Lumen Highlights Fiber Boom for AI Connectivity, Q2 Improvements

Lumen Technologies announced it has secured $5 billion in new business driven by major demand for connectivity fueled by AI, alongside reporting its second-quarter 2024 financial results. Lumen said large companies across industry sectors are seeking to secure fiber capacity quickly, as this resource becomes increasingly valuable and potentially limited due to booming AI needs. Additionally, Lumen is in active discussions with customers to secure another $7 billion in sales opportunities to meet the increased demand.

To address this tremendous demand, which includes the recent announcement under which it will provide additional fiber capacity to Microsoft, Lumen disclosed plans to more than double its intercity network miles over the next five years, while also providing access to a significant amount of installed dark fiber. Lumen has secured an agreement with Corning to be its preferred partner for its next-generation fiber-dense cable, which will help accommodate the increased data processing that AI requires.

"The AI economy is changing business operations, and companies are recognizing they need powerful network infrastructure to manage the unprecedented data flows today and the demand in the future," said Kate Johnson, president and CEO, Lumen Technologies. "Our partners are turning to us because of our AI-ready infrastructure and expansive network. This is just the beginning of a significant opportunity for Lumen, one that will lead to one of the largest expansions of the internet ever."

Lumen has created a new Custom Networks division to manage its portfolio of Private Connectivity Fabric℠ solutions and address additional interest from hyperscalers and other large organizations. The division will provide customized network solutions that include dark fiber, custom fiber routes, and digital services that securely connect companies' data centers to protect data and support AI-intensive workloads. Lumen may also operate and maintain the network as part of its services.

In its Q2 2024 financial results, Lumen Technologies reported growth in North American large and mid-market enterprise sales, with a year-over-year increase in net total contract value across all channels. Improved customer satisfaction is expected to reduce churn and boost revenue growth. A notable partnership with Microsoft positions Lumen to capitalize on the increasing demand for high-bandwidth infrastructure supporting AI ventures.

Financially, Lumen reported a net loss of $49 million for Q2 2024, a significant improvement from the $8.736 billion loss in Q2 2023, which included a substantial non-cash goodwill impairment charge. The company’s adjusted EBITDA was $1.011 billion, down from $1.229 billion in the same period last year. Despite a negative free cash flow of $156 million, Lumen generated $511 million in net cash from operating activities. The updated full-year 2024 financial outlook projects adjusted EBITDA between $3.9 to $4.0 billion, with capital expenditures expected to range from $3.1 to $3.3 billion.

Key Metrics:

Net Loss: $(49) million, compared to $(8.736) billion in Q2 2023

Adjusted EBITDA: $1.011 billion, down from $1.229 billion in Q2 2023

Free Cash Flow: Negative $(156) million, compared to negative $(896) million in Q2 2023

Total Revenue: $3.268 billion, down from $3.661 billion in Q2 2023

Future Outlook:

Adjusted EBITDA: $3.9 to $4.0 billion

Free Cash Flow: $1.0 to $1.2 billion

Capital Expenditures: $3.1 to $3.3 billion

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Deutsche Telekom Reports Strong Q2, Raises Full-Year Guidance

 Deutsche Telekom continues to demonstrate robust financial performance, posting significant gains for the second quarter of 2024. Service revenues rose by 4.9% year-on-year to €24.1 billion, while adjusted EBITDA AL increased by 7.8% to €10.8 billion. On an organic basis, service revenue growth stood at 4.0%, and adjusted EBITDA AL grew by 6.6%. Free cash flow AL surged by 48.5% to €5.2 billion. CEO Tim Höttges praised the company’s consistent execution of its strategy, reflected in a net profit of €2.1 billion, up 35.6% from the previous year, and an adjusted net profit increase of 31.3% to €2.5 billion. Adjusted earnings per share for the first half of 2024 reached €0.95.

