Latest news with #DE-CIX
Forbes
7 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Data Centers In Middle East: The Digital Oil
Raed Rached, Expereo, Managing Director MEA. Working for a multinational corporation (MNC) with operations in the MEA region, I've found that it was always a question of where to store the data and how the latencies look like to Europe or Asia. During Covid, there was a big shift from on-prem hosting to public clouds sponsored by hyperscalers such as AWS and Microsoft. That exposure created high demand for local data center capabilities, fueled by local compliance rules trying to keep consumers' data on national soil. This shift was adopted rapidly by MNCs and SMEs (small- and medium-sized enterprises) and forced telco providers to factor new designs into their proposals. And this is just the beginning. The MEA region is experiencing significant growth in its data center market. As of 2024, the market was valued at approximately USD $8.63 billion and is projected to reach USD $19.89 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 14.93%. Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) are pivotal in enhancing regional connectivity. Platforms like DE-CIX have established a presence in the Middle East, facilitating efficient data exchange and reducing latency. These IXPs enable local internet service providers (ISPs) and content providers to interconnect directly, improving the quality and speed of internet services. Global routing in the MEA region is further strengthened by strategic submarine cable projects, such as the 2Africa initiative, which aims to interconnect countries in Africa, the Middle East and Europe, significantly enhancing global internet traffic flow. Let's review the trends, challenges and opportunities shaping the MEA data center landscape. Current Challenges: Geopolitics, Limited Players, Regulatory Constraints And AI-Driven Demand Geopolitical Tensions: The region's geopolitical landscape can impact infrastructure development and cross-border data flows. For instance, concerns over data sovereignty and national security can influence decisions on data center locations and operations. Limited Market Players: The data center industry in MEA is still emerging, with a few dominant players. This concentration can lead to higher costs and limited service options for consumers and businesses. Regulatory Constraints: Varying regulations across countries can pose challenges for ISPs and data center operators. For example, data localization laws require companies to store data within specific jurisdictions, complicating operations for global providers. AI-Driven Demand: The surge in AI applications necessitates substantial computational power and storage. This demand puts pressure on existing infrastructure, requiring rapid scaling and investment in advanced technologies. New Players And Hyperscalers Driving The Market The MEA region is attracting significant interest from global hyperscalers and new entrants: • Amazon Web Services (AWS): AWS has announced a $5.3 billion investment to develop new data centers in Saudi Arabia, signaling strong confidence in the region's potential. • Microsoft: In partnership with UAE-based G42, Microsoft plans to invest $1.5 billion, aiming to bolster AI capabilities and data infrastructure in the Middle East. • OpenAI: OpenAI is also partnering (paywall) with the UAE technology firm G42 to construct a massive 1-gigawatt AI data center in Abu Dhabi, marking OpenAI's first major international infrastructure project. These investments are not only enhancing the region's digital infrastructure but also creating opportunities for local talent development and innovation. Obstacles To Be Solved • Energy Consumption: Data centers are energy-intensive. For instance, in Ireland, data centers consumed 21% of the nation's electricity in 2023, leading to concerns about sustainability. Similar challenges could arise in MEA if energy efficiency isn't prioritized. • Cooling Solutions: The region's hot climate necessitates advanced cooling technologies to maintain optimal data center operations, which can increase operational costs. • Skilled Workforce: There's a shortage of skilled professionals to manage and operate advanced data centers, highlighting the need for training and education programs. • Infrastructure Gaps: In some areas, inadequate power and network infrastructure can hinder data center development and operations. Call For Action And Investment Opportunities Through strategic investment and innovation, forward-looking leaders can turn these challenges into compelling opportunities to help shape the MEA region's digital future. • Invest in renewable energy. Leveraging solar and wind energy can address sustainability concerns and reduce operational costs. • Enhance regulatory frameworks. Harmonizing regulations across countries can facilitate smoother operations for ISPs and data center operators. • Develop talent. Implementing training programs and partnerships with educational institutions can build a skilled workforce to support the growing industry. • Consider public-private partnerships. Collaborations between governments and private entities can drive infrastructure development and innovation. The MEA region stands at a pivotal point in its digital transformation journey. Strategic investments and collaborative efforts can unlock immense opportunities for global ISPs and contribute to the region's economic growth. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
