Insight Type: News

What stood out at Datacloud Global Congress 2026

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Reflections on the Congress

Phil Nicholson, our Partner Director, attended Datacloud Global Congress in Cannes last week, joining operators, technology providers, investors and policymakers from across the digital infrastructure sector.

His view was that the conversation felt more grounded than in previous years. AI still dominated, but the focus was less on the scale of the opportunity and more on what it will take to deliver it in practice – particularly when it comes to power, planning, talent and long-term sustainability.

AI demand is now shaping every conversation

Unsurprisingly, AI was the main theme across the event. Much of the discussion centred on how quickly infrastructure requirements are changing, especially as training and inference workloads push operators towards higher densities and larger-scale deployments.

There was also a lot of attention on Europe’s ambition to build more sovereign AI capacity. The language around ‘AI gigafactories’ came up repeatedly, along with major investment announcements intended to support that growth.

Power has moved to the centre of the debate

Another clear theme running through the congress was energy. Grid access, generation capacity and resilience were all high on the agenda, reflecting a wider recognition that power is now one of the main limiting factors for data centre growth.

That was especially clear in discussions around on-site generation and the role of nuclear energy. The inclusion of a dedicated Nuclear for AI Summit showed just how seriously the sector is now considering options that might previously have sat at the edge of the conversation.

Nuclear is now being discussed as a serious part of the future energy mix for AI infrastructure, despite the obvious questions around timescales, cost and public acceptance. Deployment into low earth orbit of ‘data centres’ – effectively satellites with compute, power and cooling, is a whole other subject for another date….

Sustainability is still a priority - but the discussion has become more candid

Sustainability remained a major focus, particularly around water use, efficiency and carbon reduction. But the tone felt more direct than in previous years.

There was a clearer acknowledgement that AI growth puts pressure on existing environmental goals. That does not mean sustainability is being pushed aside, but it does mean the industry is having to confront some uncomfortable realities. Expanding capacity at speed while reducing environmental impact is not a simple balance to strike.

The discussion is becoming less about broad commitments and more about the practical compromises and innovations needed to make those commitments credible.

Public perception cannot be ignored

Another thread running beneath many of the sessions was public scrutiny. As demand for new capacity grows, so does resistance in some markets – particularly where concerns about power use, land, water and local infrastructure are already sensitive.

For operators, that makes communication and transparency increasingly important. Securing planning permission is one thing; maintaining public trust is another.

A more practical tone for the sector

There’s a general feeling that the industry is entering a more demanding phase. There is still strong confidence in long-term growth, particularly around AI, but there is also a greater willingness to talk openly about the constraints that come with it – and that may prove to be one of the most important takeaways from this year’s event.

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What enterprise-grade colocation really looks like

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More than a label

There are few things more reassuring than hearing the story of a data centre build told by the people who actually built it. At a recent event held at our Manchester site, Tom Blundy, Senior Technical Director at Salute, spoke to attendees about the development of MCR2 and the engineering thought and standards that have gone into creating a facility genuinely worthy of the enterprise label.

Physical security: multiple layers

Security at MCR2 begins well before anyone reaches the data hall floor. The facility operates an automated access control system across the entire site, with locked-down permissions configured for different user groups and comprehensive audit trails maintained throughout.

Video surveillance runs continuously, actively monitored by a staffed security office operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

A Grade 3 intruder detection system provides a second layer of protection across all ingress and egress points within the building, adding an additional barrier that meets rigorous industry standards.

For clients who require delivery and logistics management, MCR2 also provides secure goods storage – a dedicated, segregated area for receiving deliveries on behalf of clients, keeping assets protected and organised without disrupting wider site operations.

Power resilience: continuous availability

Power infrastructure is an area that tests the credibility of any data centre claiming to be enterprise grade. At MCR2, the approach is built on diversity, redundancy and depth.

The facility is served by a private 11kV ring feeding into fully rated power streams and house transformers, providing a robust and independent upstream supply. From there, N+1 block redundant power streams ensure that no single point of failure in the distribution architecture can compromise service delivery.

Standby generation is provided by dedicated 2.5 MVA generators, housed within acoustic enclosures fitted with integrated fire protection. To ensure those generators are ready when needed, 72 hours of onsite fuel storage is maintained (complete with integrated fuel polishing that keeps fuel in optimum condition at all times).

