ALL OF THIS ACTIVITY MEANS THAT THERE WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT MIDDLE EAST DATA CENTRE CONSTRUCTION BOOM TAKING PLACE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS . discussing one of the hottest and driest regions in the world , so maybe we will simply call the construction locations ‘ brand new sites ’. Whatever their name , they offer a great opportunity to ensure that the new data centres built on them incorporate the very latest infrastructure solutions to ensure truly optimised , energy-efficient operation .
EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
ANDY CONNOR , EMEA CHANNEL DIRECTOR , SUBZERO ENGINEERING
he Middle East data
T centre market is expected to nearly double in size by 2030 . In simple terms , many countries in the region are doing nothing different compared to other parts of the world – they are embracing the opportunities of Digital Transformation .
The UAE is well on its way to developing a sophisticated digital economy , underpinned by a relatively mature fibre optic network .
Saudi Arabia has embarked on a plan to build out a national network of largescale data centres , Kuwait has its 2035 national digital roadmap and Bahrain has its Cloud First strategy .
In virtually every case , this activity is driven by the opportunities of 5G , Edge Computing , cloud and managed services , Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning – alongside other High- Performance Computing environments , such as cryptocurrency mining . The region ’ s commitment to constructing world-leading smart cities , founded upon digital infrastructure , is well documented .
More and more data centre providers – the colos and the hyperscalers – are realising the benefits of having facilities located closer to their customers in the Middle East and business customers are realising the benefits of moving large volumes of their IT infrastructure to colocation and cloud providers with a hybrid model emerging as the likely future for most .
All of this activity means that there will be a significant Middle East data centre construction boom taking place over the next few years . The term ‘ greenfield site ’ hardly seems appropriate when
ALL OF THIS ACTIVITY MEANS THAT THERE WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT MIDDLE EAST DATA CENTRE CONSTRUCTION BOOM TAKING PLACE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS . discussing one of the hottest and driest regions in the world , so maybe we will simply call the construction locations ‘ brand new sites ’. Whatever their name , they offer a great opportunity to ensure that the new data centres built on them incorporate the very latest infrastructure solutions to ensure truly optimised , energy-efficient operation .
Modular construction – even for a hyperscale-sized facility – is a very real option , allowing for the simultaneous development of the site services and the building itself . Shortened lead times , improved safety levels and , potentially , a reduced requirement for skilled on-site labour are just some of the benefits of this modular approach .
The space available in many Middle East data centre construction locations makes the delivery and installation of such modular data centres relatively easy and inexpensive ( when compared to a crowded city centre , for example ).
The Middle East has a well-earned reputation for construction innovation . There seems little doubt that , as more and more data centres are built across the region , they will incorporate the very latest data centre infrastructure solutions – whether in the construction phase or the fitting out of the mechanical and electrical services inside the facilities . www . intelligentdatacentres . com
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