Bespoke Panel Discussion: Connecting data centers together doesn't need to be messy

With the eyewatering investments being poured into cloud and AI services continuing to grow, connectivity is playing an ever-increasing role in the global datacentre buildout.  While laying fibre may seem relatively straightforward, it is constrained by a myriad of factors including reliability, route diversity and redundancy. This panel explores the critical trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the data center infrastructure landscape and will discuss the elements that make a connectivity player win in this harsh environment. The discussion will cover: 

- The current landscape: emerging regions for DCI opportunities, successful implementations, and investment trends, while recognising that AI, cloud computing, IoT, and edge services are fuelling demand 

- Current challenges for DCI: the complexity of scaling global network infrastructure, regulatory compliance, performance issues, and differing financial expectations between regions. 

- Solutions to these challenges: strategies and innovative solutions to overcome the obstacles faced in connecting data centers, ensuring robust and efficient network performance. 

- The future of datacentre interconnect: emerging trends like 800G technology, the role of managed fibre networks (MFN), edge-to-core integration and advanced fibre technologies such as multirail, multicore, and hollow core fibers.