data center, which will receive the name of International Business Exchange (IBX) BA2 and will have some 2,500 square meters, will be next to the data center that the company already has in operation in Barcelona, BA1. With it, local companies will be able to expand and grow, and international ones to land or expand. They can do it through Platform Equinix in Barcelona, a hub that stands out for its strategic location for international communications.
Equinix has, as one of its long-term goals, to obtain 100% renewable and clean energy for its global platform. For this reason, the BA2 data center will use 100% renewable energy, and will be designed with the objective of obtaining the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. The first confirmed customer for these facilities, which will come online in early 2024, will be Colt Technologies.
Ignacio Velilla, Vice President of Global Managed Services at Equinix, and President of SpainDChas pointed out that “Equinix is already an established connectivity leader in Barcelona and is investing further to meet the accelerating demand in the Mediterranean market. The new BA2 data center, together with our existing capacity in BA1, will allow us to enhance the interconnected campus and the digital ecosystems housed within it. Direct connectivity to the main Internet exchange leaders, networks, content providers and cloud services, is key for local companies that want to continue expanding, as well as for international brands that see Barcelona and Equinix as a great opportunity for growth.«.
For his part, Jim Poole, Vice President of Equinixhas recalled that «Submarine cables play a critical role in enabling the modern digital world, and we anticipate great progress in the next two years after the slowdown caused by the pandemic. Submarine cables provide the underlying capacity between markets on different continents, while Equinix democratizes that capacity, making it easily accessible to a wide range of companies and enabling rapid international expansion without the need for significant CAPEX investments.«.
As to Joan Monrabá, Country Manager of Colt Technology Services in Spainhas highlighted that «Spain is an increasingly important digital market and a solid port on the connectivity map of the Mediterranean. Colt’s planned expansion into the new Equinix facility in Barcelona builds on our existing connectivity across the country. By further strengthening our presence, we are well positioned to drive the next wave of business growth by providing local and international companies with access to the concentrated Red Colt IQ. As long-standing partners, Colt and Equinix are transforming the business experience of purchasing network and digital services with agile and flexible on-demand provisioning«.
