Ciena has announced its support for EXA Infrastructure’s new high-speed route connecting Ashburn, Virginia, to Atlanta, Georgia. This development expands EXA’s North American network with robust 400-Gb/s connectivity, addressing the growing demand for data center connectivity driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud services.
The new route, which spans the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, will utilize Ciena’s advanced technologies, including the 6500 Reconfigurable Line System (RLS) and the 6500 Packet-Optical Platform. The latter incorporates Ciena’s WaveLogic 5 Extreme (WL5e) 800-Gb/s coherent optics, enhancing the network’s capacity and efficiency. Additionally, Ciena’s Navigator Network Control Suite will provide EXA with comprehensive control and visibility across the network.
According to a report by Dell’Oro Group, the surge in AI-related demands has led to a significant 51% increase in global data center capital expenditures in 2024, reaching $455 billion. This spike is largely attributed to investments from major tech companies such as Microsoft, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google Cloud, which are ramping up their infrastructure to support intensive AI training workloads.
Strategic Enhancements in Connectivity
Ciaran Delaney, Chief Operating Officer of EXA Infrastructure, emphasized the need for increased bandwidth and flexible connectivity options. “We are seeing a renewed desire across our U.S. network for increased ‘highly available’ bandwidth with versatile connectivity and interface options. Our new Ashburn-Atlanta route, leveraging Ciena’s optical RLS technology, allows us to meet these needs while future-proofing further technology advancements on our network,” he stated.
This new route is integral to EXA’s vision of creating a “multi-corridor” transatlantic digital bridge, enhancing scalability, route diversity, and high-speed connectivity on a global scale. The collaboration with Ciena signifies a strategic move to expand EXA’s capabilities in meeting the rising expectations of hyperscalers and enterprises.
Virginie Hollebecque, Vice President and Leader for EMEA at Ciena, highlighted the company’s commitment to empowering businesses in a rapidly evolving landscape. “Ciena is committed to empowering businesses like EXA Infrastructure to navigate the ever-changing landscape with confidence. With a deep understanding of the expanding data center connectivity market and AI-driven data boom, we worked closely with EXA to deploy a network that is optimally prepared to handle AI technologies,” she said.
Recent Developments and Future Prospects
Ciena’s partnership with EXA follows its recent deployment of coherent technology across the U.S. in collaboration with Comcast, aimed at broadening fiber connectivity in underserved regions. Furthermore, Ciena’s optical technology has been instrumental for Viettel, a Vietnamese carrier, in its 5G buildout, and was utilized by Altibox in Norway for a 1.6-Tb/s subsea transmission project.
In Georgia, Ciena supported a high-capacity backbone that connects a smart city initiative in Morrow to the Atlanta Internet Gateway. This project utilized Ciena’s 5,164 routers and multilayer network control solutions to create “The District,” a central hub for Morrow’s smart city with open-access, high-bandwidth connectivity.
As demand for advanced data center connectivity continues to surge, Ciena’s collaboration with EXA Infrastructure positions both companies to capitalize on emerging opportunities in the technology landscape. Their concerted efforts reflect a commitment to enhancing connectivity and meeting the evolving needs of businesses and consumers alike.