Bridging the gap between mains supply and generator takeover, N+1 1.2 MW double conversion high efficiency UPS systems provide five minutes of full load backup. These systems use VRLA batteries, a considered choice that carries a significantly lower risk profile than lithium alternatives. Each power stream benefits from its own segregated electrical plant and battery room, further reducing interdependency.

At the rack level, clients receive active A and B UPS-backed power feeds providing genuine dual-feed resilience at the point of consumption.

Cooling performance: precision control across all critical areas

Thermal management at MCR2 is designed to maintain the right conditions across every part of the facility, not just the data hall.

The whitespace is cooled by N+1 fan wall cooling units, with the data hall environment maintained within the ASHRAE recommended temperature and humidity range. Operating within these parameters protects hardware longevity and supports consistent, reliable performance.

Segregated electrical plant and battery rooms are served by their own dedicated N+1 CRAH cooling units. This segregation offers a dual benefit: it isolates thermal risk between areas and allows those environments to be maintained at the specific temperatures most appropriate for electrical and battery equipment.

Meet-me-rooms are equally well served, with segregated and diverse spaces fitted with N+1 CRAH cooling and active A and B UPS-backed power supplies to ensure full resilience from both a power and cooling perspective in these critical interconnection spaces.

Network connectivity: built for Tier III and beyond

Connectivity infrastructure at MCR2 has been designed to Uptime Institute Tier III standards, with diverse fibre service entry routes that eliminate single points of failure at the point where external networks enter the building. In a number of areas, the implementation exceeds Tier III requirements, reflecting a commitment to going beyond the baseline where it adds genuine value for clients.

The meet-me-rooms provide clients with access to a broad carrier ecosystem within an environment that is physically secure, thermally managed and power-resilient, giving network-dependent organisations the foundation they need to build robust, high-availability connectivity strategies.

Fire protection: early detection and controlled suppression

Fire protection at MCR2 combines two complementary technologies to deliver both very early warning and precise, damage-controlled suppression.

Highly sensitive smoke detection (HSSD) is deployed across all critical areas, including data halls, plant rooms and battery rooms. Unlike a standard fire head, HSSD systems continuously sample the air for smoke particles, offering detection sensitivity approximately 1,000 times greater than conventional alternatives. This means that in the event of a developing fire, the team has maximum time to assess and respond before conditions escalate.

Where suppression is required, a double knock water mist system is installed throughout all critical areas. The design is deliberately conservative: the pipework remains dry until the system is activated, and even then, individual mist heads only release water once the temperature at that point reaches the required threshold to ensure that water is only ever deployed, quickly and effectively, in a genuine fire situation.

See ‘enterprise grade’ in action

Every design decision made during the construction of MCR2, from the choice of VRLA over lithium batteries to the dry pipe configuration of the fire suppression system, reflects a deliberate approach to managing risk and protecting client operations.

For organisations evaluating colocation partners, the difference between a facility that claims enterprise grade and one that delivers it is significant. Come and see our facilities for yourself by booking a tour of our London edge or Manchester sites.

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Learning the ropes: local T Level students begin placements at FRN1

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Settling in – first impressions

Last week, Datum’s Farnborough site welcomed three T Level students from Farnborough College of Technology for a nine-week placement. Jack Clare-Campbell, Joseph Collyer, and Trisha Magar are studying the Digital Production, Design and Development T Level. This placement at Datum offers an opportunity to bridge the gap between classroom learning and industry experience.

Having just started their placement, the students shared their expectations, hopes, and initial impressions of working in a data centre environment.

Why they chose their course

The T Level program is designed to provide students with a broad foundation in their first year, covering topics like legislation, business practices (including Scrum and Kanban), programming in Python, and IT fundamentals. In their second year, the focus shifts to full-stack web development, preparing them for real-world technical roles. 

For Jack Clare-Campbell, the decision to pursue a T Level stemmed from his passion for computer science, which began during his GCSEs: “I enjoyed creating programmes and watching them develop into something usable,” he explained. “I was confident I wanted to do something within computer science, and a T Level felt like the right choice over traditional A-Levels.”

Joseph Collyer cited his interest in both hardware and software: “The course offered a mix of software-based learning with opportunities to explore hardware fundamentals,” he said. Trisha Magar’s journey began with a love for gaming, which evolved into a curiosity about how systems work.

The value of this data centre placement

All three students agreed that spending time in a data centre is an invaluable experience for their studies and future careers. “This placement gives us a chance to see how a company operates in the technical industry,” Trisha noted. “It’s a great way to understand businesses and how they function.”

