Leading Digital Transformation in Latin America with Substantial Investments

Jul 4, 2024

Investments, Expansions and Strategic Alliances

Since the end of 2022, when Cirion Technologies became an independent company, with the support of Stonepeak[1], it has not stopped investing to strengthen and expand its extensive digital and technological infrastructure in Latin America. In 2023, it was about 270 million dollars and by 2024 it projects an investment of 327 million dollars in the region.

The company’s expansions include new network and data center infrastructure, with the addition of new data centers (SAN2 and LIM2) that interconnect with Cirion’s existing data centers, the recently completed expansion of the data center complex in São Paulo, Brazil (SAO1), which increases its total capacity by more than 50%, and has already begun the expansions of its data centers in Rio (RIO1) and Buenos Aires (BUE1). These projects ensure continued scalability for Cirion’s customers as cloud adoption and digital demand continues to proliferate rapidly in Latin America.

Throughout 2023, we continued to expand our fiber network in Latin America by adding more than 115 Tb/s of capacity to terrestrial optical networks and increasing Peering capacity, enabling exchanges of more than 27 Tb/s with other providers. We also increased capacity in different submarine cable segments, bringing the submarine network to a total capacity of approximately 150 TB.

We have developed new strategic alliances with global players such as Qwilt, Tata Communications, CBC Tech, Connectbase, among others, with the purpose of significantly expanding market penetration and strengthening offerings to customers seeking services in Latin America.

These partnerships are making a huge difference, allowing us to offer more efficient and scalable content delivery services, improve accessibility for buyers and other customers in the ecosystem, and expand the reach of their services.

Industry Recognitions

No less important are the industry recognitions. Cirion was awarded the 2023 Company of the Year Award in the Telecom Data Center Services category, and also in the Managed SD-WAN Industry, by Frost & Sullivan. These prestigious recognitions, bestowed by one of the most respected research and analysis firms in the industry, reaffirm our dedication to excellence and our prominent position in the industry. Frost & Sullivan recognizes companies that demonstrate innovation, consistent growth, and strong leadership in their markets, and these awards are a testament to our commitment and outstanding performance.

Most recently, Cirion was recognized as a Google Gold Verified Peering Provider (VPP), so that customers can access Google services, enjoying optimized access to high-speed connectivity, through Cirion’s network.

Service Expansion and Trust Conquered

In addition to investments and recognition, we have achieved significant milestones in the expansion of services and in the trust placed in us by our customers.

We expanded the reach of our Bare Metal Cloud product to Colombia by amplifying the technological infrastructure in Latin America, with the implementation of new regions, thus bringing greater agility from the cloud to the IT infrastructure through an innovative capacity as a service.

We implemented new multicloud connections in Querétaro (Mexico) and Santiago (Chile) with the aim of giving companies in the region even faster and more reliable access to the advantages of the cloud, while ensuring the security and efficiency of their connections. These two new multicloud environments with AWS, Google Cloud, Azure and Oracle are in addition to the existing one in São Paulo; as well as connections in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) for Microsoft, Buenos Aires (Argentina) for AWS and Santiago (Chile) for Oracle.

We presented the SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) solution, a network architecture approach that combines WAN, LAN, Cloud, and remote access network connectivity and security into one unified solution. SASE provides a secure and scalable infrastructure for accessing cloud applications and services, enabling organizations to efficiently protect and optimize network traffic.

Nelson Fonseca, an executive with more than 25 years of experience in the area of digital infrastructure, was named president of the Data Center business, further strengthening our executive leadership, which already has the experience of Leonardo Barbero, as president of the Fiber business unit.

Likewise, several customers who rely on Cirion’s solutions, such as the YDUQS Group, one of the most important educational groups in Brazil, which has modernized its IT infrastructure, improving its operational capacity, Zapping.com, from Chile, which seeks to revolutionize live streaming in Latin America, providing high-performance technology to transform the user experience, the Anahuac University of Mexico, which aims to improve the connectivity and networks of the distance education system, among many other customers, share their experiences with Cirion, in order to encourage digital transformation throughout the region.

