International Telecoms Week 2023 (ITW 2023) rebounded to pre-pandemic attendance when it took place at the Gaylord in National Harbor, Maryland from May 14-17, 2023. With meeting rooms sold out, a packed exhibit floor and standing room only sessions, the event continues to cement itself as one of the industry’s must-attend events each year.
During the panel discussion titled “Beyond the Inflection Point, What Does the Data Centre Interconnect Landscape Look Like?”, industry leaders convened to discuss the evolving data center interconnect landscape and its implications. Moderated by Ilissa Miller, CEO of iMiller Public Relations (iMPR), the esteemed panelists included Andrew Haynes, Senior Vice President Product & Technology at Exa Infrastructure, Sherri Harrell, SVP, Product Management at Flexential, Jonathan Martone, Vice President – Interconnection and Network Solutions at Netrality Data Centers, Jerry Colachino, Field Application Engineering Technical Director at Precision Optical Transceivers, and Brad Raymo, VP Network Strategy at StackPath.
According to the panelists, the demand for data center interconnect deployments is increasing due to several factors. One of the main drivers is the growing importance of data, which requires connecting differing data sources to unlock valuable insights. Another driver is the evolving customer demands for flexible and scalable solutions, which drive the expansion of interconnectivity options. Additionally, the demands of emerging technologies like cloud computing and edge computing require geographic distribution and low-latency connections.
The panelists also discussed how the adoption of software-defined networking (SDN) and network virtualization is expected to enhance flexibility and automation. With advancements in encryption and secure data transmission, security and data privacy are becoming increasingly important in interconnect solutions. The growing role of edge data centers and distributed computing, driven by the proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and 5G networks, is another trend to watch in the future.
Looking ahead, network and data center operators alike are committed to assisting companies in preparing for higher bandwidth requirements and future upgrades that will be essential for maintaining competitiveness in the data center interconnect landscape. With technology continuing to advance, staying ahead of the curve is crucial to navigating the ever-changing interconnect landscape successfully.
Registered attendees of ITW 2023 can view the panel on-demand via the event app. The session can be viewed here.