Key achievements across group businesses include:

• Germany: Fiber-optic customers grew by 113,000, bringing the total to over 1.2 million. TV net adds were 114,000, boosted by the UEFA European Championship and regulatory changes. Mobile service revenues increased by 3.7%, with the branded contract customer base growing by 311,000. Revenue reached €6.4 billion, up 3.6%, with adjusted EBITDA AL slightly increasing by 1.0% to €2.6 billion.
• United States: T-Mobile US surpassed 100 million postpaid customers, adding 1.3 million postpaid net customers in Q2. Service revenues grew by 4.4% to $16.4 billion, and adjusted EBITDA AL rose by 9.1% to $7.8 billion.
• Europe: Adjusted EBITDA AL increased by 8.9% to €1.1 billion, with revenue growing by 6.8% to €3.1 billion. The segment added 183,000 mobile contract customers, 53,000 broadband customers, and 23,000 TV customers.
• Systems Solutions: T-Systems saw order entry rise by 28.3% to €957 million. Revenue increased by 2.1% to €981 million, driven by cloud services and digitalization solutions. Adjusted EBITDA AL grew by 1.4% to €87 million.

Deutsche Telekom has raised its full-year guidance for free cash flow AL to around €19.0 billion, while maintaining its adjusted EBITDA AL guidance at around €42.9 billion and recurring adjusted earnings per share at more than €1.75.

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HPE adds AI-Behavioral Analytics-based Network Detection

Hewlett Packard Enterprise bolstered its AI-driven networking portfolio with new behavioral analytics-based network detection and response (NDR) capabilities and expanded Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) to campus networks. Delivered through HPE Aruba Networking Central, these solutions enhance threat detection, response, and security policy enforcement across both cloud and local networks.

• AI-Powered NDR: Leverages telemetry data to train AI models for detecting unusual activities in IoT devices.
• Extended ZTNA: Brings cloud-defined access control policies to campus networks for consistent security enforcement.
• Threat Response: Combines attack detection with policy recommendations, allowing preview of changes before implementation.

These advancements follow HPE Aruba Networking’s recent innovations, including AI security observability tools and the first SSE firewall-as-a-service, recognized at the RSA Conference 2024. HPE’s latest solutions will be showcased at Black Hat USA 2024.

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Equinix Q2: Revenue and Income Surge Amid Data Center Investments

Equinix reported strong second-quarter 2024 results, highlighting significant infrastructure developments and solid operating metrics. Revenues reached $2.16 billion, marking a 2% increase over the previous quarter despite a $6 million negative foreign currency impact. Operating income surged by 20% to $436 million, driven by robust performance and a gain from the sale of a Silicon Valley asset. Net income saw a 30% rise to $301 million, translating to $3.16 per share. Adjusted EBITDA climbed 4% to $1.036 billion, with a margin of 48%. AFFO also grew by 4%, totaling $877 million, or $9.22 per share.

Looking ahead, Equinix provided optimistic annual guidance, projecting revenues between $8.692 and $8.772 billion, a 6-7% increase over the previous year. Adjusted EBITDA is expected to range from $4.066 to $4.126 billion, maintaining a 47% margin. AFFO is anticipated to be between $3.310 and $3.370 billion, an increase of 10-12%, with AFFO per share ranging from $34.67 to $35.30. This guidance accounts for foreign currency impacts and integration costs, underscoring Equinix's continued investment in expanding its digital infrastructure footprint globally.

Infrastructure Updates:

• 54 major projects in 36 markets across 24 countries, including 15 xScale projects.
• Recent entry into the Philippines with the acquisition of three data centers from Total Information Management.
• Substantial increase in global xScale portfolio demand, with notable leasing activity in Silicon Valley and Paris.
• Development of a multi-hundred-megawatt xScale campus in the Atlanta metro area.

Operating Metrics:

• Revenue: $2.16 billion, 2% increase Q/Q.
• Operating Income: $436 million, 20% increase Q/Q.
• Net Income: $301 million, 30% increase Q/Q.
• Adjusted EBITDA: $1.036 billion, 4% increase Q/Q.
• AFFO: $877 million, 4% increase Q/Q.

Future Projections:

• Full-year 2024 revenue guidance: $8.692 - $8.772 billion.
• Adjusted EBITDA guidance: $4.066 - $4.126 billion.
• AFFO guidance: $3.310 - $3.370 billion.
• AFFO per share guidance: $34.67 - $35.30.

