- Hyperscalers are shifting from 100G/400G links to ultra-dense dark fiber bundles with strand counts in the thousands
- This is reshaping data center design, with more fiber entry points and larger conduit vaults
- It’s also leading companies like NTT to focus new build activity in markets with robust existing connectivity
Demand for larger pipes and dark fiber connectivity is starting to physically reshape data centers, an executive from NTT Global Data Centers told Fierce.
Bruno Berti, SVP of Global Product Management at NTT Global Data Centers, said clients are increasingly asking for 400G connectivity as a minimum. Hyperscale clients, he added, are either looking for or bringing in their own ultra-dense dark fiber.
“The shift is really moving away from 100-gig and 400-gig to bundles of dark fiber cables coming directly into the building,” Berti explained. “They’re bringing in cables in excess of thousands of pairs of fibers.”
Indeed, Lumen, which has locked in several contracts to supply dark fiber routes for hyperscalers, has publicized its work with fiber cable vendor Corning to pack more strands into existing conduit space. Where counts used to be in the 200-strand range, Lumen and Corning have said they’re aiming for 800-1,700 strands.
What that means in practice for NTT is that the company has had to increase the number of fiber entry stations around its data center buildings.
Berti said NTT historically built its data centers with three so-called zero vaults, conduit-filled concrete boxes underground that serve as the connection point between the data center and outgoing cables. These used to be 6’x6’x6’ in size.
To meet demand, though, it’s now requiring four of these zero vaults, and the boxes themselves are also larger — usually in the 12’x12’x6’ range.
Location, location, location
As NTT Data Centers works to increase its footprint, Berti said the ability to secure adequate connectivity has become an increasingly important factor.
“We haven’t been chasing power in remote locations where there isn’t a good connectivity story” like some other data center operators are doing, Berti said.
Instead, NTT has stuck primarily to Tier-1 data center markets where demand is rapidly accelerating. Over the past few months, Berti said it has purchased land in Phoenix, Arizona; Hillsboro, Oregon; Milan, Italy; and Japan.
The choice to focus on existing markets with good connectivity to serve its mix of hyperscale, neocloud and enterprise customers is paying off, Berti said.
In Phoenix, for instance, Berti said NTT has just sold out the second-to-last building in its existing six-building campus there. Now, the name of the game is staying ahead of demand.
“You’ll see the big land purchases mostly in the Tier-1 markets because that’s where we’re running out of capacity the fastest,” he said.