Author: Melina Marques

Hybrid IT and data-intensive AI workloads can now optimize performance with low latency connections to Google Cloud

Ascenty: A Digital Realty and Brookfield Company, the largest connectivity and data center service provider in Latin America, announced today that customers in its Santiago data center now have access to Google Cloud services via a redundant cross-connect, supporting Google Cloud Interconnect.

Ascenty customers hosted at the Santiago data center will now be able to order cross connects between their private infrastructure and Google Cloud’s global network, allowing the optimization of hybrid IT architectures. Enterprise customers will benefit from low-latency, high-performance, secure, and cost-efficient connectivity to Google Cloud.

With the addition of Santiago, Digital Realty’s global data center platform, PlatformDIGITAL® now hosts 15 Google Cloud Interconnect locations: Atlanta, Brussels, Copenhagen, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Los Angeles, Madrid, Marseille, New York, Paris, Santiago, Sao Paulo, Stockholm, Vienna and Zurich.[1]

Google Cloud Interconnect facilitates the shortest path to customers’ Google Cloud resources. While in transit, customers’ network traffic remains on Google Cloud’s global network, never touching the public internet, resulting in improved performance through more predictable and reliable routing. When creating a new connection, customers can choose a hosted connection provided by a dedicated Ascenty cloud access service or the Google Cloud dedicated connection. PlatformDIGITAL® provides the physical meeting place where Google Cloud customers and partners can establish direct connections and optimize hybrid IT solutions and data-intensive AI workloads.

“Public cloud investment in the Chilean market is a trend we have been observing for some time. Fast, secure and reliable connections enhance our customers experience with Google Cloud. We are pleased to enhance our community of interest with this dedicated connection. This democratization is extremely important and strategic for Ascenty,” said João Walter, Director of Products, Solutions and Edge Strategy at Ascenty.

Additional Features

• Learn more about Google Cloud Interconnect here
• Learn more about Google Cloud Interconnect locations here 
• Learn more about PlatformDIGITAL® here

[1] ServiceFabric™ is not currently available in Santiago, Chile

Arising from the partnership between the two companies, FastConnect allows moving data between different infrastructures up to 10 times faster

Ascenty, the largest data center and connectivity service provider in Latin America, and Oracle expanded their partnership to interconnect the Oracle Solution Center to the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), through FastConnect, in order to demonstrate real cases of migration between on-premises solutions and public clouds.

Through a dedicated data link, Ascenty connects to two zones of the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), located in the cities of Vinhedo (SP) and São Paulo (SP), enabling Oracle service performance demonstrations to clients within the company’s Solution Center located in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

This initiative allows companies to witness integrated solutions at work in real time, enabling a range of speed, connectivity, latency and security tests. “We experience this almost everyday at Oracle Solution Center: customers interested in moving their workloads from On-premises to the cloud have security and interconnection concerns. Having a high-performance interconnection partner like Ascenty allows us to present new forms and all details regarding hybrid connectivity. This helps clients to make better decisions when migrating to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI),” said João Paulo Lunardelli, Director of the Oracle Solution Center in Latin America.

Ascenty provides access to various telecommunications companies and has its own network spanning over 5,000 km. This allows connecting the main areas of the country, enabling smooth and accurate demonstration experiences.

“This collaboration with Oracle brings about a shift in the storage and connectivity market mindset. This integration enables companies from different sectors to understand the best alternatives for data storage, integration, and connectivity, ushering in a new perspective for interconnecting solutions that can complement each other,” said João Walter Bio Razori, Product Manager at Ascenty.

Consolidated partnership

The partnership between the companies, offering dedicated and private access to the Oracle Cloud through Oracle Cloud Infrastructure FastConnect, enables clients to access their cloud-based data and applications through a completely reliable network, resulting in enhanced performance, advanced control, flexibility, and scalability in accessing critical data and functions.

Ascenty’s direct and physical connection with the Oracle Cloud ensures high-capacity connections (up to 100 Gbps), lower latency, and support for various security frameworks tailored to specific needs.

Agile, secure and fast connection

During tests and demonstrative actions, the interconnection facilitated by the companies through Fast Connect allowed transferring 50GB files in 9 minutes – approximately 3 times faster compared to the average public internet use, estimated at 25 minutes.