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Alabama Fiber Network picks Arista and Ciena for Middle Mile

Alabama Fiber Network (AFN), a consortium of eight electric cooperatives, has chosen Arista as its provider of routing and switching equipment for a significant middle-mile network project. This initiative aims to deliver affordable, high-capacity, and reliable internet access to last-mile providers and large enterprises in underserved rural areas across Alabama. Supported by the State of Alabama through Governor Ivey’s Be Linked Alabama initiative and the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, the project will establish a 6,600-mile open-access, middle-mile network covering all 67 counties. This critical infrastructure will help bridge the digital divide by supporting communication service providers and community anchor institutions.

As part of the over $340 million investment, AFN has selected Arista's 7280SR3 platform, Ciena’s WaveLogic 5 Nano (WL5n) 400G ZR+ pluggable transceivers, and Reconfigurable Line System (RLS). The Arista 7280R3 routing platforms offer a scalable and adaptable architecture, providing robust automation, routing, and switching capabilities to handle the network's demands. Additionally, AFN will utilize Arista's CloudVision® platform for streamlined network management, Arista Professional Services for implementation and validation, and enterprise solutions to support customer acquisition. The joint certification of Ciena's WL5n QSFP-DD coherent pluggable transceivers solution with Arista's platforms will optimize cost and power efficiency, enabling high-bandwidth 400Gb/s rates across distances of up to 1,000km and future-proofing the photonic infrastructure for emerging technologies.

• Project Scope: 6,600-mile open-access, middle-mile network covering all 67 counties in Alabama.
• Investment: Over $340 million.
• Equipment: Arista 7280SR3 platform, Ciena’s WL5n 400G ZR+ pluggable transceivers, and RLS.
• Benefits: Enhanced connectivity, robust automation, and future-proofing for emerging technologies.
• Support: Governor Ivey’s Be Linked Alabama initiative and the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.

• AFN, the DBA for the Fiber Utility Network, was established to address the lack of middle-mile connectivity in rural Alabama. Eight electric cooperatives and their subsidiaries: Central Alabama Electric Cooperative, Coosa Valley Electric Cooperative, Covington Electric Cooperative, Cooperative Connection LLC (a subsidiary of Cullman Electric Cooperative), JWEMC Communications LLC (a subsidiary of Joe Wheeler Electric Membership Cooperative), North Alabama Electric Cooperative, Tombigbee Electric Cooperative, and PowerSouth Energy Cooperative collaborated with fiber lease partner Alabama Power Company to deliver middle-mile network.

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Dell'Oro: Data Center CAPEX Forecast Raised to 24% CAGR

Dell'Oro Group raised it data center capex forecast  to a 24 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) by 2028 as a result of surging demand in AI-related data center infrastructure.

“AI has the potential to generate more than a trillion dollars in AI-related infrastructure spending in cloud and enterprise data centers over the next five years,” said Baron Fung, Senior Research Director at Dell’Oro Group. “AI infrastructure, which includes servers with GPU or custom accelerators, along with dedicated networking, storage, and facilities, are highly capital-intensive. While the industry continues to assess the potential return on AI-related investments, major efforts have been underway in the ecosystem in achieving long-term sustainable capex growth,” explained Fung.

Additional highlights from the Data Center IT Capex 5-Year July 2024 Forecast Report:

• Worldwide server revenue is forecast to reach nearly $0.5 trillion by 2028.
• Accelerated servers may account for more than half of the total server revenues by 2028.
• Top 4 US-based Cloud SPs—Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft—will account for half of global data center capex as early as 2026.

https://www.delloro.com/news/ai-infrastructure-spending-forecast-to-be-over-a-trillion-dollars-over-the-next-five-years/

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Sparkle Pioneers Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) with Quantum-Safe

Sparkle completed a Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) Proof of Concept (PoC) focusing on a quantum-safe Internet use case. This milestone was achieved in collaboration with Adtran, Arqit Quantum Inc., Intel, and Telsy, a cybersecurity company under the TIM Group. The trial, conducted on Sparkle’s metropolitan fiber optic network in Athens, demonstrated the agile and fully automated implementation of an on-demand MEF Internet Access Service secured by post-quantum cryptography. This achievement builds on a prior successful trial of an International VPN between Italy and Germany, showcasing Sparkle's commitment to pioneering secure and adaptable network solutions.

