DIGIPLEX
Byrne Murphy , Chairman of DigiPlex , describes the innovations his closeknit team has accomplished and the resulting impact on the industry
Byrne Murphy is Chairman , Founder , and Co-Owner of DigiPlex , a global innovator of data centre technology . With the aid of a shareholder – William Conway , co-founder and CEO of The Carlyle Group , and one of the world ’ s most successful investors – Murphy began the company at a time when the first wave of data centres had already tried ( and failed ) to gain ground in Europe .
“ There was 20 times more supply than demand , because the internet was so new in Europe in 1999-2000 ,” Murphy says . “ The continent wasn ’ t ready for the infrastructure being built . So all those data centre companies in their race for market share hit the wall and either went bankrupt or closed down . I negotiated a buyout from the banks and started DigiPlex in 2001 . “ The first few years were quite lean because the infrastructure demand needed to mature , but the last eight have been gangbusters . In terms of expanding , you don ’ t want to keep building data centres across the map with dots on every corner – you want each dot to become bigger and bigger . All of our centres have been expanded several times , and they all have the potential to expand further .”
Clean and green There are several reasons why DigiPlex has succeeded where so many others failed , not least because its data centres are housed in Nordic countries , meaning that it enjoys the advantages of a cold climate . In addition , the centres use hydroelectric power , halving power costs versus those on the continent . Using renewable power and not fossil fuel ensures a clean , steady ,
92 December 2016