Joseph highlighted the hands-on nature of the placement as a key benefit: “Shadowing the team and seeing how things work day-to-day will give me proper insight into what data centre work is like,” he said. Jack added that he hopes to gain a comprehensive understanding of data centre operations, including supporting roles like client relations and finance.

The students’ expectations

When asked about what they’re most looking forward to, the students had varied responses. Jack is eager to work with the operations team, curious about the scope of their responsibilities in a colocation site. Joseph is also interested in the sales and financial aspects of the business, such as how racks are sold. Trisha, on the other hand, is particularly excited to get hands-on with cabling, an area she hasn’t explored much in college.

Preconceived ideas

Before starting their placement, the students had some preconceived notions about data centres. Trisha expected a very serious and professional environment, while Joseph anticipated a workplace that encourages questions and learning but heavily supervises actions to avoid issues. Jack expected Datum’s Farnborough site to be quite a busy workplace and wasn’t sure whether he and his fellow students would be first priority due to the nature of how everything works.

One common theme they all mentioned was the environmental impact of data centres: “Current media portrays data centres as massive consumers of energy and water,” Jack said. “I was surprised to learn that Datum’s most significant water usage is the little they use in the office, and that all energy comes from renewable sources.” Joseph added, “It’s clear that Datum has made sacrifices in profitability to reduce its environmental impact.”

Skills and challenges

The students also reflected on the skills they believe are crucial for working in a data centre such as network knowledge, problem-solving, and cable management: “Having an open mind and a willingness to learn is also essential,” Joseph pointed out.

As for challenges, Trisha anticipates needing time to grasp specific processes, while Jack expects the first week to involve a steep learning curve. However, all three are confident in their ability to adapt and make the most of this opportunity.

Over the next nine weeks, they’ll gain hands-on experience, deepen their technical knowledge, and challenge their preconceived ideas about data centres. We’re hoping to catch up with the students again towards the end of their placement to find out how their perceptions have evolved and what they’ve learned from their time at Datum.

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Supporting a code club in Wythenshawe

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Supporting a code club in Wythenshawe Investing in young talent

The demand for technical skills continues to grow across all sectors and it’s important to invest in young people early on to ensure we have the talent required for the future. That’s why we are proud to be supporting a local Wythenshawe STEM code club focused on AI and machine learning through the donation of eight iPad Air 5th Generation tablets.

Hands-on AI and machine learning

Our two Manchester data centres, MCR1 and MCR2, are located on a secure campus right in the heart of Wythenshawe. Because we operate within this community, we believe we have a responsibility to help create opportunities for the people who live here.

Understanding AI and machine learning might sound daunting for primary and early secondary school students. However, the code club, which is aimed at 9 to 12-year-olds, makes these subjects highly engaging through creative, hands-on workshops, allowing students to learn by doing. Through a combination of digital making and programming, the club aims to help these young people develop digital skills in a fun, accessible, and friendly environment.

Using Scratch, for example, learners can create their own simple games and interactive projects, helping them build confidence as they explore the basics of coding in a practical and engaging way. As students progress, they get to work with interactive hardware and software. They will use micro:bits – programmable microcomputers – to create a game, design an animated monster, or build a step counter using the micro:bit’s accelerometer, helping them see how code can power real-world outputs. And tools like MIT App Inventor enable them to build their own functional mobile applications.

Flexible learning formats

To accommodate the fact that every child learns differently, the code club offers a mixture of session formats to keep the learners engaged:

  • Drop-in taster sessions: these are dedicated to single, shorter projects. A student can turn up, learn a specific skill, and complete a working project within a single workshop. This format is perfect for beginners who want to try programming without a long-term commitment.
  • Continuous projects: for those who want to dive deeper, the club runs in-depth projects over a period of several weeks. These sessions allow learners to build upon their skills sequentially, ultimately creating impressive, complex projects that showcase their growing understanding of AI and machine learning.

Future tech talent

Data centres rely heavily on a highly skilled workforce, including network engineers, data centre managers, security specialists, and DevOps engineers. Supporting educational initiatives and giving local children the chance to explore computer science early on builds their confidence and opens up potential future career paths in the technology sector.

We want to ensure that every child who attends has the tools they need to experiment and code effectively, and we hope that the iPads we have donated will be useful now and in the years to come. We look forward to seeing the creative projects the students build over the coming months. And, who knows? Maybe one of these iPad users could be a Datum team member of the future …

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Deep dive into the cooling at our new data centres

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Advanced cooling

As hardware densities increase, traditional cooling methods struggle to keep pace without consuming vast amounts of power, so we have engineered state-of-the-art cooling systems to drive energy efficiency.

