Telecom Review recently reached out to Phillip Marangella, CMO at EdgeConneX to get his thoughts on providing Edge service to the industry. The following are some of his responses.
1. In terms of capacity, compute, and connectivity, how can EdgeConneX convince enterprises to use its services?
As the pioneer in defining and building the Edge, EdgeConneX has built and delivered a full spectrum of data center solutions, from Hyperlocal to Hyperscale. We work with our service provider customers to define, build, and deliver carrier-neutral data center capacity that brings the Edge to our customers and our customers to the Edge. And we do this for them where they need it, when they need it, in the configurations they demand - in order to optimize the global delivery and access to content, cloud, networks, and applications.
2. Out of all the industries EdgeConneX serve, which is the main one and considered as the most important? How can this particular industry grow further with Edge? Cloud. Cloud infrastructure, platforms, and software all achieve optimal performance when physically located closer to end-users. EdgeConneX empowers cloud service providers to overcome common barriers to adoption for enterprises, including latency, security, performance, and economics.
3. What are the challenges EdgeConneX have faced in establishing data centers of different sizes, markets, and applications? How did you resolve them? There is a temptation to speculatively build data centers to anticipate future needs that may or may not materialize which can cause over-building in some areas, while neglecting others that might have proven immediate needs. But, if we listen carefully, we find that service providers know their markets and their customers. They can tell us a lot about the optimal timing for introducing services into a new market responsibly. And to a large extent, the goal of a data center solution provider is to help our service provider customers connect with and service their end-users. The data center is the enabler, and its location and scale are driven not by dots on a map but by customer demand. Thus, the Edge can be a data center of any size, located everywhere and anywhere businesses and communities need to be connected to the broader world of communications, content, and cloud-based services.
4. Shifting from a centralized approach, how can EdgeConneX maintain security within its Edge data centers?
As a pioneer of Edge data centers, security was always paramount for our customers and a key consideration for us. We have built our proprietary DCIM platform to monitor and manage our data centers remotely. Included in this is a vast array of security cameras inside and throughout the facility that customers can access 24x7x365. Meanwhile, perimeter security and 2-factor authentication entry methods are in place.
5. Data centers typically consume a lot of power. What are the measures EdgeConneX do to ensure that the data centers being built are sustainable? EdgeConneX looks to follow both the UN Global Compact Ten Principles and Sustainable Development Goals. They serve as a solid guide and common anchor point for our sustainability mission, not only for us but also for our customers, shareholders and relevant stakeholders. This enables transparent reporting across industries and challenges us to improve wherever and whenever we can. As one example, our global Edge data center footprint is currently carbon neutral by leveraging renewable energy credits.
6. Are all EdgeConneX data centers working in full capacity? How and where do you plan to expand your services and presence in the future? EdgeConneX is seeing significant demand at both ends of the spectrum. We are building and expanding Edge capacity across both our existing footprint, and we are also building out significant capacity internationally in new markets across Latin America, Europe and Asia.
7. As a data center provider in the next 10 years, what are the inevitable changes that would likely happen in the industry? How would EdgeConneX contribute to these changes? The Edge will increasingly become more pervasive and ubiquitous globally. As the volume, variety and velocity requirements for data grow, Edge data centers will be vital network and interconnection hubs that will alleviate the internet bottlenecks that will occur from this vast growth in data. Obviously, EdgeConneX has and will continue to support our customers’ requirements at the Edge, from hyperlocal to hyperscale facilities built when and where demand requires.
8. EdgeConneX offers extensive interconnection solutions at its carrier-neutral data centers. Can you elaborate on how it meets the specific networking requirements of your clients? Performance and cost savings are the key drivers for service providers wanting to go the Edge. By bringing their content, cloud applications, and workloads closer to their customers and end-users, service providers improve their performance and user experience, but also significantly save network costs in delivering their service. That is why we have a rich ecosystem of networks, exchanges, cloud on-ramps and other connectivity solutions available for our customers to connect to and through our Edge data centers.
9. In terms of collaboration and growth, what are EdgeConneX’s criteria for interested partners?
We are trying to create a diverse supply chain of service providers at the Edge that collectively benefits from the integrated solutions that can be delivered locally to end users. EdgeConneX serves as the highly-proximate platform and destination for service providers and customers to meet and connect near prem. Everyone wins in that scenario and we look to promote and enable as many of these opportunities and connections as possible.