Forbes
08-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
What Three Of The Biggest 2025 Tech Events Revealed About Connectivity
Ivo Ivanov is the CEO of DE-CIX. If 2024 explored the 'what' of generative AI, 2025 is exploring the 'how' of it. At the world's biggest tech gatherings—CES, MWC and Hannover Messe—the story wasn't just about new devices, dazzling demos or smarter machines. It was about what those innovations quietly demanded behind the scenes: a level of connectivity infrastructure that many businesses, governments and even industries aren't yet prepared to deliver. As the industrial-grade AI we're working toward becomes increasingly closer, the need for near-instantaneous data transfer across geographies is also becoming more acute. Life at the network edge, where these applications need to be, is making one thing crystal clear: Connectivity is no longer just an accessory to innovation. It's either the bottleneck or the breakthrough. Among the many aspects of connectivity, latency has emerged as the most visible constraint. It's also the least tolerable. Whether it's an agentic AI system designed to 'think' instantly about a customer query, a robot that relies on millisecond coordination across a production line, or a self-driving vehicle with sensors that are rendered useless without the network feedback to act on their output, a lack of 'responsiveness' is now a deal-breaker. Low latency is no longer a luxury for high-performance applications—it's the new baseline for the plethora of AI applications coming our way. This has been the breakout theme of some of the biggest tech events on the calendar in 2025; as we build smarter systems, we also need to reimagine the architecture that connects them. Not as a patchwork of nodes and endpoints, but as a living, scalable ecosystem designed for intelligent workloads and data transfer. What follows are three snapshots from CES, MWC and Hannover Messe that illustrate this turning point. Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025: Visible Expectations, Invisible Strain The year kicked off in Las Vegas, where CES 2025 went all out to demonstrate the remarkable impact AI is about to have on everyday life—from smart homes and cars to wearables and entertainment systems. Voice assistants now hold contextual conversations, while extended reality (XR) platforms deliver adaptive, AI-driven gaming experiences that blur the line between the real world and the virtual world. These applications rely on more than raw compute power—they demand fast, stable, low-latency connectivity between users, edge infrastructure and AI models running in far-off data centers, where even slight delays can dispel immersion or break the carefully modelled illusion of intelligence. The event also featured AI-enabled healthcare wearables, hearing aids and autonomous mobility solutions, all of which depend on dynamic, location-aware data. Yet most residential and public networks weren't designed for this level of complexity. The smarter the service, the more sensitive it becomes to latency and jitter. CES made one thing clear: The infrastructure behind our digital lives needs to evolve fast, or risk holding back the very innovations it's meant to support. Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025: The Cloud Gets Crowded In February, Barcelona set the stage for another reality check—this time about where AI actually runs. At MWC, booths weren't just showing off new handsets or 5G upgrades, they were unveiling LLM-powered humanoid robots, 'sight-beyond-sight' vehicle-to-cloud software and the world's first official AI smartphone. But more than that, industry experts were talking about the ecosystem behind the tech: telcos, hyperscalers and AI developers jostling to define the infrastructure that will power AI at scale. What emerged was a clear trend toward decentralization. AI is no longer confined to hyperscale data centers. It's moving outward—to regional hubs, colocation sites and edge data centers and to a certain extent, into the devices themselves. The shift of focus from centralized training to distributed inference is now fully underway, and it's putting immense pressure on existing cloud and network architectures. As these ecosystems converge, so too do their limitations. Proprietary cloud environments and vendor-specific platforms were built for scale, not necessarily for interoperability. But real-time AI—whether for autonomous vehicles, smart factories or agentic assistants—requires seamless connectivity across providers, clouds and geographies. Without common standards and robust interconnection, distributed AI workloads will hit friction fast. Hannover Messe 2025: Industrial AI Has A Logistics Problem By April, the conversation had shifted from homes and handsets to factories and supply chains. At Hannover Messe, one of the world's largest industrial trade fairs, AI's potential was on full display—cognitive robotics, digital twins, autonomous systems and intelligent collaboration across factory floors and logistics hubs. But with every new demonstration came a familiar question: How fast can systems talk to one another? The most revealing takeaway from Hannover wasn't necessarily the sophistication