Airflow with fan wall topology

Traditional raised-floor cooling often creates uneven temperature distribution and limits the physical height of rack installations. We bypassed this limitation by implementing a ‘fan wall’ or ‘through-wall’ airflow topology. This method is sometimes known as a ‘room-flood’ approach.

Instead of pushing air up through floor tiles, we use the full height of the room to distribute cooling air. The cool air passes gently through a diffusion wall that runs the length of the data hall. This wall acts as a precise physical boundary, effectively separating the facility’s grey space from the white space where the IT equipment resides.

Flooding the entire room from floor to ceiling eliminates thermal dead zones. Every single server rack receives a consistent, reliable supply of air regardless of its position in the hall. This design dramatically improves the baseline efficiency of the entire facility.

Low-velocity airflow

Once the cool air cools the IT equipment, the resulting ‘hot’ return air is directed straight up into a ceiling void.

This is often achieved through a dedicated chimney mounted on the top of the rack. The hot air flows into the ceiling void and travels back into the chiller units. By physically isolating the hot return air from the cold supply air, we prevent thermal mixing and reduce the workload on our cooling infrastructure.

Because we maintain strict hot and cold separation, we can utilise low-velocity airflows. The fans operate at lower speeds simply because the air moves slowly and purposefully. This allows us to fully leverage the efficiency of our chillers, making the whole system vastly more efficient and drastically reducing our overall energy consumption.

Intelligent and automated climate control

Managing the climate across a data hall requires constant, precise adjustments. We use sophisticated automated systems to monitor and modulate our cooling in real-time.

Pressure differential sensor matrix

Located securely in the service corridor, our N+1 310kW fan wall cooling units provide the primary cooling. To control these units, we installed a comprehensive pressure differential sensor matrix.

This matrix constantly monitors the difference in air pressure across the environment. It dynamically matches the volume of air being consumed by the IT equipment with the exact fan speed required. Because this process is completely autonomous, the system never works harder than necessary.

Temperature sensor matrix

Air pressure is only half the equation. We also utilise an automated air temperature cooling control system, governed by a vast temperature sensor matrix.

These sensors measure temperatures across the entire white space. If a specific zone experiences a spike in heat load, the system autonomously modulates the cooling units to address it instantly. This granular level of control ensures optimal operating conditions while eliminating wasted energy.

Concurrently maintainable infrastructure

To guarantee continuous uptime, our chilled water circuits are designed to be concurrently maintainable. This means our engineering teams can perform routine maintenance, upgrades, and repairs on the cooling infrastructure without interrupting the system’s operation. The redundancy built into the pipework and valves ensures that cooling water continues to flow seamlessly.

As a result, our clients experience absolutely zero temperature elevation in the white space during maintenance windows. The IT equipment remains completely protected, and operations continue without a hitch.

Maximising efficiency with free-cooling chillers

Moving on to the heavy-lifting equipment: a robust bank of N+1 780kW ‘free-cooling’ chillers reside securely in a dedicated plant compound. To mitigate risks during summer heatwaves, these chillers are specifically rated to operate in external temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius.

We employ dynamic chiller sequencing to extract maximum energy efficiency from this setup. The autonomous control system constantly evaluates fan speeds and internal compressor activity. It then decides the absolute most energy-efficient way to run the chillers based on real-time data.

The system reacts dynamically to external weather conditions and internal data hall loads. For example, it might selectively engage specific compressors to lower the required fan speeds, thereby reducing the facility’s overall energy consumption.

Optimising free cooling hours

Compressor operation is highly energy intensive. To combat this, we integrated a chilled water system optimisation control system.

This system’s primary goal is to maximise our ‘free-cooling’ hours. Free cooling leverages the naturally cool outside air to chill the water, bypassing the need for power-hungry compressors entirely. By aggressively maximising these non-compressor hours, we dramatically shrink the carbon footprint and operational costs of the facility.

Next up … FRN2

The advanced cooling topologies, intelligent automation, and robust resilience detailed above represent our new baseline for all ongoing and future infrastructure developments. Already operational in our live MCR2 facility in Manchester, these high standards will be fully implemented at FRN2, our four data centre currently under construction in Farnborough.

If you are looking to house your IT infrastructure in a facility that prioritises both maximum uptime and environmental sustainability, we invite you to contact us to learn more about the capabilities at our London edge and Manchester sites.

