Kao Data expands UK data centre footprint with 16MW Slough facility
Image courtesy Kao Data
The launch marks a new beginning for Kao Data following the recent investment of approximately £130 million from global infrastructure business Infratil Limited, and will expand its market-leading, ultra-sustainable data centre platform into this globally significant data centre hub.
The build, now underway, will adhere to the high-performance design, efficiency, and operational blueprint of Kao Data's Harlow campus, providing customers with an SLA-backed PUE of <1.2, even at partial loads. From a sustainability standpoint, the new facility will use an ultra-efficient cooling system, be powered by 100% renewable energy, with its backup power generators powered by hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) from the outset, removing fossil fuels in their entirety.
Further, the data centre will provide the industrial-scale capabilities that the Kao Data brand is well-known for. The facility is already set to become NVIDIA DGX-Ready Data Centre certified and OCP-Ready, serving the needs of high performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence (AI) and enterprise customers, all of whom rely on the finest, Tier 3 equivalent environments to support and scale their mission-critical workloads.
"The launch of our new Slough data centre offers data-intensive enterprises within the highly sought-after West London Availability Zone, the opportunity to benefit from significant new capacity, as well as the advantage of working with Kao Data's award-winning, sustainable infrastructure and expert technical and operations teams," said Lee Myall, CEO, Kao Data.
"With this move we are excited to be strengthening our data centre footprint across the UK and establish ourselves within the world's second largest data centre hub. Kao Data has seen tremendous growth over the last 12 months and the launch of our Slough facility is the next step in our continuing development."
With a strong and varied existing customer base from key sectors including financial services, life sciences, defence, artificial intelligence and the cloud, Kao Data's expansion into the West of London presents its current colocation customers with increased diversity and resilience. Further, it offers new customers the immediate scope to quickly scale their existing colocation footprints and safeguard their future power provision.
Finally, with the facility powered with 100% renewable energy, its back-up generators utilising renewable HVO fuel, and its power and cooling architectures providing an ultra-low PUE, Kao Data's data centre will set new standards within Slough for sustainability.