of the AI models, but the infrastructural fragility beneath them. Industrial sites often span regions with wildly different levels of network maturity. Machines outfitted with advanced inference capabilities can only operate effectively if the data they depend on—sometimes hundreds of miles away—is delivered almost instantaneously. Add to this the rise of collaborative robotics and AI-managed energy systems, and the need for deterministic, ultra-reliable connectivity becomes mission-critical. Hannover Messe made the case that the intelligence of industry isn't limited by innovation, it's limited by distance, bandwidth and latency. Connecting The Dots Across three of the most influential tech events of the year, the message was consistent—the ability to move data quickly, securely and intelligently across the network of networks will determine which ideas scale and which ideas stall. CES showed us a near-future where consumer experiences become dependent on real-time, AI-powered interactions. MWC revealed how the infrastructure behind those experiences must interoperate in order to reach our AI goals. And Hannover Messe reminded us that when it comes to industrial automation, the stakes are higher, the environments are harsher and the tolerance for latency is virtually nonexistent. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
Mid East Info
17-06-2025
- Business
- Mid East Info
UAE-IX Powered by DE-CIX Introduces 400 Gigabit Ethernet Connectivity, Strengthening Position as the Largest Internet Exchange in the Middle East
DE-CIX and datamena have upgraded the UAE-IX to offer 400 Gigabit Ethernet, enhancing its status as the largest and most advanced Internet Exchange in the Middle East and supporting the region's digital growth. Dubai, UAE, May , 2025: datamena, carrier neutral data centre and connectivity platform from du, the leading telecom and digital services provider, and DE-CIX, the global leader in Internet Exchange (IX) operations, announced a significant upgrade to the UAE-IX powered by DE-CIX, making it the first IX in the region to offer 400 Gigabit Ethernet (400 GE) access. This enhancement solidifies the UAE-IX's position as the largest and most advanced Internet Exchange in the Middle East, enabling unmatched connectivity and interconnection capabilities for enterprises, carriers, and content providers across the GCC and beyond. In the last year alone, connected customer capacity on the UAE-IX grew by two terabits, representing a 30% increase. With over six terabits of aggregate connected capacity and close to 110 participating networks—including Internet service providers, carriers, cloud platforms, content providers, and global enterprises—the exchange has evolved into a critical digital infrastructure hub for the region. Karim Benkirane, Chief Commercial Officer at du, said: 'We are proud to partner with DE-CIX in leading digital growth in the Middle East with the upgrade of the UAE-IX powered by DE-CIX to 400 GE access. It is our vision to foster a seamlessly interconnected landscape where businesses and consumers alike can benefit from unparalleled Internet exchange capabilities, heightened performance, and robust security. This milestone aligns with our commitment to maintaining the UAE-IX as a pioneer in interconnection and marks a transformative leap for regional digital ecosystems.' The UAE-IX stands out not only as a leading peering exchange but also as a provider of advanced enterprise-grade interconnection services, including cloud exchanges, cloud routing, and application connectivity such as the Microsoft Azure Peering Service (MAPS). Ivo Ivanov, CEO of DE-CIX said: 'The UAE-IX today stands as a global Internet hub, bringing together the network operators, content, applications, and cloud services to serve the entire GCC region with resilient and low latency connectivity. This upgrade further reinforces the importance of the UAE-IX, now ready to serve the rising demand for everything digital. The excellent collaboration with our partner du has enabled the UAE-IX powered by DE-CIX to shine as the most important aggregation point for network interconnection in the Middle East. I look forward to a bright future working together for the next decade of digital development.' DE-CIX, renowned for its neutral interconnection ecosystem and extensive global footprint, has been active in the Middle East for over a decade, with IX operations spanning Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Turkey, and the UAE. The UAE-IX powered by DE-CIX in Dubai is operated under the DE-CIX as a Service (DaaS) model, offering a turnkey solution for partners—including carriers and data center operators—through comprehensive services such as setup, maintenance, provisioning, marketing, and sales support. This upgrade is set to empower regional businesses, foster technological advancement, and support the rapidly growing demand for high-performance, low-latency digital connectivity, paving the way for continued innovation and growth in the Middle East. About datamena: datamena is the UAE's fastest growing carrier neutral data centre and leading digital hub serving the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. It is owned and operated by du, from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC). Carriers, hyperscalers, cloud and content providers and enterprises choose