The PoC integrated connectivity functions with Arqit’s quantum-safe encryption into an Intel-powered NetSec accelerator card, used as Universal Customer Premises Equipment (uCPE). The solution was orchestrated through Adtran’s Ensemble cloud-based orchestration and automation software, enabling on-demand networking and security capabilities. 

• PoC Completion: Successful Network-as-a-Service Proof of Concept on quantum-safe Internet.
• Collaborative Effort: Partnered with Adtran, Arqit Quantum Inc., Intel, and Telsy.
• Location: Conducted on Sparkle’s fiber optic network in Athens.
• Technological Integration: Combined Arqit quantum-safe encryption with Intel-powered uCPE and Adtran’s orchestration software.
• Future Plans: Commercial launch of NaaS/Quantum-Safe Internet (NaaS/QSI) planned for later this year, with more use cases to follow.

“Our NaaS vision is rooted in the belief that connectivity should be seamless, ubiquitous, secure and adaptable” said Daniele Mancuso, Chief Marketing & Product Management at Sparkle. “We envision a world where businesses can effortlessly scale their Wide Area Networks, adapting to changing demands with agility and precision. NaaS enables this by offering flexible, on-demand network services that are easily customizable to meet the unique needs of each customer. Whether it’s expanding bandwidth during peak times, ensuring low latency for critical applications, or providing secure connections for sensitive data, Sparkle’s NaaS solutions are designed to deliver unparalleled performance and reliability”. 

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Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express 2.0 Spec

The Universal Chiplet Interconnect Express (UCIe) Consortium has unveiled its 2.0 Specification, marking a significant advancement in the standardization of system architecture for chiplet manageability. The new specification addresses key design challenges in testability, manageability, and debugging (DFx) throughout the System-in-Package (SiP) lifecycle, from initial sorting to field management. With the introduction of optional manageability features and the UCIe DFx Architecture (UDA), a management fabric within each chiplet facilitates vendor-agnostic interoperability, offering a flexible and unified approach to SiP management and DFx operations.

The 2.0 Specification also enhances support for 3D packaging, providing higher bandwidth density and improved power efficiency compared to 2D and 2.5D architectures. UCIe-3D is optimized for hybrid bonding with functional bump pitches ranging from 10-25 microns down to as small as 1 micron, offering both flexibility and scalability. Additionally, the specification includes optimized package designs for interoperability and compliance testing, establishing an initial framework for physical, adapter, and protocol compliance. According to Cheolmin Park, UCIe Consortium President and Corporate VP at Samsung Electronics, the 2.0 Specification aims to meet the diverse needs of the rapidly evolving semiconductor industry, fostering a robust open chiplet ecosystem.

Highlights of the UCIe 2.0 Specification:

• Holistic support for manageability, debug, and testing for any SiP construction with multiple chiplets.
• Support for 3D packaging to significantly enhance bandwidth density and power efficiency.
• Improved system-level solutions with manageability defined as part of the chiplet stack.
• Optimized package designs for interoperability and compliance testing.
• Fully backward compatible with UCIe 1.1 and UCIe 1.0.

https://www.uciexpress.org/specifications

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Kioxia Showcases Data Center SSD with Optical Interface

 Kioxia is showcasing a prototype SSD with an optical interface at the "FMS: the Future of Memory and Storage" conference in Santa Clara, CA, from August 6 to August 8. The optical interface not only reduces wiring complexity but also maintains energy efficiency and high signal quality, offering enhanced flexibility for data center system design and applications.

