Latest news with #XDS
Zawya
09-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
XDS Datacentres and ICS Arabia partner to launch landmark 10MW immersion cooled data center in KSA
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: UK & Dubai based data center company XDS DATACENTRES ('XDS'), a pioneer of Liquid Immersion digital infrastructure, has signed a major agreement with ICS Arabia to deliver an initial state of the art 10-megawatt immersion cooled data centre in Riyadh & Jeddah. This strategic collaboration, developed within ICS Arabia's Desert Dragon technology ecosystem, will bring advanced computing capacity, sustainability, and scalability to support Saudi Arabia's digital transformation. Under the terms of the agreement, ICS Arabia will design, construct, and hand over the facility to XDS by June 2026. The project will utilize Desert Dragon's Tier III certified infrastructure and immersion cooling technology to support high-density workloads such as AI, machine learning, blockchain, and other GPU-intensive applications. The facility will set a new benchmark for energy-efficient, high-performance computing in the region. Ghufran Hamid, CEO of XDS, stated: 'We are pleased to partner with ICS Arabia on this landmark deployment. The kingdom represents a key growth market for XDS, and this initial 10MW facility will showcase the potential of immersion cooled infrastructure to deliver both performance and sustainability.' XDS would like to contribute to vision 2030 supplying sustainable infrastructure meeting global ESG standards. With our roots originating from the United Kingdom, the UAE and KSA are natural growth markets for XDS. No other data center company is providing the services XDS will provide. We are pioneering the inevitable switch from air cooled to liquid immersion. Those companies who are still investing in just air cooled will become the Blockbuster of the data centre market. Abdullah Ayed Al Mazny, General Manager at Desert Dragon (ICS Arabia), added: 'Our partnership with XDS reflects our shared vision to deliver cutting-edge data center capabilities in the Kingdom. Together, we are enabling sovereign digital infrastructure aligned with the ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030.' Immersion Cooling at Scale Both Riyadh & Jeddah facilities will feature full immersion cooling with rack densities up to 368 kilowatts. This makes it ideal for services such as AI, GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS), cloud-native compute, and hyperscale edge deployments. The design includes: Redundant N+N power and cooling systems Tier III certification (TCCF and TCDD) High-capacity network interconnectivity Enterprise-Grade Service and SLAs Clients of XDS in Saudi Arabia will benefit from: 99.982 percent uptime guarantees Fully managed colocation services and smart hands Flexible power allocations GPU as a Service, Private Cloud, Server conversion Customer rack migration and engineering support Infrastructure as a Service & Software as a Service Supporting Saudi Arabia's Digital Future This project represents a significant milestone for both XDS and ICS Arabia as they contribute to building the Kingdom's digital infrastructure and sovereign data capabilities. The XDS data center will support national cloud initiatives, artificial intelligence growth, and enterprise workloads that require scalable, low-latency compute infrastructure. Following the successful announcement of XDS's immersion cooled facility in Dubai, this expansion into the kingdom further positions the company as a leading operator deploying immersion cooling at scale for high density compute across the GCC. ABOUT XDS DATACENTRES: XDS DATACENTRES provide next generation facilities offering high density racks, liquid immersion, direct to chip, end to end datacentre migrations, managed services, security & network operations. XDS has been specifically established to meet rising demands of Artificial Intelligence Applications and in addition to provide Data Science, Data Engineering, Virtual Reality, Meta Verse, Augmented Reality, GPU as a Service, Super Computer as a Service, Infrastructure as a Service, Software as a Service. About ICS Arabia / Desert Dragon ICS Arabia is a leading engineering and technology company in Saudi Arabia with a focus on mission-critical infrastructure. Through its Desert Dragon initiative, ICS Arabia designs and operates Tier III and Tier IV data centers in collaboration with international and regional technology partners. For further information please email info@
Zawya
09-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
XDS Datacentres signs 15-year deal to host 10MW of AI workloads in Saudi's Desert Dragons facilities