“Some of our clients have already experienced this solution, which by itself answers potential questions related to aspects like connectivity, speed, and security. The data transfer time is evidence that amplifies the discussion about scalability with the cloud as the starting point for hybrid environments,” added Razori

These and other indicators will be presented during Oracle CloudWorld, in Las Vegas. On September 20, João Walter Bio Razori and João Paulo Lunardelli will share the experiences and results of clients with five real use cases showcasing the effectiveness of the data link between Oracle and Ascenty.

“Oracle has the fastest-growing public cloud in the market, and the connectivity and low latency offered by Ascenty are some of the major highlights of this partnership. Its fully scalable approach ensures our clients thrive amidst changes. This alliance is essential for clients’ peace of mind, based on the solid coverage of these aspects,” said Lunardelli.[1] 

Learn more at: https://ascenty.com/en/solutions/cloud-connect/oracle-fastconnect/

Top nomination positions the company at the forefront of the Brazilian Data Center market and attests to best practices focused on innovation, performance, and customer service

Ascenty, the largest provider of data center and connectivity services in Latin America, was recognized by Frost & Sullivan as Company of the Year in the data center industry in the Best Practices Company of the Yearreport. The award, which considers companies at the forefront of innovation and growth in their respective sectors, features a detailed assessment of best practices in different companies in the sector.

The evaluated criteria include aspects directly linked to the business’s performance in visionary innovation and customer impact. Some notable criteria are leadership focus, performance value, purchase experience, customer service, and brand equity.

In addition to leading in evaluative aspects, Ascenty stands out for consolidating its authority. By focusing on providing infrastructure services, it refines its approach to connectivity and offers cloud connection services with various speed options. The report also highlighted the company’s “excellent” Net Promoter Score, from 75 to 100 points, which it received for the fifth year in a row.

“The recognition attests to the work we have been doing with a focus on improving our solutions and customer experience. As one of the largest colocation providers in Brazil, we have been consolidating our leadership year after year by focusing on delivering quality infrastructure services, optimizing our connectivity approach and offering multi-connection services, which directly contribute to the smooth running of our partners’ businesses,” highlights Marcos Siqueira, VP of Operations at Ascenty.

Differentiated connectivity

According to Frost & Sullivan, among Data Center providers, Ascenty also remains at the forefront in terms of connectivity. By positioning itself as carrier-neutral, the company provides access to several telecommunications companies and has a network covering more than 5,000 km. Thus, it is able to connect the main points of the country, reducing the risk of downtime or service interruptions in its structure.

Ascenty also has a portfolio of more than 200 certifications, including the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 45001 and ISO 14001 certifications, which qualify the company’s operations differently than other market players.

Sustainable Data Centers

To define the best Company of the Year in the category, Frost & Sullivan also evaluated initiatives related to the promotion of sustainability and testified Ascenty’s commitment to sustainable energy generation, with the development of Data Centers that provide an operation with less impact on the environment.

In recent years, the company has achieved “carbon neutral” status under the Brazilian Greenhouse Gas Program (GHG Protocol) and invested in photovoltaic plants, which convert solar radiation into electricity, optimizing energy use and improving efficiency in its data centers. Since 2021, 100% of the electricity used by Ascenty has come from renewable sources, either through purchases on the free energy market or through compensation via iRECs, directly corroborating its sustainable commitment.

“The company has established itself as a trusted partner for the customer’s digital transformation journey thanks to its industry expertise, state-of-the-art infrastructure and excellent services. Frost & Sullivan believes that Ascenty is poised to consolidate its position as the leading provider in the market.”

– Valentina Barcia

Frost & Sullivan Best Practice Research Analyst

Access the full report here.

In addition to quality of service and an extended ecosystem, report highlights robust low-latency network and full integration with public clouds

Ascenty, the largest provider of data center and connectivity services in Latin America, was recognized for the fourth consecutive year as the absolute leader of the Colocation Services Quadrant in Brazil, according to the ISG Provider Lens™ 2023 – Private/Hybrid Cloud – Data Center Services report. With its 34 data centers in operation and/or construction – 26 of which are in Brazil – Ascenty is recognized, as per analyst Pedro Bicudo, for driving customer growth by offering a robust low-latency network and complete integration with public clouds.