Adopting an optical interface allows for the aggregation and seamless interconnection of individual components such as SSDs and CPUs, promoting the development of "disaggregated computing systems" that optimize resource utilization based on specific workloads. The high signal integrity of the optical interface is expected to benefit high-performance computing environments, including applications in outer space. This advancement is part of the Japanese "Next Generation Green Data Center Technology Development" project, subsidized by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). The project aims to achieve over 40% energy savings in future data centers, with Kioxia’s broadband SSDs playing a crucial role in this green innovation effort.

Key Points:

• Technology Showcase: Broadband SSD with optical interface at "FMS: the Future of Memory and Storage" conference.
• Benefits: Extended physical distance between compute and storage, reduced wiring, maintained energy efficiency, and high signal quality.
• Applications: Enhanced flexibility for data center design, optimized resource utilization in disaggregated computing systems, potential use in outer space environments.
• Development Project: Part of Japan's "Next Generation Green Data Center Technology Development" project, aiming for over 40% energy savings.
• Support: Subsidized by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) under the "Green Innovation Fund Project."

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Purdue to to Host SK hynix’s Memory Packaging Fab with $450M from CHIPS Act

The U.S. Department of Commerce and SK hynix have signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) to provide up to $450 million in proposed federal incentives under the CHIPS and Science Act. This funding aims to establish a high-bandwidth memory (HBM) advanced packaging fabrication and research and development (R&D) facility in West Lafayette, Indiana. This project is part of SK hynix's broader $3.87 billion investment to build a memory packaging plant for AI products and an advanced packaging R&D facility, creating approximately 1,000 new jobs and filling a critical gap in the U.S. semiconductor supply chain.

The proposed investment by the U.S. Department of Commerce is a significant step in enhancing the security of the U.S. AI supply chain. This initiative will enable the mass production of next-generation HBM chips, which are essential components for AI systems. The West Lafayette facility, located at Purdue University Research Park, will support the production of high-performance memory chips that significantly enhance the processing power of graphics processing units (GPUs). Mass production at this facility is expected to begin in the second half of 2028.

This partnership with Purdue University will establish a research hub in Indiana, advancing HBM and packaging R&D in the U.S. The collaboration will involve advanced packaging and heterogeneous integration projects, workforce development programs, and support for local community development initiatives. Additionally, SK hynix plans to claim the Department of the Treasury’s Investment Tax Credit and utilize up to $500 million in proposed loans under the CHIPS Program Office.

• Funding: Up to $450 million in federal incentives under the CHIPS and Science Act.
• Investment: SK hynix's $3.87 billion investment in West Lafayette, Indiana.
• Jobs Created: Approximately 1,000 new jobs.
• Facility: Advanced packaging fabrication and R&D at Purdue University Research Park.
• Production Start: Mass production expected in the second half of 2028.
• Tax Credit: SK hynix plans to claim up to 25% of qualified capital expenditures.
• Proposed Loans: Up to $500 million in loans from the CHIPS Program Office.

“We deeply appreciate the U.S. Department of Commerce’s support and are excited to collaborate in seeing this transformational project fully realized,” said SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-Jung. “We are moving forward with the construction of the Indiana production base, working with the State of Indiana, Purdue University and our U.S. business partners to ultimately supply leading-edge AI memory products from West Lafayette. We look forward to establishing a new hub for AI technology, creating skilled jobs for Indiana and helping build a more robust, resilient supply chain for the global semiconductor industry.”

https://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2024/08/us-department-commerce-announces-preliminary-terms-sk-hynix-advance-us

CHIPS R&D Office offer $1.6 Billion for Advanced Packaging

Wednesday, July 10, 2024    

The CHIPS Research and Development Office has unveiled plans for a major funding initiative aimed at revolutionizing semiconductor advanced packaging in the United States. With up to $1.6 billion in cooperative agreements and other transaction agreements, this program seeks to establish domestic capacity for cutting-edge packaging technologies crucial for next-generation computing, AI, and low-power electronics.This funding is part of the broader...