Innovation and Security

We are at the forefront of technological innovation and strengthening our cybersecurity measures. These initiatives ensure that our customers receive high-quality solutions in fully secure environments.

For these and many other reasons to be proud, we want to thank our customers for their continued support and trust in Cirion Technologies.

For more information on our recent initiatives and achievements, visit our website and follow the latest news from Cirion by subscribing to our monthly newsletter.

[1] Stonepeak is a leading investment firm specializing in global digital infrastructure, managing assets worth approximately US$61.1 billion. Stonepeak’s global data center portfolio includes Cirion in Latin America, Cologix in North America, Digital Edge in Asia, and a joint venture with American Tower’s CoreSite in the United States.

The Future of Data Centers in Latin America: Transformation Driven by Artificial Intelligence

May 2, 2024

In an increasingly interconnected world, artificial intelligence will be a driver of transformation for the data center industry in Latin America

Artificial intelligence (AI) stands as a powerful force redefining the way we interact with technology, and Latin America is part of that revolution. In this context, the data center industry, the backbone of digital infrastructure, is at an inflection point, where the implementation of AI promises to redefine its operations and efficiency.

Data Centers are critical to driving the rapid adoption of digitalization, including artificial intelligence. However, it is important to consider the industry’s environmental impact and energy consumption. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) report, improvements in energy efficiency have helped control the growth in energy demand from data centers and data transmission networks, which currently demand about 1-1.5% of overall electricity use.

One of the prominent applications of artificial intelligence in data centers is its ability to improve energy efficiency: implementing AI algorithms for real-time monitoring and adjustment can significantly reduce energy consumption, improving sustainability and reducing operating costs.

Gartner predicts that by 2025, 50% of data center operators will adopt artificial intelligence, bots, and machine learning to improve energy and operational efficiency^[1].

On the other hand, automation is another area where artificial intelligence is starting to make its mark in data centers. In fact, AI can be used to automate capacity planning, supported by historical data on resource demand. AI can also be applied to identify and anticipate errors and system failures, while enabling self-healing mechanisms or processes. This would not only contribute to reducing the risk of human error, improving the reliability and safety of operations.^[2]

The implementation of AI in infrastructure management enables faster and more accurate decision-making, optimizing resource allocation and ensuring optimal performance at all times. This is especially important in an environment where the demand for data storage and processing capacity is experiencing exponential growth.

These are some of the reasons why we say that artificial intelligence is advancing in shaping a more efficient and sustainable future for data centers in Latin America and the world. The statistics underscore the need for proactive adoption of AI to drive energy efficiency, automation, and innovation in data management. And because technology today requires scale and flexibility, having business partners that enable organizations to embrace this transformation in an agile and simple way will be better positioned to meet future challenges and capitalize on emerging opportunities in an increasingly competitive market, whatever industry we look at.

^[1] EY and Gartner, 2022. https://www.ey.com/en_in/technology/how-ai-and-automation-make-data-centers-greener-and-more-sustainable

^[2] Venture Beat, 2023. https://venturebeat.com/data-infrastructure/ai-and-ml-the-new-frontier-for-data-center-innovation-and-optimization/

Author:
Nelson Fonseca
President, Data Centers
Cirion Technologies

The inevitable transition to SASE; beyond legacy security

Apr 16, 2024

The increasing complexity of cyber threats calls for an evolution on how to approach security, leaving legacy hardware-based solutions behind and embracing a more agile and efficient architecture.

Cybersecurity is more critical than ever in today’s digital age. The increasing complexity of cyberthreats calls for an evolution in security approaches, leaving legacy hardware-based solutions behind and embracing a more agile and efficient architecture – the SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) platform. The question is no longer whether to make this transition, but when and how to perform this radical shift.