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Datum’s northern footprint – MCR2 and Manchester as a leading connectivity hub

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Growth and partnerships

Manchester Tech Week provided an impetus for an event at our Manchester campus to mark our ongoing data centre developments, our strategic partnerships, and our position within the thriving Manchester tech community.

Manchester has established itself as a major player within the UK technology sector. As businesses increasingly look beyond the capital for resilient, high-performance IT environments, Manchester offers a rapidly expanding alternative.

The rise of Manchester as a digital hub

The claim that Manchester is a northern technology powerhouse is backed by compelling data – the city is a mature, high-capacity digital hub that provides a robust alternative to London-centric network architectures.

During this week’s event, Colin Peckham, Global Business Development at LINX (London Internet Exchange), shared valuable insights into network growth across the north. The statistics highlight a significant shift in data consumption and routing patterns. Peak network traffic in Manchester grew by an impressive 28% during 2025 and the Manchester exchange is one of the fastest-growing exchanges in the UK.

Traffic volumes are not yet quite at the one-terabit level but major broadcast events, such as the World Cup, may well provide the push over this figure. This level of network density and throughput earns Manchester the status as a critical node for national and international connectivity.

A decade-long partnership with LINX

Datum has partnered with LINX for a decade, and our Manchester site has operated as a LINX Point of Presence (PoP) since 2019.

This long-standing relationship has been fundamental in providing our clients with direct, high-speed access to a massive peering network. During his presentation, Colin Peckham reflected on the evolution of our collaboration and the unique operational environment Datum provides:

“When I first started working with Datum it was like a breath of fresh air,” Peckham noted. “It was almost an island data centre within Wythenshawe – with very good customers and networks because of the way they operated.”

This operational excellence remains the foundation of our service delivery, ensuring that clients benefit from both superior infrastructure and unparalleled connectivity options.

MCR2 – our newest enterprise grade colocation data centre

The official launch of our MCR2 data centre in June 2025 represented a major milestone for Datum and the broader Manchester tech community. Tom Blundy, Senior Technical Director at Salute (specialists in global data centre design, build, commissioning, and operations, who served as our key partner in the design and construction of MCR2) also spoke at our event about the technical achievements of our latest Manchester facility.

Tom explained how MCR2 stands out within the UK market for several distinct technical and operational reasons:

  • It is relatively rare for UK data centre sites to be constructed to such exacting standards. By designing MCR2 from the ground up, we eliminated any compromises sometimes associated with retrofitting older buildings.
  • Energy efficiency is ingrained into the very fabric of how MCR2 is designed and operated. The facility employs highly innovative and energy-efficient cooling systems that minimise environmental impact while maintaining optimal operating temperatures for dense compute loads. This commitment to sustainability ensures that our clients can meet their own corporate environmental targets without sacrificing performance or reliability.
  • Physical security is paramount for enterprise infrastructure. MCR2 offers ultimate site security, featuring an on-campus police-linked, NSI Gold Approved BS5979 security centre directly on-site. This provides clients with total peace of mind, knowing their critical hardware and sensitive data are protected by the highest standard of physical access controls and continuous monitoring.
  • A core element of the Datum philosophy is our service-based approach. We understand that standard, off-the-shelf colocation does not suit every enterprise. MCR2 facilitates highly flexible deployment options, encouraging the creation of bespoke solutions that perfectly match exact client requirements. Whether an organisation needs a single high-density rack or a private, custom-configured data suite, MCR2 accommodates those specific operational demands.

To round off the event, we took attendees on a tour of MCR2. Walking the floor provided a tangible look at the enterprise-grade standards, the cooling innovations, and the rigorous security protocols in action.

Visitors take a guided tour of MCR2.

Looking ahead: expanding our London edge campus

While we celebrate our growth in Manchester, development continues across our wider portfolio. Hot on the heels of the MCR2 completion, construction has officially begun on FRN2.

Situated adjacent to our flagship London edge site in Farnborough, FRN2 will deliver the same exacting standards of resilience, efficiency, and security that our clients have come to expect.

For organisations planning their next IT deployment, choosing the right partner and location is a critical business decision. Whether you are looking to use our London edge facility or our Manchester site as your primary or secondary data centre, or to take advantage of both as part of a comprehensive disaster recovery strategy, our team is ready to assist.

Get in touch with Datum today to discuss your specific infrastructure requirements and discover how we can support your long-term goals.

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We take pride in our service. But what do our clients really think?