datamena because it provides a growing ecosystem of partners that enables them to meet, connect and do business to accelerate growth in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. datamena provides customer access to critical digital infrastructure and partners within a simple and seamless ecosystem to allow them to benefit from global cloud and content hubs by providing a seamless and high-performance data centre, connectivity and interconnectivity solutions dedicated to enabling local and global digital transformation and we're only just getting started. The simple, secure and open ecosystem has been awarded 'Best Internet Exchange Innovation' at the 15th edition of the prestigious Global Carrier Awards 2019, which took place in London, United Kingdom. About DE-CIX: DE-CIX, pronounced DEE-KICKS dˈi:-kˈɪks , is the world's leading operator of Internet Exchanges (IXs). Founded in 1995, the company is celebrating its 30 th anniversary in 2025. DE-CIX offers its interconnection services in 60 locations in Europe, Africa, North and South America, the Middle East, and Asia. Today, accessible from data centers in over 600 cities world-wide, DE-CIX interconnects thousands of network operators (carriers), Internet service providers (ISPs), content providers and enterprise networks from more than 100 countries, and offers peering, cloud, and other interconnection services. DE-CIX Frankfurt is one of the largest Internet Exchanges in the world, with a data volume of over 45 Exabytes per year (as of 2024) and close to 1100 connected networks. Close to 250 colleagues from over 35 different nations form the foundation of the DE-CIX success story in Germany and around the world. Since the beginning of the commercial Internet, DE-CIX has had a decisive influence – in a range of leading global bodies, such as the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) – on co-defining guiding principles for the Internet of the present and the future. As the operator of critical IT infrastructure, DE-CIX bears a great responsibility for the seamless, fast, and secure data exchange between people, enterprises, and organizations at its locations around the globe.
TECHx
17-06-2025
- Business
- TECHx
UAE-IX Boosts Capacity with 400 GE Access
Home » Emerging technologies » Networking » UAE-IX Boosts Capacity with 400 GE Access UAE-IX powered by DE-CIX has announced a significant upgrade to its platform. The exchange is now the first in the region to offer 400 Gigabit Ethernet (400 GE) access. This enhancement solidifies UAE-IX's position as the largest and most advanced Internet Exchange in the Middle East. It enables unmatched connectivity and interconnection capabilities for enterprises, carriers, and content providers across the GCC and beyond. In the last year alone, connected customer capacity on UAE-IX grew by two terabits. This marks a 30% increase. Currently, UAE-IX has over six terabits of connected capacity. It also serves close to 110 participating networks. These include Internet service providers, carriers, cloud platforms, content providers, and global enterprises. Karim Benkirane, Chief Commercial Officer at du, said: 'We are proud to partner with DE-CIX in leading digital growth in the Middle East with the upgrade of UAE-IX powered by DE-CIX to 400 GE access. It is our vision to foster a seamlessly interconnected landscape where businesses and consumers alike can benefit from unparalleled Internet exchange capabilities, heightened performance, and robust security.' He added that this milestone aligns with their commitment to maintaining UAE-IX as a pioneer in interconnection. Benkirane called it a transformative leap for regional digital ecosystems. UAE-IX stands out not only as a leading peering exchange but also as a provider of advanced enterprise-grade interconnection services. These include: Cloud exchanges Cloud routing Application connectivity, such as the Microsoft Azure Peering Service (MAPS) Ivo Ivanov, CEO of DE-CIX, said: 'The UAE-IX today stands as a global Internet hub, bringing together network operators, content, applications, and cloud services to serve the entire GCC region with resilient and low latency connectivity.' He revealed that this upgrade further reinforces UAE-IX's role as a key aggregation point for network interconnection in the Middle East. Ivanov added: 'The excellent collaboration with our partner du has enabled UAE-IX powered by DE-CIX to shine as the most important aggregation point for network interconnection in the Middle East. I look forward to a bright future working together for the next decade of digital development.' DE-CIX, renowned for its neutral interconnection ecosystem and extensive global footprint, has been active in the Middle East for over a decade. Operations span Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Turkey, and the UAE. UAE-IX powered by DE-CIX in Dubai is operated under its DaaS (DE-CIX as a Service) model. This offers a turnkey solution for partners, including carriers and data center operators, through comprehensive services such as setup, maintenance, provisioning, marketing, and sales support. This upgrade is set to empower regional businesses, foster technological advancement, and support the growing demand for high-performance, low-latency digital connectivity, paving the way for continued innovation and growth in the Middle East.