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RVM lands CHIPs Act funding for MEMS foundry 

Tuesday, July 02, 2024    

The U.S. Department of Commerce has signed a preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) with Rogue Valley Microdevices (RVM) to provide up to $6.7 million in proposed funding under the CHIPS and Science Act. This investment will support the construction of RVM’s microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and sensor foundry facility in Palm Bay, Florida. This facility is expected to nearly triple RVM’s manufacturing capacity, enhancing the U.S. supply chain...

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STACK adds $3 billion in new financing to its data center expansions

 STACK Infrastructure has announced an additional $3 billion in green financing for four key projects in the U.S. These projects, located on campuses either active or under development, collectively total 900MW. This funding follows recent global financing announcements of $3.3 billion and $1.3 billion, highlighting STACK's commitment to environmental responsibility and innovation. With this latest funding, STACK has now secured over $15 billion to support the development of its global portfolio of scalable campuses. 

 The financing will support campuses in Prince William County, Virginia; Phoenix, Arizona; and Atlanta, Georgia. These projects aim to reduce environmental impact through water conservation, responsible resource utilization, and energy efficiency. 

Key sustainability features include zero potable water usage for cooling, construction with low-carbon materials, including recycled content in concrete, and high-performance design features for optimal Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE).

"Our clients prioritize minimizing environmental impacts, which parallels our mission to advance a sustainable digital future," stated Brian Cox, CEO, STACK Americas. “Securing this financing is an added example of STACK’s efforts to combine sustainable development with responsible growth."

Additional global developments for STACK include:

• A 300MW south Dallas campus, spanning 100 acres strategically engineered to accommodate both shell and turnkey deployments.
• A 48MW Santa Clara data center featuring immediately available space, 12MW of turnkey capacity, and rare committed power from SVP.
• A 56MW Toronto campus, spanning 19 acres, includes an existing 8MW data center and 48MW expansion capacity, all supported by committed power.
• A 200MW campus in Portland spanning 55 acres with 24MW of available capacity with committed power.
• A 48MW build-to-suit opportunity in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, boasting abundant power and connectivity options.
• A 58MW data center campus in New Albany, Ohio with build-to-suit expansion opportunities.
• A 250MW campus in Central Phoenix with a dedicated on-site substation.
• A 72MW campus in Osaka, Japan with capacity across three planned buildings.
• A 48MW Seoul data center with power secured and onsite, available for pre-lease.
• A 30MW data center campus in Stockholm with 18MW under development.

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Microsoft Integrates Marvell's FIPS 140-3 Security Modules

Microsoft will integrate Marvell's NIST FIPS 140-3 Level-3 compliant LiquidSecurity hardware security modules (HSMs) into its Azure Key Vault and Managed HSM services. This update will enhance Microsoft's security posture and its portfolio of security services. Marvell's LiquidSecurity HSMs, which achieved the FIPS 140-3 Level-3 certification in June, are designed to meet the stringent security requirements of financial institutions and government organizations. The collaboration aims to offer Azure customers the most secure and compliant key management services available in public, sovereign, or government clouds.

• Integration: Marvell LiquidSecurity HSMs to be integrated into Microsoft's Azure Key Vault and Managed HSM services.
• Certification: Marvell LiquidSecurity 1 and 2 HSMs achieved NIST FIPS 140-3 Level-3 certification.
• Security Enhancement: Meets stringent security requirements for financial and government organizations.
• High Performance: A single LiquidSecurity2 card can manage 100,000 encryption key pairs and process over one million operations per second.
• Cloud Adoption: Six of the ten largest cloud service providers use LiquidSecurity HSMs.
• Market Growth: Revenue from cloud-based HSMs expected to grow from under 15% to over 40% by 2028.

https://www.marvell.com

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IBM Unveils Generative AI-Powered Cybersecurity Assistant

IBM unveiled new generative AI capabilities within its managed Threat Detection and Response (TDR) Services, designed to enhance security operations for clients. This advanced feature, built on IBM's watsonx data and AI platform, introduces the IBM Consulting Cybersecurity Assistant, which aims to expedite and improve the identification, investigation, and response to critical security threats. This new tool is part of IBM Consulting's threat detection and response practice, as well as the IBM Consulting Advantage AI services platform, designed to provide consistent, repeatable, quality, and speedy value to clients.

