Minkels provides an identical Equinix look-and-feel worldwide, also in Dubai
Why did Equinix build its first data centre in the Middle East in Dubai?
“That was a process of careful consideration. Equinix chose Dubai because internationally there was high demand for a data centre at this specific location. It is an extremely safe area and globally it is a very well-accepted place to do business and to maintain infrastructure.”
How is the data centre market in the Middle East different from the market in Europe?
“The business data centre market here is a relatively young market, especially in comparison with Europe and the United States. You see it in meetings with prospects. Many organisations still have to take that step to outsource their data centre infrastructure for the first time. That means you must build their trust in outsourcing. Only then can you begin to talk to them about the specific benefits of your service.”
Does the proposition of Equinix Middle East differ from that of the other Equinix locations worldwide?
“In London, Amsterdam, Sydney, New York and Dubai, or anywhere else for that matter, the Equinix data centre solutions are identical all over the world. The Minkels racks, the Minkels Cold Corridors and the Minkels data centre accessories play a key role. It gives customers everywhere the same look-and-feel and the same high quality. Besides, it is great to have a standardised infrastructure in a new region like the Middle East and to include certain fixed elements in your proposition from the beginning so that our team can focus all its efforts on the customer.”
Who are the customers of Equinix Middle East?
“Content providers, telecom companies, but primarily financial companies. We are quite proud of the fact that we have been able to establish a comprehensive financial eco system with customer organisations that share all sorts of front-end processes and infrastructure with each other. Examples include payment platforms, credit card processing and transaction systems. The development of this financial eco-system has progressed more quickly than we expected.”
What are the specific benefits you have experienced with the Minkels infrastructure?
“We had already taken significant steps with engineers from Minkels to ensure that the Equinix infrastructure would seamlessly meet the needs of our customers worldwide. They are proven concepts – data centre solutions that we have developed in partnership with Minkels. The modularity of the Minkels products is particularly important. It gives our customers the flexibility they often demand. Furthermore, the Minkels Cold Corridors in Dubai give us the assurance that we can operate in an energyefficient manner in Dubai and that there will be no hotspots, thus avoiding the risk of problems. Many people think that the price of energy in an oil rich city like Dubai is low; on the contrary, the price of energy is practically just as high as it is in Europe. Therefore, it is nice to be able to rely on the energy efficiency gained from Minkels products.”
You have been living in Dubai for two years now. What is your experience?
“As a family, we love it here. Approximately 85 percent of the people in Dubai are expats; therefore it is very international here. My two daughters, who are 8 and 14 years old, attend an international school with children of 70 different nationalities. There are about 500 houses in our expat neighbourhood and the children can play outside a lot. There are large malls and a lot of restaurants, you can go skiing and ice skating, and a lot more. I think that we will live here happily as a family for at least another five years.”
How about work?
“I have noticed that people do business here in a very positive and pleasant manner, which can be seen in the economic growth of Dubai, with an annual growth of 4 to 6 percent. I would have never thought of this region as a place to emigrate to, but the people here are so friendly and open, which is very inspiring and is a great reason to stay here for a long time to come.”
About Equinix Middle East
Equinix Middle East began delivery of co-location, interconnection and managed services in the Middle East on 1 January 2013. With more than 30 employees, Equinix supplies services from Dubai to financial companies, telecom carriers, content providers and others. The Equinix Middle East data centre in Dubai that houses the infrastructure of 30 telecom carriers has the highest carrier density in the region. Both Tier 1 carriers and regional carriers have taken their networks to the Equinix data centre in Dubai. Minkels supplies the necessary data centre infrastructure in Dubai, with the familiar Minkels look-and-feel and quality that Equinix customers all over the world are accustomed to.
