About Datum Datacentres
Hosting business-critical IT infrastructures on behalf of its clients, Datum Datacentres is a specialist provider of bespoke, enterprise-grade colocation services, courtesy of its carrier-neutral network of data centres. With facilities in Manchester and Farnborough, Datum supports the digital transformation objectives of an extensive client base that spans vertical markets such as finance, insurance and IT security services, including companies from the FTSE 250 and Fortune 500.
Overview
With aspirations for business growth, Datum sought to establish a presence outside of its Farnborough headquarters. With a thriving local economy and a growing reputation as a digital hub, the North West of England was the ideal location for Datum to expand its operations. Backed by UBS Asset Management, Datum acquired Manchester-based Teledata in 2022, which included ownership of MCR1, a 22,000 ft2 data centre facility in Wythenshawe that was one of the most well-connected, protected and accredited facilities in the UK. Not content with operating one data centre in the North West, Datum had its eyes on opening a second, state-of-the-art facility. A sign of Datum’s expansion plans, £30 million was invested into building MCR2, a data centre that would include 10 data halls and 24,000 ft2 of technical space. With the levels of investment involved, there was a lot at stake to ensure the second data centre could elevate service offerings and drive new business. A robust and reliable connectivity solution was imperative. Datum needed a technology partner that could provide the specialist expertise to ensure this consistent connectivity.
“It was vital that we hit the ground running with MCR2 and continued to maintain high levels of uptime and connectivity for the clients we serve.”
Dan Smith, Head of Service Delivery at Datum Datacentres
The
With so much resting on MCR2, the pressure was on Datum to optimise the facility and deliver unrivalled levels of network and colocation services. Datum had to be capable of supporting a high volume of new clients looking to host their infrastructure at the facility. Optimising data centre capacity was integral to maintaining Datum’s reputation as an accredited vendor that could meet the bespoke needs of its clients and guarantee seamless service delivery.
In addition to quality-of-service, compliance was another area that Datum needed to navigate for the project to be successful. The opening of MCR2 was happening against a backdrop of new regulatory guidelines being introduced, with data centres recently categorised as Critical National Infrastructure in 2024. This recent classification meant data centres were now considered to be on an equal footing to water, energy and emergency service systems, highlighting their strategic importance.
This announcement reaffirmed Datum’s commitment to delivering the highest standard of service and fulfilling compliance regulations. With its reputation built on industry accreditations across data protection, energy-saving and security, it was crucial that Datum continued to satisfy its regulatory requirements.
The
With a previous track record of fulfilling the technology requirements of large enterprises that included law firms and pension funds, Principle Networks was tasked with implementing a robust connectivity solution at the MCR2 site.
Principle Networks had the advantage of being an existing Datum technology partner, following a previous project at the FRN1 data centre in Farnborough which saw the installation of a transit network.
The Manchester transit network, delivered by Principle Networks, enables Datum to provide carrier-agnostic internet connectivity to its hosted clients. Comprising internet edge routers capable of hosting the full internet routing table, the solution Principle Networks designed plugged directly into the internet backbone, meaning that Datum had optimised access to the global internet, helping reduce latency, increase resilience and improve connectivity.
“To design this solution, you need a high level of technical resources. Principle Networks had already designed an IPT network at our Farnborough site and were best positioned to deliver a powerful solution that could elevate the end user experience for customers connecting into MCR2.”
Dan Smith, Head of Service Delivery at Datum Datacentres
Fast and efficient internet connectivity
Upon deployment of the transit network solution, Datum was able to provide fast and efficient internet connectivity for its MCR2 colocation clients.
No compromise to service
The scalability and flexibility of the transit network helped futureproof the colocation facility, making sure that clients could continue to access services on demand whilst maintenance was being undertaken.
Lead generation
This optimisation of data centre capacity helped support Datum’s client retention and upselling activities, leading to a healthy pipeline of new leads.
“Following our work with Datum, we have found that service providers are happy to trust Principle Networks with complex, business-critical projects. The success of this collaboration has meant that IP transit networks are now included as part of our extensive service offerings.
“When looking at the bigger picture, the construction of the state-of-the-art MCR2 facility is a sign of Manchester’s potential as a digital hub, and we take great pride in being able to contribute to this vision”.
Russell Crowley, Co-CEO of Principle Networks