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Colocation with a difference

When we founded Datum in 2013, our vision was to provide a better alternative to the default scale colocation providers – data centre facilities offering advanced performance efficiencies, superior resilience and security, and (crucially) exceptional service to provide real value to our clients.

It’s true that the foundation of our offering is a secure, resilient location where clients can house their IT infrastructure and workloads, but the key differentiator is the support and partnership we offer our clients to facilitate the development of the bespoke, hybrid solutions they require. No two clients are the same. Their requirements are many and varied, and we embrace this. In fact, it’s what makes us tick.

Complex? We LOVE complex!

We elevate our offering well beyond ‘colocation with a service wrapper’. Where we really shine is when dealing with complexity – getting our team involved in developing bespoke, flexible and scalable solutions that fulfil client needs.

This approach is why we have been so successful as a platform for digital transformation. True digital transformation requires a deep understanding of client needs, the development of bespoke solutions, and the accommodation of specific client requirements. We ensure a smooth transition, making this complex process as smooth and pain-free as possible. Importantly, we build in the flexibility for client installations to evolve over time rather than pegging out a pitch and stepping away.

What our clients say…

The bespoke nature of our offering means that client feedback is paramount – without this feedback we are unable to shape our offering to meet their needs. As part of this feedback process, we run an annual client survey, focusing in on some key elements that help us measure the quality of the service we offer. For example, we look closely at:

  • the way we deal with client requests and issues;
  • client perception of the range and scope of services we offer;
  • our ability to meet required timescales.

Dealing with requests and issues

Things move fast for our clients and as the custodians of their business-critical IT and workloads it is vital that we respond quickly to their needs. We know that downtime is not an option, and our 100% uptime SLA guarantees that downtime won’t be an issue for our clients.

Occasionally, however, other issues may arise, or clients may require changes to be made to their installation at short notice, and they rely on us to respond swiftly and efficiently. That’s why we are immensely pleased to receive glowing feedback on our response to requests and issues:

“Any issues/problems are addressed quickly and are often remedied immediately. Datum communicate well with [us], and are fair and transparent at all times.”

This high standard applies across the board. As one client puts it:

“Things like visitor requests, goods-in delivery requests, right through to more crucial issues within in the data hall environment, are all met with the same prompt, professional, reliable approach.”

Range and scope of services

Whilst our service can be measured in terms of footprint and power, this is only part of the story. We overlay this with a whole range of additional services, often offered by our network of partners – as client requirements change, so does our range of service offerings. This means that our clients can be sure that they are part of wider ecosystem that can support them as they evolve.

When asked what improvements could be made to our range or level of services, one major client responded: “I don’t know if that’s possible.”

Of course, we are very grateful for comments like these. That said, we don’t take them as licence to be lackadaisical – client requirements are constantly changing, so our partner network and scope of available services must evolve constantly too.

Meeting agreed timescales

Inordinate amounts of planning and scheduling are required (often amongst multiple service providers) to prevent service interruptions and delays. This is especially true during migrations to our facility and during complex digital transformation processes.

Setting realistic timescales and sticking to them is vital, and over-promising is counterproductive, so we do all we can to stick to the deadlines we set. If there is slippage, we are clear about implications and offer workarounds to prevent disruption. We are pleased that the feedback we received about our timescales during our client survey was overwhelmingly positive:

“Any requests for additional services/quotations/tasks are always treated with priority. Very efficient!”

Moving in the right direction

While we’re very grateful to our respondents for taking the time to share such positive feedback – we’re equally appreciative for the insight and recommendations for making our service offering even better. This real-world, ‘client’s eye view’ of Datum is invaluable feedback that we will take on board and act on accordingly. And as long we continue to receive reviews like this one from our clients, we can be sure that we are moving in the right direction:

“Our relationship with all Datum staff is brilliant. Everyone is approachable and polite. Datum FRN is perfectly situated for us, as it is close to the M3 corridor, making it easy for all of our staff to visit. The quality of services at Datum FRN is superb.”

If you’re considering an off premise solution for your business-critical IT and workloads, and would like to see for yourself what a partnership with Datum might bring, why not get in touch or book a tour of our Farnborough or Manchester facilities?

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60 seconds with ... Vicki Cooper

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Meet our new Client Service Manager

We’re pleased to officially welcome Vicki Cooper to the Datum team – Vicki joined us at the beginning of 2026 as our new Client Service Manager.

We sat down with Vicki to learn more about her day-to-day responsibilities, her professional background, and her perspective on the technology that drives our business forward.