Legacy, hardware-based security has been a cornerstone for decades. However, the rise of remote work, network expansion, and threat diversification have clearly exposed the significant limitations of these solutions. The rigidity and lack of adaptability of legacy infrastructures hinder an effective protection against cyberthreats, in a dynamic and constantly changing environment, where different sources agreed that the number of attacks grew by three digits in 2023 versus 2022, both for personal data and government entities’.^[1] And, if a shred of doubt was left, in an IBM report on data breach cost for 2023, 95% of respondents who suffered a data breach, said they experienced more than one. Not a minor issue.

The cloud-based SASE platform emerges to tackle these challenges. By integrating security and networking functions, SASE provides a unified architecture adjustable to the changing needs of modern businesses. Cloud inherent mobility and flexibility allow organizations to protect their infrastructure without sacrificing operational agility.

Transitioning to SASE is not just a strategic choice, but an imperative. The decentralized nature of today’s work demands a security approach that goes beyond traditional network boundaries. Thanks to its edge security approach and cloud service delivery the SASE platform is the perfect match for this new work reality.

The key component for transitioning is given by a mindset shift. It’s not just about the adoption of new technologies but embracing a security culture adjustable to cyberthreats’ dynamic nature. The SASE platform not only delivers greater operational efficiency, but also fosters across-the-board collaboration and adaptability.

Additionally, cloud-based security provides an opportunity to improve user experience. By removing the need for routing through legacy devices, SASE enables faster, more secure, anywhere access to enterprise resources. Thus, we are not only enhancing productivity; the security posture becomes more robust by ensuring users secure resource access, when needed.

However, transitioning to SASE is not free of challenges. Migration management and platform integration into the existing framework are critical steps. Staff training and joint collaboration between IT and security teams will be essential in this process of change.

What matters here is noting that transitioning from legacy hardware-based security to the cloud-based SASE platform is no longer a “yes or no” but rather a “when” question. The need of adjusting to an ever-evolving business environment and the increasingly sophisticated cyberthreats make SASE the logical choice. Our future security is no longer waiting; it’s in the cloud, and transitioning is inevitable.

^[1] “Data Breach Investigations Report,” Verizon, 2023. Vs. “Data Breach Investigations Report,” Verizon, 2014-2022. https://www.apple.com/newsroom/pdfs/The-Continued-Threat-to-Personal-Data-Key-Factors-Behind-the-2023-Increase.pdf

Author:
Alejandro Girardotti
Senior Director of Products, Innovation and Strategic Alliances
Cirion Technologies

What I’ve experienced as a woman in the Technology market

Mar 19, 2024

How my experiences and challenges helped me conquer space in this sector

What woman has never heard one of the following statements during their business day? “Here comes (woman’s name) to embellish our meeting”, “Are you having one of those days?”, “Is everything okay at home?”, “She’s very masculine”, “Your pregnancy will hinder your growth”, “She must be dating the boss.” I’ll stop here, but the number of phrases and expressions is as huge as is machismo in our society. However, I’ll focus on the professional market, especially the technology one, where I’ve been working for over 30 years, and how to succeed in this area.

In IT, many women still hear: “It’s so cool that you work in this area, even though you’re a woman.” Unfortunately, us women are still few in this market. More precisely, the most recent PNAD (National Household Sample Survey) carried out by the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) shows that only 20% of the professionals working in this sector are women. And although I experience this every day, I also wonder why this is still happening.

Certainly, there are many possible explanations – from prejudice, machismo, historical and social contexts, to the real, emotional and physical difficulties only women can understand. This entails gigantic consequences, and one of the main ones is that I missed out on having female professional benchmarks in the IT area. During my trajectory, I’ve had a few or none at all. In 1993, at the beginning of my career, the number of women that had already trailed this path before me and who I could look up to was almost null. My performance references where all men and as a result I ended up adopting a more masculine manner of dealing with business. I even changed my tone of voice to speak louder and stronger.