By incorporating generative AI into its Threat Detection and Response Services, IBM said it is better able to address the persistent challenge of overwhelming cyber threats and limited resources for security teams. This integration aimed to reduce manual investigations and operational tasks, empowering security analysts to respond proactively and accurately to critical threats. The new Cybersecurity Assistant is set to revolutionize how alerts are managed and investigated, significantly reducing investigation times and improving overall security posture.

Key features of the IBM Consulting Cybersecurity Assistant include:

• Accelerated Threat Investigations and Remediation: Utilizing historical correlation analysis, the assistant cross-correlates alerts and enhances insights from various sources such as SIEM, network, EDR, vulnerability, and telemetry, providing a holistic threat management approach.
• Proactive and Precise Threat Analysis: By analyzing patterns of historical, client-specific threat activity, analysts gain a timeline view of attack sequences, auto-recommend actions, and continuously improve in speed and accuracy.
• Streamlined Operational Tasks: An advanced conversational engine offers real-time insights and support, automating operational tasks like opening tickets, running queries, and enriching threat intelligence, thereby boosting SOC efficiency.
• Collaborative Development with IBM Research: Leveraging IBM's Granite foundation models and watsonx.ai, the Cybersecurity Assistant taps into IBM watsonx Assistant for its conversational interface, ensuring refined, production-ready capabilities.

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UK Competition Authority Clears HPE-Juniper Deal

 The UK Competition and Markets Authority has cleared the pending acquisition of Juniper Networks by Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company.

The US$14 billion deal was first announced on 09-January-2024. The EU has also recently cleard the deal.

https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/hewlett-packard-enterprise-company-slash-juniper-networks-inc-merger-inquiry

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Groq Secures $640M Series D Funding for Fast AI Inference

 Groq, a start-up based in Mountain View, California, raised $640 million in a Series D round, bringing its valuation to $2.8 billion. The funding was spearheaded by BlackRock Private Equity Partners, with contributions from existing and new investors such as Neuberger Berman, Type One Ventures, Cisco Investments, Global Brain’s KDDI Open Innovation Fund III, and Samsung Catalyst Fund. The influx of capital will support Groq’s expansion and innovation in AI inference.

• Total Raised: $640 million Series D
• Valuation: $2.8 billion
• Lead Investor: BlackRock Private Equity Partners
• Notable Participants: Neuberger Berman, Type One Ventures, Cisco Investments, Global Brain’s KDDI Open Innovation Fund III, Samsung Catalyst Fund

Groq’s vertically integrated AI inference platform, known for its exceptional speed, has seen surging demand from developers. CEO Jonathan Ross highlighted the company’s goal to democratize AI resources, aiming to deploy over 100,000 additional LPUs into GroqCloud. Groq’s platform supports a variety of open models, fueling innovation in AI applications. With the addition of Stuart Pann as COO and Yann LeCun as a technical advisor, Groq is poised to enhance its technological capabilities and market reach. This funding round will enable Groq to scale its capacity and maintain its position as a leader in AI inference technology.

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Crowdstrike posts Root Cause Analysis on July 19th Incident

Crowdstrike published a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) detailing the findings, mitigations and technical details of the July 19, 2024, Channel File 291 incident. 

In February 2024, CrowdStrike enhanced its Falcon sensor with advanced AI and machine learning capabilities to detect and mitigate novel threats on Windows systems. A new sensor capability was introduced to monitor potential abuses of Windows mechanisms, with rapid response content updates being rolled out.

• New Capability: Introduced in February 2024 for novel attack visibility.

• Rapid Response Content: Released on March 5, 2024, with subsequent updates in April.

• Incident: On July 19, 2024, an update caused a system crash due to an input field mismatch. 

The issue was quickly identified. Crowdstrike is also confirming that the bug was not exploitable by bad actors. CrowdStrike vowed to implement process improvements to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

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Dell'Oro: AI Buildouts Drive GPU and Accelerator Chips at 38% CAGR

Accelerator revenues, consisting mostly that of GPUs and custom accelerators, are forecast to grow at a 38 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the next five years, according to a new report from Dell'Oro Group. The worldwide Data Center IT Semiconductors market, which includes the major components for servers and storage systems, is set to reach $390 billion by 2028.