Vicki’s day-to-day – maximising our clients’ investment

At the core of Vicki’s role is a commitment to ensuring our clients get the absolute most out of their data investment. She manages the monthly service review cycle for our data system accounts, keeping clients completely informed through data-driven reporting.

This involves delivering tailored reports and graphical visualisations of capacity readings, rack consumption, and kW and kWh charts. By doing this, Vicki enables our clients to monitor power consumption trends and make highly informed decisions regarding their system capacity.

“The monthly reviews of capacity readings allow me to spot trends before they become a problem,” Vicki explains. “I am able to report if a client is approaching their limit and ensure they are always using exactly what they pay for.”

Vicki’s take on Datum

Vicki brought a strong foundation of transferable skills in customer service and administration to Datum. However, she specifically chose to join us because she wanted to challenge herself within a more technical environment.

She enjoys the collaborative environment at Datum, noting that every day brings a new challenge. What particularly stands out to Vicki is the seamless collaboration between the technical and client-facing teams. This dynamic allows her to get answers quickly, ensuring she can provide fast, accurate responses to clients.

“There is a real one-team mentality here,” Vicki notes. “The proactive nature of the company has really stood out to me, and there is also a genuine openness to sharing knowledge.”

Vicki before Datum

Before her role at Datum, Vicki built a career centered around high-volume customer interaction. She spent 13 years with Evergreen Garden Care in the agricultural sector, a role that allowed her to master the end-to-end customer journey. Prior to that, she worked for Philips Electronics.

Throughout her career, Vicki has managed a wide range of complex customer systems and digital portals, which has stood her in good stead for supporting client needs at Datum.

Vicki’s take on tech

Vicki doesn’t come from a traditional technical background, so she offers a slightly different perspective on things. Mostly, she notes how well technology empowers the client and drives business growth.

When asked about the hurdles of the job, she points to the sheer volume of data as the biggest challenge. In terms of tech, her computer remains the one tool she simply could not live without, as it integrates every single aspect of her job. And if she could banish one thing from the workplace forever? Physical paper reports. She vastly prefers a streamlined, digital approach.

Vicki outside work

When she’s not working, Vicki believes that physical activity is the best way to hit the reset button. In her spare time, she enjoys staying as active as possible. She also loves hosting friends and getting involved in organising events.

Describe Datum in three words

Proactive. Reliable. Efficient.

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Working to mitigate the impact of global energy volatility on our clients

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Managing energy costs amid fluctuations

Energy costs remain a critical operational variable for businesses across the UK and with wholesale energy markets experiencing ongoing fluctuations, managing these costs is increasingly important.

We monitor these shifts closely to ensure we provide commercial stability for the businesses that rely on our infrastructure. As such, we have taken steps to secure fixed energy pricing for our clients due to the recent geopolitical events influencing market rates.

How gas prices drive UK electricity costs

In the UK, electricity prices are intrinsically linked to wholesale gas prices. This connection exists primarily because of the marginal pricing model used within the national power market. In short, the price of electricity is determined by the most expensive method of generating power that is needed to meet the country’s electricity demand at any given moment. Since gas-fired power stations are often used to quickly adjust and balance the electricity supply (because they can be turned on and off relatively easily), gas frequently ends up being the ‘marginal fuel’ (i.e. the one that sets the price for electricity). So, when gas prices go up, electricity prices tend to rise as well. As such, gas effectively controls the baseline operating costs for almost every commercial enterprise in the country and when geopolitical shocks push gas prices upwards, electricity prices inevitably follow.

Recent market volatility in context

Since the beginning of March 2026, UK wholesale gas prices have more than doubled, triggered by the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. This surge has prompted a significant spike in the electricity wholesale market. According to Reuters, European benchmark gas prices have risen by more than 50% since this conflict began, reflecting market anxieties over potential supply chain disruptions in the Middle East.

Managing such extreme volatility requires careful planning. While the current market movements are significant, they are not yet comparable to the severe price shocks that followed the Russian invasion of Ukraine. During the height of that energy crisis, wholesale power prices peaked at a 400% increase. At the time, we pursued prudent power buying strategies and secured energy contracts that limited the commercial impact to around 40% for our clients, thus absorbing and mitigating the worst of the 400% market peak.

The situation in the Middle East has given us cause to fix prices again in the interests of our clients. Because industry does not have the luxury of a price cap, businesses are entirely exposed to the fluctuations of the wholesale market unless they put specific purchasing agreements in place. For data centres like ours, unmanaged exposure to the wholesale market represents a significant financial risk. For the sake of our operations, and those of our clients, we need to know our operational expenditure well in advance so relying on variable rates is not a sustainable option.