The colocation quadrant evaluated 15 data center space providers on criteria such as: secure access control, redundant power supplies, fire suppression and air cooling system, cloud connectivity and security certificates.

“Ascenty was once again recognized for its leadership in the Brazilian Colocation market due to the efforts of our entire team, and it demonstrates our commitment to offering a customizable, flexible and agile service,” said Marcos Siqueira, VP of Operations at Ascenty.

The report also reveals that Brazilian companies are adopting hybrid architectures, i.e. managed hosting platforms alongside public cloud.

“Companies are looking for platforms with a cloud-like experience that have robust technology and hyperconnectivity. At Ascenty, we connect both of these worlds to ensure greater security for companies’ data, flexibility for operations and scalability,” adds Siqueira.

Hyperconnectivity offerings

Ascenty offers customers several connectivity options with Cloud Connect for hyperscalers and several points of presence (PoPs) throughout Brazil. The Ascenty Cloud Connectivity Exchange (ACCX) and Ascenty Internet Connectivity Exchange (AICX) services connect customers to diverse data centers, including public clouds, content providers and ISVs, providing low latency at the edge.

With over 200 certifications, Ascenty ensures competitiveness in the market by offering 5,000 km of proprietary fiber optic network, which allows clients to explore different routes tailored to their needs.

High-quality standards

One of Ascenty’s main differentials is the quality of the services provided and the satisfaction of its customers. The company achieved a Net Promoter Score above 90 for the fifth consecutive year, following high standards of data center security and construction. This index is calculated using a customer satisfaction methodology developed to assess the degree of customer loyalty.

Extended ecosystem

Ascenty also has a marketplace where customers can find technology manufacturers and service providers to integrate with their colocation. Marketplace categories include private cloud and hosting, storage, email, backup, cybersecurity, financial solutions, outsourcing, consulting, telecommunications and connectivity.

For the full report, go to https://conteudo.ascenty.com/ascenty-isg-report-2023

With new deal, Ascenty’ ecosystem offers data transmission between São Paulo and Madrid starting at 99 milliseconds, 60% faster than market average

Ascenty, the leading colocation company in Latin America, with 34 data centers in operation and/or under construction in Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Mexico, announces a new interconnection partnership in its ecosystem. Along with NUV, a company that specializes in global connectivity services, and with the NetIX, Peer-1, and TupIX products, the company plans to expand the reach and quality of its connectivity in all regions of the globe.

The addition of NUV products to the Ascenty ecosystem will provide customers of both companies with global connectivity options with best-in-class latency, starting at 99 milliseconds for data transmission between Sao Paulo and Europe. Average latency for this route is estimated to be 220 milliseconds.

“With these products, we guarantee the lowest latency for data exchanges between the Americas and Europe. NetIX connects more than 30 exchange points (PTTs) in the world, between Brazil, the United States and Europe; we also connect all of Latin America in a single PTT through TupiX, based in large urban centers; and Peer-1 will allow us to take our customers to the most important peering exchanges around the world, aiming for the best experience. That way we can spread the network without losing the quality of our connectivity,” explained Fabricio Costa, CEO of NUV. “We are looking for partners who will help each other. This is the case with Ascenty, a company with a global footprint and aligned with our aspirations to provide excellent personalized service,” he added.

After three months of being rolled out from the Ascenty data center campus in São Paulo, the partnership will extend in the coming months to the Vinhedo, Campinas, and Fortaleza sites. Next, the goal is to expand the network to Rio de Janeiro, Santiago, Chile, and Querétaro, Mexico, and, finally, in Bogotá, Colombia, once the data center goes live.

“This partnership illustrates the quality of the services we provide to our customers and the focus we have on increasing interconnection possibilities for the Latam market. Content is everywhere, but the big difference is in how this content is transmitted. In this context, NUV and its entire range of platforms is strategic for the possibility of unlimited expansion of connectivity, without loss of quality,” said João Walter, Executive Manager of Products, Solutions and Edge Strategy at Ascenty.

With two data centers in operation and one under construction in Querétaro, Ascenty is in talks with the Mexican government to explore expanding its technology and connectivity business in the country

Directors of Ascenty, a leader in the Latin American data center market, met last month, with authorities at the Government Palace of the State of Querétaro, Mexico, to discuss expanding the company’s business in the country.