Without benchmark and information, since not much was said about gender equality, I believed that that was the norm and that I should adapt myself to it. Fortunately, 30 years later, we’ve come a long way in regard to obtaining more inclusive corporate environments. Now, we have more female examples of success, and this inspires new generations to believe that growth is possible in any type of sector.

How to overcome challenges?

On that note, here’s some sound advice. If you wish to work in IT, don’t give up. Study a lot and never give up. Look for positive standards and reprogram your mind. Even if you’re afraid, continue moving on. Be inspired by women who made it, don’t be afraid of new challenges, be flexible, and carry on, one day at a time, knowing that one day, you too will be an example and inspiration for other girls and women.

And to leverage this inspirational and motivational mood, many people ask me how I’ve faced and face challenges in my career. Nowadays, I see these obstacles as barriers that can be overcome. I create strategies and methods and do my best to solve them. I know this sounds easy and like self-help rhetoric. I understand, but I started to face things this way after I became a mother to an autistic child, who is my reason for living.

Especially after I became a mother, I started understanding that any challenge can be overcome, and I learned how to deal with all aspects of my life with greater humanity and awareness. One of my methods is to establish and believe in an exterior motive – even in my worst days, I was going to work not only for myself. I went to work every day for my son, for my family.

Personally, I also believe – because I’ve learned it through practice – that all experiences serve a purpose. Amid good and bad situations that make you uncomfortable or uneasy, like mistakes and betrayal, are things I’m sure will make me stronger. I know they will make sense within my story and that they happened exactly as they should in order for me to evolve. I believe that this type of mentality helps us to go through these situations in such a way that we can overcome them.

My reality today

Currently, I lead more than 1,000 employees and partners in 20 countries who control more than 90.5 thousand kilometers of terrestrial and submarine fiber, more than 12,400 connected buildings, across 2,000 network nodes. In addition to the operational portion, my daily work is closely related to the development of these teams and of each employee under my supervision. I believe in the importance of humanized leadership through actionable methodologies, and for that reason, I travel across Latin America to meet and interact with each one of these individuals. This dedication increases not only our individual results, but also the company’s results as a whole.

And of course, I fight for greater inclusion in our workplace and, especially, in the technology industry. This article is also another important initiative to drive reflection and give visibility to this extremely serious, urgent, and important matter.

Last but not least, when you hear one of the phrases mentioned above or even the ones only mentioned behind your back – about the violence and disrespect you’ve experienced – I leave you with a reflection I like a lot: don’t take personally that which belongs to the other. And move on!

Author:
Tatiana Fonseca
EVP Operations
Cirion Technologies

Tatiana currently holds the position of Executive Vice President of Operations for Cirion Technologies. She has more than 23 years of experience as a technology executive and consultant for large telecom companies, always obtaining significant results in environments with major investments and challenging timelines. She has led digital transformation projects, organizational restructuring during merger processes, development and implementation of new business models, systems, and critical processes for Operations, Engineering, IT, Customer Relations, Marketing, and Sales.

Navigating the New Frontier: Challenges and Opportunities for Chinese Companies Expanding into Latin America

Feb 6, 2024

Expanding into Latin America presents a significant opportunity for Chinese companies to tap into new markets and increase their global presence. China’s investments in Latin America have been welcomed by the region and have helped fill the gap in energy and transportation infrastructure and other industries. However, there are also some challenges that Chinese businesses may face when starting their business in the region. While these challenges can vary based on industry, country-specific factors, and the nature of the business, some common hurdles include cultural differences, regulatory and legal complexity, and communication barriers among other factors.

Collaborating with local companies can significantly improve the chances of success for Chinese businesses entering the Latin American market. Their local expertise, networks, and understanding of the business environment contribute to a more seamless entry and sustained growth in the region.

For instance, the partnership between CBC Tech and Cirion Technologies can provide valuable assistance to Chinese companies with their telecommunications and technology needs in the region. This collaboration provides tailored solutions to meet the unique needs of Chinese companies establishing a foothold in Latin America.

