The European digital infrastructure is on course to at least double in size within 5 years. Ever-increasing digitization and technical developments are fuelling this sharp growth. This is one of the results of the Outlook 2019 report, which will be presented today during the pan-European KickStart Europe conference for 650 guests in RAI Amsterdam. The annual report was initiated by Digital Gateway to Europe and co-produced by research partners PB7 and CBRE. In the report the key growth indicators for the European data center, cloud and connectivity industries are presented. Developments that drive this growth include Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud and Internet of Things (IoT). The number of connected devices, the explosive growth in IP traffic and the ever-growing amount of data are increasing the demand for edge computing, larger data center hubs and hyperscalers. Download the 2019 Outlook report here. Opportunities and challenges
There are many challenges that need to be addressed to be able to support the demand for digital infrastructure and related services, including data centers. Stijn Grove, director of Digital Gateway to Europe, the organization that promotes the Netherlands as digital hub: "In addition to the pressure on technical requirements such as ever lower latencies, distributed computing (Edge) and stricter security, there are simultaneously major challenges in the areas of legislation, privacy, education & personnel, sustainability and energy. The growth of the industry has consequences for the electricity grid and there is a huge need in the coming years for technical personnel to design, build and run applications, data centres and networks. Expectations and trends for data centers ICT research agency Pb7 states in the report that data centers themselves expect to double in several ways within 3 to 5 years. Many expect to double energy consumption and floor space, but also see a necessity for twice as many employees. In the report, real estate consultancy CBRE calls the outlook for European data centers "extremely strong" this year. Data centers in the FLAP region alone (Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam and Paris) seem to be heading for over 1500 MW of installed capacity this year. Business trends and Brexit The report also discusses business trends throughout the digital infrastructure sector. It discusses strategy in times of digital transformation, the influence of geopolitical developments such as Brexit and trade wars on the market, as well as the role of 'cyberwars'. The uncertainty that Brexit creates has numerous effects. They help the investments in digital infrastructure in the Netherlands, but also reinforce the pressure of digital growth. And especially British suppliers in the construction of data centers should expect less work in EU countries the coming years. Report available All visitors of the KickStart Europe Conference have received the Outlook 2019 report. The report, with key insights into the data center and digital infrastructure industry, is available online for free. Download the Outlook 2019 report here. About Digital Gateway to Europe For over a 1000 years the Netherlands has been the (digital) gateway to the European market. The Digital Gateway to Europe organization promotes the Netherlands as data hub and offers you a source of information to prepare your launch or expansion in the Netherlands with facts, links and events. We are the official industry and government backed central and nationwide initiative to promote the Netherlands as the Digital Gateway to Europe. Visit www.digitalgateway.eu for more information, reports, events and the latest new regarding the Dutch data hub. Comments are closed.
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