Equinix is Expanding the Reach of Cloud in EMEA

Emerging trends, such as advent of the internet of things (IoT), 5G, streaming content, growing data volumes and more, are pushing enterprise digital transformation closer to the edge. Hybrid multicloud is an essential enabler of this shift, for both traditional cloud access and access to collaboration and video tools. According to a webinar from IDC and Equinix, by 2023, the global cloud industry is expected to grow to $652 billion with edge networks representing 60% of all deployed infrastructures. These trends are evident in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) as well. IDC predicts that, by 2021, European enterprise spending on cloud will grow to over $100 billion and, by 2022, more than 40% of European organizations’ cloud deployments will include edge computing.[i] And, while the MEA region is still an emerging cloud market, it’s growing rapidly with several major cloud players such as Microsoft, Amazon and Oracle establishing their footprint last year.[ii]

Unsurprisingly, this is driving demand for private interconnection that bypasses the public internet. European enterprise interconnection to Cloud & IT providers is expected to grow by 116% annually between 2018 and 2022, according to the Global Interconnection Index (GXI) Volume 3, a study published by Equinix. This is one reason why we are  further deepening our commitment to the EMEA region by launching Equinix Cloud Exchange Fabric™ (ECX Fabric™) in seven new EMEA markets. With these new interconnected EMEA ECX Fabric locations, Equinix is helping businesses in 44 strategic metros increase their global reach through seamless access to dense ecosystems of the clouds, networks, partners and customers that matter most to their business.

Here’s a closer look at the seven new EMEA ECX Fabric metros:

Geneva, Switzerland: Geneva joins Zurich as a second ECX Fabric metro in Switzerland, enabling fully redundant connectivity between the two metros on Platform Equinix^®. At the center of Europe, Geneva is less than two hours away from all major European cities, and is home to hundreds of global companies, including renowned banks, high-tech and bio-tech companies and trading companies. Our Geneva Equinix International Business Exchange™ (IBX^®) data centersare optimal colocation sites for telecom operators and internet access providers that serve multinational corporations and banks in this major European financial center. These IBX facilities enable customers to be part of a rich industry ecosystem that includes access to 110+ companies, 35+ network providers and the CERN Internet eXchange Point (CIXP). Geneva is also a key location for Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute and is frequently used as a high availability location to Zurich for cloud access. Eighty percent of Europe is within 30-millisecond latency roundtrip to our Geneva IBX data centers.

Equinix Geneva GV2 IBX data center

Istanbul, Turkey: As a key traffic route for submarine cables between Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Istanbul is also one of the fastest growing ECX Fabric locations. Strategically located at the intersection of Europe and Asia, Istanbul is the business capital of Turkey which is Europe’s sixth largest and fastest growing economy. Widespread adoption of mobile technologies and a rapid increase in video streaming among Turkey’s population of 80 million is driving demand for content providers in the region. A growing number of major international companies, including Microsoft, IBM and Coca Cola, are establishing large presences in Turkey, and the country is on target to become the continent’s second-largest manufacturing hub. Our Istanbul IBX data center is located in close proximity to major business districts, and provides access to 170+ of the world’s leading organizations, 10+ network service providers and 75+ cloud and IT service providers.

Barcelona, Spain: Barcelona joins Madrid as the second ECX Fabric metro in Spain, providing redundancy between Spain’s two largest metros. Due to its physical location between Africa, Europe and Latin America, the Iberian Peninsula is a major telecommunications hub with 15+ subsea cable systems landing in Spain and Portugal. Barcelona is the second-largest city in Spain and Europe’s fifth most-important city for supporting startup organizations. Powered by 100% renewable energy, the Equinix Barcelona IBX data center is the only carrier-neutral facility in Barcelona and serves as a business hub for 80+ companies and 40+ network service providers, as well as cloud service providers, digital content companies and social media platforms. In addition to hosting an Equinix Internet Exchange^TM, this IBX data center is located in the main technology district providing connectivity to CATNIX—the regional internet exchange – and offers an alternative route to the Marseille subsea cable.