With two data centers in operation and a third under construction in the city of Santiago de Querétaro, Ascenty discussed with Mexican representatives opportunities to expand its telecommunications infrastructure and power supply solutions, among other issues pertaining to the technology and connectivity business.

The company currently operates the following data centers in Mexico: Mexico 1, a 20,000 sq. mt. site with 21 MW in total power; Mexico 2, spanning 24,000 sq. mt. with 31 MW in power capacity; and Mexico 3, scheduled to go live in the first quarter of 2025, with a site area of 20,000 sq. mt. and 21 MW in power. In all, the company has already invested over BRL 1 billion [USD 200 million] in Mexico.

“Mexico and Brazil are the largest economies in Latin America and together account for more than 50% of regional GDP, as well as being among the 20 largest economies in the world. Therefore, having our world-class data center services in the country is key in securing our regional leadership,” explains Gustavo Sousa, Ascenty’s CFO.

In addition to Sousa, the meeting was attended by Mauricio Kuri, governor of Querétaro; Marco Del Prete, Querétaro’s secretary of sustainable development; Mauricio Reys, engineer from Querétaro’s Electrical Energy Agency (AEEQ); Felipe Caballero, vice president of Projects, Engineering and Construction at Ascenty; Arturo Bravo, director of Ascenty’s Data Centers in Mexico; and Adriana Cerecedo, founding partner of GLA-Gestion Legal y Ambiental.

Latin America’s largest data center company provides wider reach and improved connectivity for content on Globo’s streaming platform

Ascenty, the leader in colocation in Latin America, with 34 data centers in operation and/or under construction in Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Colombia, has signed an interconnection partnership with Globo to distribute digital content, such as the Globoplay streaming platform.

The connection will take place through a new point of presence for Globo at the São Paulo Campus and integration with Ascenty’s peering platform, the Ascenty Internet Connectivity Exchange (AICX). Thus, all content production will be integrated into a carrier-neutral, low-latency connectivity ecosystem with world-class infrastructure. This digital environment relies on the presence of leading Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and operators, as well as direct partnerships with Internet exchange companies, expanding the reach for Globo’s streaming platform.

“In just a few months with Globo in our ecosystem, we have already seen a significant increase in traffic within the AICX solution, as well as new requests for direct connection to the partner, which boosts interconnection opportunities and demonstrates the provision of scalability for our partners and customers,” said João Walter, Executive Manager of Products, Solutions and Edge Strategy at Ascenty.

“Looking to improve the quality and speed in the delivery of Globoplay and other Globo digital products, we are increasing the options for internet carriers and providers to interconnect with us. With the partnership with Ascenty, we have new direct interconnection options at the São Paulo Campus, through the AICX peering platform,” says Claudiney Soares, Globo’s Peering Coordinator.

Through its own 5,000 km fiber-optic network spread across Brazil, Ascenty’s data centers are interconnected to the country’s three submarine cable stations in Praia Grande, Rio de Janeiro and Fortaleza. Thus, in addition to excellent connectivity in Latin America, Ascenty’s digital ecosystem also enables low-latency data exchanges with countries in North America, Africa, and Europe.

The partnership resulted in 13% faster processing times for financial operations

Ascenty, the Latin American colocation leader, with 34 data centers across Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Colombia, has sealed a partnership to improve the processing of financial transactions with WNB Comnect, a technological solutions company in network infrastructure for electronic transactions.

After a year of planning and more than R$2 million in investments, the joint venture led to a 70% increase in the capacity of WNB Comnect’s payment method transactions.

With Ascenty’s data center in Vinhedo – the largest in Latin America – added to its infrastructure, WNB achieved 13% faster processing times for data transport compared with the company’s historical average. The main reason for this performance improvement is due to the connectivity ecosystem connected to the world’s leading cloud providers.

“Ascenty offers services at a quality level that we consider essential for our projects. Their strengths are their connectivity, international security certifications, commitment to deadlines, and agile and personalized service,” said Ruy Rothschild de Souza, CEO of WNB Comnect. “This partnership reinforced our commitment to availability, flexibility, and security, essential values that we bring to our customers and partners,” he added.

