Dark Fiber and Infrastructure (DF&I), a leading developer, owner and operator of high-capacity dark fibre and conduit networks in Northern Virginia and Maryland, has announced that Digital Realty is bringing two additional data centre campuses on-net to DF&I’s Express Connect dark fibre network.
The infrastructure should enable peering andz interconnection of a multitude of unique carriers, clouds, and data centre operators on the region’s most vital high capacity, open access data pathway between Northern Virginia and Baltimore, Maryland.
“We are thrilled to enable our customers to reach these Digital Realty facilities with DF&I’s high capacity, lowest latency conduit and dark fibre in the region,” said Scott Bergs, CEO of DF&I. “We look forward to growing and scaling our network infrastructure alongside trusted partners like Digital Realty, to support us in accommodating the region’s ever-growing data and interconnection demands.”
Featuring the most conduit capacity in the region, DF&I Express Connect is said to provide dedicated access to and between major data centres and peering points in and around the Ashburn area. The system includes a highly concentrated loop interconnecting Data Center Alley and extends to the north on the fastest and most direct route to Baltimore. DF&I’s infrastructure offers more than 40,000 fiber strands between Maryland and Virginia and more than 70,000 fibre strands within its Virginia network.
“By joining DF&I’s Express Connect Network, our customers and providers have direct access into the region’s most powerful dark fibre network and availability zone,” said Corey Dyer, Chief Revenue Officer of Digital Realty. “Our relationship with DF&I aligns with our commitment to provide the most reliable data center and connectivity solutions to our customers, which in turn, strengthens the value of our partner ecosystem. This enables enterprises who are currently hosted in our Northern Virginia and Maryland data centres to accelerate their digital transformation journeys and eliminate complexity within their operations.”
DF&I was founded in 2017 to meet increased demand for dark fibre and conduit solutions in Northern Virginia, driven by the growing consumption of data centre space and power in Data Center Alley. DF&I plans to further expand its new fibre infrastructure to additional attractive markets for data centre development with sponsorship from IPI Partners, a global investment firm that specialises in investing in critical digital infrastructure assets.
