Originally posted to Data Center POST,
Q&A with Data Center POST’s Contributing Editor, Kathy Xu
Colocation providers are now siting facilities in closer proximity to cable landing stations where global subsea cables intersect. Undersea cable networks no longer have to terminate at the shoreline. For submarine cables targeted primarily at Data Center Interconnectivity (DCI) applications, it’s preferable to move the Submarine Line Terminating Equipment (SLTE) out of traditional Cable Landing Stations (CLS) and directly into the data center.
To better understand this trend, Data Center POST recently talked with Nigel Bayliff, CEO of Aqua Comms, to discuss why this transition is happening and what it means for Aqua Comms’ broad base of customers.
Data Center POST, Kathy XU (DCP-KX) Question: The communications industry has been rooted in submarine cables directly connecting cities for decades now. What is now driving the need to bring subsea cable systems into colocation facilities located outside of major metro areas?
Aqua Comms [Nigel Bayliff] (Aqua Comms – [NB]) Answer: In the past, directly connecting cities with submarine cables made sense, as most early, transcontinental traffic was comprised of voice, and cities are the locales that are most densely populated. However, much has changed in the past decade with data traffic now far exceeding voice carried on submarine cables. Also, today, most submarine data traffic shuttles between massive data centres, the largest of which are owned and operated by large Internet Content Providers (ICPs).
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