Localized Expertise for Optimal Connectivity:

In navigating the diverse markets of Latin America, local expertise plays a pivotal role. This collaboration ensures Chinese companies benefit from the Latin American digital infrastructure and technology partner’s deep understanding of regional nuances, regulatory landscapes, and cultural dynamics. This localized insight guarantees that telecommunication and IT solutions are not only technically robust but also aligned with the expectations of Latin American businesses.

Tailored Solutions for Seamless Integration:

The partnership focuses on delivering robust telecommunication and IT solutions, from high-speed internet services, data networks to cloud connectivity, hosting and unified communications, the offerings are crafted to seamlessly integrate with the operations and growth strategies of Chinese enterprises in the region.

Robust Security Measures for Data Protection:

In an era where data security is paramount, the partnership places a strong emphasis on cybersecurity. Chinese companies can trust that their sensitive information is safeguarded through state-of-the-art security measures, ensuring compliance with local data protection regulations in Latin America.

Scalability and Flexibility for Business Growth:

Telecommunication and IT needs evolve with business growth, and this partnership ensures that Chinese companies have scalable and flexible solutions. Whether expanding operations, increasing bandwidth, or adapting to new technologies, the telecom services provided are designed to grow seamlessly alongside the dynamic requirements of Chinese enterprises.

Avoidance of Currency Exchange Hassles:

Local billing allows customers to pay for telecom services in their local currency, avoiding the complexities and potential fluctuations associated with currency exchange. This simplifies the billing process for both parties.

Navigating Local Regulations:

Assist in navigating and complying with local telecom regulations in Latin American countries to ensure legal adherence.

24/7 Customer Support for Uninterrupted Operations:

Recognizing the importance of uninterrupted operations, the partnership provides 24/7 customer support. Chinese companies can rely on prompt assistance for technical queries, troubleshooting, and ongoing support, ensuring that their telecommunication infrastructure remains robust and operational at all times.

In conclusion, Chinese companies can now establish a robust telecommunication and digital infrastructure in Latin America, thanks to the strategic partnership between CBC Tech and Cirion Technologies. This collaboration combines the strengths of CBC Tech with the localized expertise of Cirion, a trusted Latin American partner, to redefine the telecommunication and technological landscape. The partnership aims to empower Chinese enterprises to thrive in the dynamic and interconnected markets of Latin America by providing them with the necessary tools and resources to succeed.

Cirion’s expertise in local markets, regulatory compliance, and technological capabilities can contribute to the success of Chinese companies expanding their presence in Latin America.

With more than 90,500 km of fiber networks, Cirion is one of the few pan-Latin American networks with a presence in more than 20 countries, with global reach and one of the few submarine network providers. Cirion also operate one of the most interconnected carrier-neutral data center platforms in Latin America, with 18 own data centers.

CBC Tech can distribute these services to customers in China and Asia Pacific, thus enriching its service portfolio and providing customers with an expanded range of sophisticated solutions in Latin America.

Author:
Oscar Fontalvo
Sales and Marketing Manager for the Indirect Channels
Cirion Technologies

Cirion and Qwilt Partner to Revolutionize Content Delivery Services Throughout Latin America

Jan 17, 2024

New partnership brings better digital experiences across live streaming, video-on-demand, and other forms of media and application delivery to 600+ million Latin American consumers
Makes Cirion one of Latin America’s largest low-latency CDN service providers
Empowers global content publishers to maintain a top Quality of Experience (QoE) and deliver locally amid rising content demand

MIAMI, FL, and REDWOOD CITY, CA, January,17, 2024 – Cirion Technologies and Qwilt today announced their partnership which will expand Qwilt’s global ecosystem of service providers to bring a more efficient and scalable content delivery network in Latin America. This transformative partnership means higher quality live streaming, video-on-demand (VoD) and all other forms of media delivery to the over 600 million consumers across all of Latin America.