“We recently raised our revenue forecast on accelerators because AI-related data center capex for hyperscale Cloud SP and Enterprise markets has surged since last year, and is expected to remain elevated during our forecast horizon,” said Baron Fung, Senior Research Director at Dell’Oro Group. “In addition to AI, workloads such as video transcoding, HPC, and inline storage compression and decompression will also benefit from domain-specific accelerators. While NVIDIA currently has a dominant share in the GPU accelerator market, we anticipate that other vendors such as AMD and Intel, and the hyperscalers’ deployment of custom accelerators will gain some share over time as customers seek greater vendor diversity,” said Fung.

Additional highlights from the Data Center IT Semiconductors and Components 5-Year July 2024 Forecast Report:

• We project the CPU market will lag that of other component categories in terms of growth, given the focus on optimizing the footprint of general-purpose servers.
• The memory market will benefit from increasing AI infrastructure adoption, especially for high-bandwidth memory (HBM).
• While the impact of AI is not immediately apparent, it is expected to inject long-term growth in the storage drive market given the vast amount of data that needs to be harvested and retained to train data models.
• We significantly raised our revenue projections for NICs with the inclusion of the back-end market for connectivity to accelerated computing clusters.

https://www.delloro.com/news/ai-buildouts-will-drive-gpu-and-other-accelerator-revenues-at-38-percent-cagr-for-next-five-years/

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FCC issues initial license to AST SpaceMobile

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted an initial license for space-based operations in the United States authorizing AST SpaceMobile to launch and operate V, S, and UHF frequencies to support gateway, feeder link, and telemetry, tracking, and control operations for the first five commercial BlueBird satellites.

Key Points:

• FCC Approval: AST SpaceMobile has received authorization to operate key frequencies for its space-based network, a crucial step in its mission to close the digital divide and expand access to emergency communications.
• Satellite Operations: The license allows for the launch and operation of the first five BlueBird satellites, the largest-ever commercial communications arrays in low Earth orbit.
• Strategic Goals: This milestone aligns with AST SpaceMobile’s goals and the FCC’s objectives to enhance U.S. leadership in direct-to-device regulation and digital transformation.
• Upcoming Launch: The first five BlueBird satellites have completed manufacturing, assembly, and testing and are set for shipment to Cape Canaveral in early August, with a planned launch window in September.

“This regulatory milestone is a significant step to targeting 100% nationwide coverage from space of the continental United States on premium cellular spectrum,” said Scott Wisniewski, President of AST SpaceMobile. “Through our strategic partnerships with companies like AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, and our other key partners around the world, we aim to enhance cellular connectivity globally, essentially eliminating dead zones and empowering remote areas with space-based cellular broadband connectivity.”

“The FCC grant paves the way for commercial space-based broadband services in the United States,” said Vikram Raval, Head of Global Regulatory Affairs. “By approving the launch of our first five BlueBirds, the largest-ever commercial communications arrays to be deployed in low Earth orbit, the FCC has taken a significant step forward for both AST SpaceMobile and U.S. leadership in space. As a U.S. company, we are committed to building our constellation and fostering regulatory relationships domestically and across the globe to provide this vital space-based infrastructure to the United States and across the world.”

In 2024, AST SpaceMobile secured additional strategic investments from AT&T, Verizon, Google, and Vodafone, alongside a new contract with the U.S. Government. The company has agreements with more than 45 mobile network operators globally, serving over 2.8 billion subscribers, including Vodafone Group, AT&T, Verizon, Rakuten Mobile, Bell Canada, Orange, Telefonica, TIM, Saudi Telecom Company, Zain KSA, Etisalat, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, Telkomsel, Smart Communications, Globe Telecom, Millicom, Smartfren, Telecom Argentina, MTN, Telstra, Africell, Liberty Latin America, and others. Key investors also include AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, Google, Rakuten, American Tower, and Bell Canada.

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