Securing stability for our clients

Due to the ongoing volatility in global gas markets and the absence of commercial price caps, we have taken definitive action to protect our clients from unpredictable operating costs through fixed power pricing. This locked-in rate shields our clients from the current market uncertainty, as well as any future market shocks, for at least the next 18 months.

We made this decision based on a factual assessment of current geopolitical risks and the structural realities of the UK electricity market. By securing these rates now, we ensure that our clients will not be subjected to sudden billing increases if global energy markets experience further disruptions.

The past few years have demonstrated exactly how volatile the geopolitical environment can be and our focus remains on delivering resilient infrastructure and commercial stability despite the uncertainty. By fixing power prices for the next 18 months, we provide a predictable environment where businesses can plan their IT operations with total confidence in their cost base.

If you are considering your options for colocation, we invite you to arrange a tour of our Manchester or Farnborough data centres to see our facilities and operations first-hand.

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Our official 2026 kick-off event: steering the course

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A good omen to start the day

It is often said that rain on your wedding day is good luck. We would argue that having a Datum-branded umbrella to shield you from that rain is even luckier.

We kicked off our 2026 company event with a rather brilliant surprise: seeing our branding feature prominently in a couple’s wedding photos. There stood the happy couple, immaculate in their finery, huddled safely beneath a Datum brolly. It was a poignant reminder to us all: always leave merchandise lying around – you never know when it might become the hero of someone’s nuptials.

With that auspicious start, we settled in to review the year that was and chart our path for the year ahead.

Thriving amongst the chaos: looking back at 2025

Our review of 2025 was aptly titled ‘thriving amongst the chaos’. The data centre industry, much like the rest of the world, had to navigate some significant hurdles. But, despite these, 2025 was a year of resilience at Datum. While the macroeconomic climate felt shaky to say the least, we kept going (and growing). It wasn’t always an easy ride – few sectors had one – but we emerged stronger. We didn’t just survive the turbulence; we managed to grow, adapting to external pressures without compromising the service levels our clients expect.

Our success in 2025 wasn’t down to luck (or wedding umbrellas). It was down to a steadfast refusal to be thrown by global instabilities and a clear understanding of who we are. We know our proposition. We know our strengths. And we certainly know how to handle a bit of pressure.

Steering the course: our vision for 2026

Looking ahead to 2026, the theme was decidedly nautical: ‘steering the course’, with metaphors involving rudders, compasses and steady ships aplenty.

The data centre market is evolving rapidly. We are seeing trends towards massive consolidation and commoditisation, where service becomes secondary to scale. That is not the Datum way. Our vision for 2026 is to double down on what makes us different. We live and die by our team – our people and our service are a key Datum differentiator. Yes, we provide high-quality colocation and facilities (the recent opening of MCR2 and the in-progress build of FRN2 reflect this) but we know the human element truly makes a difference for our clients.

Back to the nautical theme, for a moment …. We are clear on our course. The waters might be choppy, but our ship is sturdy, and our crew is exceptional. We will continue to focus on premium service, ensuring that while others might drift towards generic solutions, we stay true to high-performance, client-focused colocation.

Team building – the Taskmaster way

After the serious business of discussing our strategy and plans, we needed to clear our mental palates before dinner. Naturally, we chose the most sensible option: a Taskmaster-style team building event. Quite honestly, if you have never seen your CEO covered in pink post-it notes, you haven’t truly experienced corporate bonding.

The afternoon was a masterclass in problem-solving, or perhaps just creative chaos. We watched grown adults contort themselves into human letters to spell out words, and we discovered hidden talents within the ranks – some team members possess an uncanny ability to rip precise animal shapes out of plain paper. Others, it turns out, have spent far too much time practising throwing teabags into small pots from a distance.

This wasn’t just about making fools of ourselves (though we excelled at that). It was about strengthening our culture and driving collaboration across our two sites. Aligning our goals is easier when you’ve laughed together while trying to camouflage a team member against the interior furnishings.

And the winner is …

Ultimately, the green team took the crown, proving themselves the masters of obscure tasks and lateral thinking. But as we face 2026, we do so as a united front – ready to steer the course (always keeping a branded umbrella handy, just in case). If you’re ready to experience the difference that a dedicated team and high-quality service can make to your off premise data centre provision, talk to us today about your colocation requirements.

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