Digital Realty outlines next-generation interconnection initiative to lay foundation for industry's largest open fabric-of-fabrics

AUSTIN, Texas -- Digital Realty (NYSE: DLR), the largest global provider of carrier- and cloud-neutral data center, colocation and interconnection solutions, announced today another significant step in its plan to create next-generation interconnection and security capabilities and build the largest open fabric-of-fabrics interconnecting key centers of data exchange.  As part of this development strategy, Digital Realty is working with Zayo Group Holdings, Inc., a leading global provider of fiber-based communications solutions, to lay the physical and virtual foundations of a new open fabric. 

This collaboration represents a significant milestone on the cross-industry roadmap outlined earlier this year in Digital Realty's industry manifesto for open interconnection and next-generation colocation solutions.  The collaborative approach aims to unlock trapped value and remove legacy barriers to digital transformation by more closely aligning with the hybrid IT and security considerations of multinational enterprises. 

"As businesses continue to shift globally towards hybrid IT to enable new digital workplace models, create new lines of business, and control costs, Zayo and Digital Realty are in an excellent position to enable customers' growth through a shared interest in globally secure, software-defined interconnection," said Brian Lillie, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Zayo.  "We look forward to working together to power next-generation interconnection and security capabilities that will unlock the true potential of digital transformation." 

This initiative builds upon new and existing innovative capabilities, including PlatformDIGITAL®, Digital Realty's first of its kind global data center platform, which already brings together over 4,000 participants in connected data communities around the world, as well as Zayo's extensive global fiber network.  The new collaboration also follows Digital Realty's recent announcement of its plan to build native SDN-enabled multi-platform orchestration and global fabric connectivity across its global platform. 

"We're excited to advance our roadmap for removing the legacy interconnection barriers that continue to impede enterprise digital transformation initiatives," said Digital Realty Chief Technology Officer Chris Sharp.  "Our platform capabilities and the steps we are taking in collaboration with Zayo will serve as a force-multiplier in building the industry's largest open fabric-of-fabrics to effectively address the growing intensity of enterprise data creation and its gravitational impact on IT architectures." 

Digital Realty's Data Gravity Index DGx™ projects that Forbes global 2000 enterprises will be adding storage at a combined rate of more than 620 terabytes per second for data aggregation and exchange across 53 metros by 2024.  This rapid growth reflects a growing trend among global customers towards deploying and connecting large, private data infrastructure footprints across multiple global locations.  

Gartner® predicts that by 2023, over 50%¹ of the primary responsibility of data and analytics leaders will comprise data created, managed, and analyzed in edge environments.  As a result, a new pervasive data center infrastructure is needed to enable digitized endpoints and mobile users to fully participate in globally distributed workflows.  By removing legacy barriers across the interconnection industry, the consortium approach seeks to enable connected data communities and to support transformative outcomes for customers across all industries.