ALSO A LANDING HUB FOR AMITIE
Equinix has just announced it intends to open its first data center in Bordeaux, France, with direct fiber links to the company’s International Business Exchange™ (IBX) data center sites in Paris.
Codenamed BX1, the new data center is expected to be the first carrier-neutral facility in the New Aquitaine region, targeting global businesses and local authorities located in the region. Featuring a modular design and a colocation space of approximately 32,000 square feet, BX1 is planned to support multiple configurations and scaling of a common model across different footprints.
“The addition of the new Bordeaux metro is another strategic expansion of Platform Equinix, further supporting our more than 10,000 customers worldwide. The Bordeaux hub will serve as one of the key connectivity points to Paris with its rich wide-ranging digital ecosystems. BX1 aims to greatly increase international expansion opportunities for French companies, whilst providing a major connectivity hub from and to the French and global digital economy,” said Eugene Bergen Henegouwen, President, EMEA, Equinix.
According to Equinix, the new Bordeaux data center will further serve as a landing hub for the new submarine cable, AMITIE, a 6600 km trans-Atlantic submarine cable connecting Massachusetts in the U.S., Le Porge in France, and Bude in the United Kingdom. Hence, creating a new European gateway for data traffic between the United States and Europe, as well as Great Britain.
“The development of BX1 is part of our ongoing commitment to the French market, further supporting the growth of the local digital economy and digital transformation strategies. It is an exciting project, bringing the first edge computing-led data center to the area, and also providing a connectivity hub for the AMITIE cable,” said Régis Castagné, Managing Director, France, Equinix.
“By locating in Bordeaux, we are hoping to make the New Aquitaine region a model for innovation, addressing technological issues and capturing the opportunities of digital business. With fiber links to our sites in Paris, companies deploying in BX1 will have direct and secure connections to a comprehensive digital ecosystem.”
BX1 is scheduled to open in Q3 2021 and expected to utilize 100% renewable energy.