The exponential growth of mobile users, IoT devices, and cloud applications globally brings new demands on service provider networks. By combining with Qwilt’s all-edge global delivery network, Cirion ensures content reaches subscribers with superior quality, improving digital experiences across the region while enabling content and application publishers worldwide to deliver locally to their viewers, wherever they may be. Qwilt’s powerful solution, deeply embedded within network infrastructure, empowers service providers to optimize and efficiently scale their networks while continually delivering great digital experiences.

“Data consumption and Internet traffic is increasing rapidly across Latin America, and content providers need delivery services that are efficient in light of growing competition for Internet bandwidth. With this agreement, Cirion and Qwilt’s combined CDN offerings are strengthened, meeting the needs of CDN customers,” said Alejandro Girardotti, Senior Director of Products, Innovation and Strategic Alliances at Cirion Technologies.

Cirion´s content delivery network enables reliable content delivery to users around Latin America. Many of the world’s leading media and ecommerce sites rely on its programmable edge and proven customer service to grow their businesses. This new partnership, based on Qwilt’s Open Caching technology, allows Cirion to scale up rapidly as market demand increases. It substantially increases Cirion’s ability to reliably deliver high-quality live and VoD streaming throughout the region and becomes one of the largest low-latency CDN service providers across Latin America.

As a leading digital infrastructure and technology provider, Cirion counts over 50,000km of terrestrial long-haul and metropolitan fiber optics, 36,000km of submarine cables and 18 landing stations, allowing it to operate with scalable networks capable of adapting to the increase in connected users without impacting their QoE.

“Our infrastructure adapts dynamically and in real-time to market demands, enabling an efficient management of critical applications and their data. This makes it possible for companies to identify market trends in advance and respond quickly, with solutions that stimulate future growth,” says Girardotti.

“Cirion is an exciting addition to our global ecosystem of service providers, and we are delighted to help power a unique content delivery service offering in Latin America,” said Alon Maor, CEO, Qwilt. “Our all-edge architecture provides a new economic model for streaming delivery, in which Cirion´s network infrastructure and CDN services play a central role in the end-to-end value chain. This announcement underscores the momentum we are gathering as we realize our ambition to build the world’s highest performing edge delivery network.”

About Qwilt

Qwilt’s mission is to deliver connected experiences at the quality they were imagined. Its model is built on partnerships with service providers and content publishers, globally, to create a fabric that powers high-performance delivery of media and applications at the very edge of neighborhoods, big and small.

Qwilt’s open architecture and inclusive business model make local edge delivery more accessible than ever before, unlocking more reliable, higher quality-of-experience at greater scale than previously possible. A growing number of the world’s leading content publishers and cable, telco, and mobile service providers rely on Qwilt for Edge Cloud services, including BT, Telecom Argentina, Telecom Italia, and Verizon.

Founded in 2010, Qwilt is a leader of the Open Caching movement and a founding member of the Streaming Video Alliance. Qwilt is backed by Accel Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners, Cisco Ventures, Disruptive, Innovation Endeavors, Marker, and Redpoint Ventures. For more information, visit www.qwilt.com.

About Cirion:

Cirion is a leading digital infrastructure and technology provider, offering a comprehensive suite of fiber network, connectivity, colocation, cloud infrastructure, and communication and collaboration solutions with the purpose of furthering Latin America´s progress through technology. Cirion serves over 5,500 Latin America-based and multinational customers, including enterprises, government agencies, cloud service providers, wireline and wireless carriers, ISPs, and other leading businesses. Cirion owns and operates a facilities-based network and data center portfolio, with extensive coverage spanning across the Latin America region. Learn more about Cirion at www.ciriontechnologies.com

Follow us on our Social Networks:

Media Contact:

Paula Vivo
Cirion Technologies
P: +55 11 3957-2424
paula.vivo@ciriontechnologies.com

Qwilt Media Relations
media@qwilt.com
+1 (650) 249-6521