Lisbon, Portugal: Located on the Iberian Peninsula, Lisbon is a gateway to West Africa and beyond and a major subsea cable market. Demand from African carriers landing to/from Portugal to reach EMEA markets is on the rise, propelling growth in cloud and ECX Fabric. As the closest European capital to the U.S. and South America, Lisbon is also the capital of Portugal and the center of industry, government and commerce in the country. Home to 35+ network service providers, our Lisbon IBX data center is the main internet exchange hub for Portugal and is strategically located near subsea cables connecting the Iberian Peninsula, Africa and South America.

Brussels, Belgium: Equinix and LCL are partnering to make ECX Fabric available in LCL’s data center in Brussels to address Belgian market requirements for global interconnection and reach leading cloud service providers (CSPs). Often referred to as “the capital of Europe,” the Belgian capital of Brussels is home to the headquarters of the European Union (EU) and of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as well as hundreds of international institutions, associations and multinational corporations. With its major ports (Antwerp is the second largest port in Europe) and excellent logistical infrastructure, a significant portion of bilateral trade either originates in, or is destined for, other countries in Europe.[iii]

Sofia, Bulgaria: With its strategic location in western Bulgaria and favorable tax regime, Sofia, the latest ECX Fabric market, has become a dynamic city and key intersection point between Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Home to some of the strongest technology, manufacturing and media/broadcast sectors in the region, it is also a major outsourcing location and emerging digital hub that has attracted global organizations such as Cisco, IBM and Siemens. The Sofia metro also offers benefits such as low barriers to entry, a rich talent pool and internet speeds consistently ranked among the best in the world. Our Sofia IBX data centers host a diverse and rapidly growing ecosystem of 20+ enterprises, 30+ network service providers, 20+ cloud and IT service providers, 20+ financial services companies, and 10+ content and digital media companies, as well as the Bulgarian Internet Exchange (BIX).

Equinix Sofia SO2 IBX data center

Hamburg, Germany: Opening later this year, Hamburg is a new Equinix metro and fourth IBX location in Germany. In support of Hamburg’s role as a digital hub, ECX Fabric will be available in the Hamburg IBX data center from the start. Strategically located in proximity to the North Sea, Hamburg is a leading logistics and maritime hub that has drawn leading industrial companies and a strong digital and media industry. With a population of more than five million, Hamburg is the second-largest city in Germany and also has a large concentration of multinational enterprises, including large automotive and consumer packaged goods companies. Additionally, the city is home to a growing technology community, including many e-commerce companies that require low latency, increased bandwidth and connectivity to industry-leading networking and cloud services providers. Our Hamburg IBX data center is a carrier-neutral colocation site that provides flexible access to the world’s leading clouds and services through ECX Fabric.

Streamlining cloud connectivity

To further streamline cloud connectivity around the globe, Equinix has also partnered with Telstra to offer a joint solution that dynamically connects distributed infrastructure and digital ecosystems. The Telstra Programmable Network (TPN) leverages ECX Fabric to enable businesses to create private multicloud network connections to cloud providers in just minutes. By building deeper integration with ECX Fabric, TPN provides businesses with faster connectivity to a broad range of cloud services than they could otherwise achieve by integrating directly with individual cloud providers.

Learn more about ECX Fabric and Platform Equinix.

You may also be interested in reading:

• Equinix Europe 2020: Hyperscale and Colocation Demand is Riding High
• Interconnection Is Powering European Digital Business and Compliance
• Equinix Telstra Joint Value Proposition white paper

[i] IDC, 5 Top Trends Influencing Cloud in Europe in 2020, Feb 2020; IDC FutureScape 2020: European Cloud Predictions, Jan 2020.

[ii]CIO, Cloud computing in the Middle East: The next big tech market?, Jan 2020.

[iii]Export.gov, Belgium – Market Overview, June 2019.