<p>Due to the widespread use of digital technology in both everyday life and corporate operations, terabytes of data are produced inside organizations, necessitating large financial outlays for cloud computing and data storage. These days, massive data center (DC) systems have replaced little server rooms. Furthermore, Mumbai and Chennai have been popular locations for DC players to open offices because to their advantageous geographic positions.</p>
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<p>Both towns benefit from the availability of land, close proximity to submarine cable landing sites, extensive fiber connection, and high voltage power distribution networks.Analysts contend that Chennai has an advantage over Mumbai due to its robust subsea cable network, plethora of IT and non-IT expertise, diverse business environment, and reduced setup and operating expenses.<br />
According to industry estimates, India presently has 800 MW of installed DC capacity, the bulk of which is concentrated in these two cities. Additionally, businesses want to add around 1,000 MW over the course of the next two to three years, with Chennai predicted to develop at a faster pace than Mumbai (14%).<br />
Chennai has several natural advantages, such a sizable land bank that may be turned into cutting-edge data center facilities, making it an alternate hub for data interchange for Asia Pacific. Additionally, by drawing in international DC companies seeking sustainable development, Tamil Nadu has a great chance to lead the way in green energy, according to analysts at research company Mordor Intelligence in a recent report.<br />
Major DC companies such as Sify Technologies, NTT, Airtel’s Nxtra, CtrlS, and ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) are based in Chennai. The city has also drawn the attention of business behemoths Adani and Reliance more recently. The first Digital Connexion DC will be established in Ambattur by Reliance Jio in collaboration with Brookfield and Digital Realty, while AdaniConneX is a 50:50 joint venture between Adani Enterprises and EdgeConneX.<br />
A significant portion of international fiber optic networks arrive in Chennai close to Marina Beach, according to Srinivas Anikipatti, senior director, TN and Kerala, Knight Frank India. Two nodes then emanate from these, one to the Ambattur neighborhood and the other to Siruseri. “DCs are usually established on industrial park lands, and Ambattur and Siruseri are fortunate to have access to these lands,” the speaker states. “While Mumbai is known as the financial center, Chennai is gaining popularity as a technology hub for hyperscalers looking to expand their operations,” he continues. Large cloud service providers like Amazon, Google, and others are referred to as hyperscalers.<br />
He continues, “The ecosystem of vendors, which includes mechanical, electrical, and other partners to operate DCs, are also readily available here.”<br />
According to Sify Technologies, Tennessee’s expanding knowledge-based sectors are driving up need for high-quality DC infrastructure. “TN offers the largest local pool of technically qualified professionals in the country, but there are many similarities between Mumbai and Chennai, like both being in safe seismic zones and served by multiple underwater cables,” says Prashant Pereira, vice president of data center business at Sify Technologies. He continues, “As a consumer market, Chennai has a diverse ecosystem that includes manufacturing, automotive, hi-tech, healthcare, etc.” Sify is developing Chennai 02, a new hyperscale DC campus in Siruseri, with a 78 MW IT capacity, in addition to its 3.6 MW Chennai 01 DC at Tidel Park.<br />
“Chennai has all it needs to serve as the hub for data centers serving the Indian and South Asian markets. According to STT GDC India Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Jatinder Singh Pabla, “It enjoys cost-effectiveness concerning land and skilled manpower, and still has significant headroom for power availability for DCs.” Over the following eight to ten years, the company intends to build up to 80 MW of additional DC capacity across Tennessee.<br />
It is now up to India and Chennai to become APAC DC hubs, a distinction now held by Singapore. However, as DCs are a power-hungry industry, Singapore has now temporarily suspended new DC constructions owing to land power restrictions. Additionally, Chennai and Singapore are connected by direct underwater fiber cables. This may facilitate the migration of several regional workloads to Chennai, according to Sify’s Pereira.<br />
However, one industry official claims that since Ambattur and OMR were both badly damaged by the destructive floods that struck Chennai in December, things have become more difficult for the sector. However, the executive continues, “the industry still views Chennai in the South as more favorably when it comes to cross-border safety and crime.”</p>