The project was originally scheduled to be delivered by Ascenty in November 2022, to allow WNB to meet the increased flow of transactions for the holidays, the busiest time of year for the retail segment. However, Ascenty managed to complete the customer’s capacity expansion in early August, three months ahead of schedule.

WNB Comnect currently operates around 40% of in-person electronic payment transport in Brazil, accounting for almost 100% of the traffic in some segments.

“The arrival of WNB represents a significant increase in excellence in the supply of network infrastructure for data transport and electronic transactions in Ascenty’s marketplace, reinforcing our role as a developer of new business in our digital ecosystem,” said Vinícius Minetto, sales director at Ascenty.

Latin America’s largest data center company is first in the region to become a signatory to the UN Global Compact

Ascenty, a leading company in the Latin American data center market, with 34 sites located across Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Colombia, has just joined the United Nations Global Compact in Brazil. The initiative aims to mobilize the business community to adopt and promote a list of ten universally accepted principles on human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption. By establishing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Global Compact has also taken on the mission of engaging the private sector in this new agenda.

Ascenty thus becomes the only Latin American data center company to have committed to what is the world’s largest voluntary corporate sustainability initiative. It is another groundbreaking move by the company, which has been carbon neutral since 2020; and the first to have a data center ISO 14001 certified in Brazil back in 2016, when corporate environmental management systems were still in their infancy.

“By joining the Global Compact, we commit to report our annual progress on the Ten Principles, which fosters the constant evolution of our sustainable practices,” said Fábio Trimarco, Director of Compliance and Quality at Ascenty. “This initiative is vital for us to understand what the gaps are in improving our sustainability, as well as to be involved in a community with a holistic view on the subject, which gives us the opportunity to learn about best practices in solving problems similar to ours,” he added.

As a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the UN Global Compact is a call to companies worldwide to align their operations and strategies with ten universal principles on human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption.

The UN Global Compact Network Brazil was created in 2003, and today is the third largest local network in the world, with more than 1,600 members. There are more than 40 projects in the country, primarily focused on: Water and Sanitation, Food and Agriculture, Energy and Climate, Human Rights and Labor, Anti-Corruption, Engagement and Communication.

The transaction includes two instruments, an offshore Term Loan Facility and a debenture issuance on the local capital market

Ascenty, the leading colocation company in Latin America, with 34 data centers in Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Colombia, obtained funding of USD 1.025 billion over a period of 5 years in two instruments.

The first was an overseas Term Loan Facility worth USD 825 million, led by Itaú, Natixis, Scotiabank, Credit Agricole, Banco MUFG Brasil and Mizuho. In addition to these banks, 6 others joined the operation.

The second instrument was the issuance of debentures on the local market in an amount equivalent to USD 200 million, led by Bradesco. The debentures were issued in Brazilian reais and feature a swap to U.S. dollars.

These transactions extended the company’s debt period and injected cash to expand its activities in Brazil. Even with the global financial market undergoing a volatile moment, Ascenty shows that its long-term client relationships and operational consistency provide the company with differentiated fundraising conditions.

“Based on the success obtained in financing the Brazilian operations, we will now seek similar structures for the Mexican, Chilean, and Colombian markets,” comments Gustavo Sousa, Ascenty’s CFO. “This operation, unprecedented in the sector, demonstrates the market’s confidence in Ascenty, which stands out due to its portfolio of long-term clients, such as large big techs, but mainly because of its operating capacity. Despite being a young company at only 13 years old, its projects have reached a high level of maturity, with about 90% of our capacity in Brazil being fully operational,” adds Sousa.

About Ascenty
Ascenty, a Digital Realty and Brookfield company, is the largest connectivity and data center service provider in Latin America, currently managing 34 data centers in operation and/or construction in Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Colombia, interconnected by 5,000 km of proprietary fiber-optic network. The company was established in 2010 and builds and operates world-class data centers serving the world’s largest cloud and technology providers, as well as other customers in the finance, retail, industrial, healthcare and service industries. To support its expansion, Ascenty relies on its shareholders – Brookfield Infrastructure Partners, a Canadian asset management company, and Digital Realty, the world’s largest data center company, with more than 300 sites located in North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Australia. To learn more about Ascenty, go to the website.