Al Bawaba
17-06-2025
- Business
- Al Bawaba
UAE-IX Powered by DE-CIX Introduces 400 Gigabit Ethernet Connectivity, Strengthening Position as the Largest Internet Exchange in the Middle East
datamena, carrier neutral data centre and connectivity platform from du, the leading telecom and digital services provider, and DE-CIX, the global leader in Internet Exchange (IX) operations, announced a significant upgrade to the UAE-IX powered by DE-CIX, making it the first IX in the region to offer 400 Gigabit Ethernet (400 GE) access. This enhancement solidifies the UAE-IX's position as the largest and most advanced Internet Exchange in the Middle East, enabling unmatched connectivity and interconnection capabilities for enterprises, carriers, and content providers across the GCC and the last year alone, connected customer capacity on the UAE-IX grew by two terabits, representing a 30% increase. With over six terabits of aggregate connected capacity and close to 110 participating networks—including Internet service providers, carriers, cloud platforms, content providers, and global enterprises—the exchange has evolved into a critical digital infrastructure hub for the Benkirane, Chief Commercial Officer at du, said: 'We are proud to partner with DE-CIX in leading digital growth in the Middle East with the upgrade of the UAE-IX powered by DE-CIX to 400 GE access. It is our vision to foster a seamlessly interconnected landscape where businesses and consumers alike can benefit from unparalleled Internet exchange capabilities, heightened performance, and robust security. This milestone aligns with our commitment to maintaining the UAE-IX as a pioneer in interconnection and marks a transformative leap for regional digital ecosystems.'The UAE-IX stands out not only as a leading peering exchange but also as a provider of advanced enterprise-grade interconnection services, including cloud exchanges, cloud routing, and application connectivity such as the Microsoft Azure Peering Service (MAPS).Ivo Ivanov, CEO of DE-CIX said: 'The UAE-IX today stands as a global Internet hub, bringing together the network operators, content, applications, and cloud services to serve the entire GCC region with resilient and low latency connectivity. This upgrade further reinforces the importance of the UAE-IX, now ready to serve the rising demand for everything digital. The excellent collaboration with our partner du has enabled the UAE-IX powered by DE-CIX to shine as the most important aggregation point for network interconnection in the Middle East. I look forward to a bright future working together for the next decade of digital development.'DE-CIX, renowned for its neutral interconnection ecosystem and extensive global footprint, has been active in the Middle East for over a decade, with IX operations spanning Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Turkey, and the UAE. The UAE-IX powered by DE-CIX in Dubai is operated under the DE-CIX as a Service (DaaS) model, offering a turnkey solution for partners—including carriers and data center operators—through comprehensive services such as setup, maintenance, provisioning, marketing, and sales support. This upgrade is set to empower regional businesses, foster technological advancement, and support the rapidly growing demand for high-performance, low-latency digital connectivity, paving the way for continued innovation and growth in the Middle East.