Saudi Arabia - XDS DATACENTRES, a leading provider of advanced data center solutions, has announced a landmark agreement with Desert Dragon Data Centers (DD), a premier Saudi Arabia-based colocation facility designed/built/operated by ICS Arabia. A total of 10MW is required by XDS in the kingdom. Desert Dragon will deliver 3MW of immersion-cooled segment in June 2026 to XDS, and the following year will complete the requirement. The agreement reinforces Desert Dragon's dedication to enabling high-performance AI and hyperscale workloads within the Kingdom, with strategic plans to expand its immersive segment up to 50MW across four cities in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The signing ceremony was held earlier today at Desert Dragon's headquarters in Riyadh, with key executives from both organizations in attendance. "This marks a momentous milestone as XDS enters the Saudi Arabian market for the first time, leveraging Desert Dragon's Saudi-based facilities and cutting-edge U.S. designed technology by ICS Arabia, focused on sustainable solutions for AI and hyperscale workloads," stated Gen. Abdullah AlMazny (Ret.), GM of Desert Dragon Data Centers. Ghufran Hamid, CEO of XDS, highlighted the transformative impact of the partnership with Desert Dragon, stating: 'Our collaboration marks a pivotal milestone in expanding AI infrastructure across the region. As AI workloads evolve, traditional air-cooled facilities are no longer sufficient. DD's immersion cooling technology provides a scalable, efficient, and sustainable solution, tailored to meet the demanding needs of enterprise clients for AI-intensive applications.' Desert Dragon is a leading provider of secure, environmentally responsible digital infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, targeting a capacity of approximately 187 MW by 2029. Its innovative data centers support a broad spectrum of workloads, including AI and hyperscale computing, across the Kingdom—with a focus on sustainable growth and resilience. XDS DATACENTRES (XDS) offers advanced and scalable cloud hosting, and AI solutions for large-scale enterprise needs, and digital transformation initiatives with reliable, energy-efficient, and innovative infrastructure. XDS currently operates in the UK, UAE, and expanding into Saudi Arabia from 2026. © Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Saudi Gazette
08-07-2025
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
XDS Datacentres signs 15-year deal to host 10MW of AI workloads in Saudi's Desert Dragons facilities
XDS DATACENTRES, a leading provider of advanced data center solutions, has announced a landmark agreement with Desert Dragon Data Centers (DD), a premier Saudi Arabia-based colocation facility designed/built/operated by ICS Arabia. A total of 10MW is required by XDS in the kingdom. Desert Dragon will deliver 3MW of immersion-cooled segment in June 2026 to XDS, and the following year will complete the requirement. The agreement reinforces Desert Dragon's dedication to enabling high-performance AI and hyperscale workloads within the Kingdom, with strategic plans to expand its immersive segment up to 50MW across four cities in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The signing ceremony was held earlier today at Desert Dragon's headquarters in Riyadh, with key executives from both organizations in attendance. "This marks a momentous milestone as XDS enters the Saudi Arabian market for the first time, leveraging Desert Dragon's Saudi-based facilities and cutting-edge U.S. designed technology by ICS Arabia, focused on sustainable solutions for AI and hyperscale workloads," stated Gen. Abdullah AlMazny (Ret.), GM of Desert Dragon Data Centers. Ghufran Hamid, CEO of XDS, highlighted the transformative impact of the partnership with Desert Dragon, stating: 'Our collaboration marks a pivotal milestone in expanding AI infrastructure across the region. As AI workloads evolve, traditional air-cooled facilities are no longer sufficient. DD's immersion cooling technology provides a scalable, efficient, and sustainable solution, tailored to meet the demanding needs of enterprise clients for AI-intensive applications.' Desert Dragon is a leading provider of secure, environmentally responsible digital infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, targeting a capacity of approximately 187 MW by 2029. Its innovative data centers support a broad spectrum of workloads, including AI and hyperscale computing, across the Kingdom—with a focus on sustainable growth and DATACENTRES (XDS) offers advanced and scalable cloud hosting, and AI solutions for large-scale enterprise needs, and digital transformation initiatives with reliable, energy-efficient, and innovative infrastructure. XDS currently operates in the UK, UAE, and expanding into Saudi Arabia from 2026.
IOL News
28-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
The VAT whiplash: why SA can't afford to ignore the real cost of policy uncertainty
This article explores the effects of proposed VAT increases on South African consumer behaviour, highlighting the fragility of financial resilience and the importance of real-time insights for lenders. Image: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers When the South African Government floated the proposition of a 0.5% VAT increase earlier this year, only to cancel it at the eleventh hour, the economy may have avoided an official tax hike, but the damage had already been done. Even before the proposal could be tabled in the Budget Speech, the mere suggestion of higher VAT triggered a psychological and financial ripple effect. Consumer sentiment shifted almost instantly, with many fearing potential retail activity dips and increased credit card usage, with many South Africans, particularly in the middle-income group, looking to tighten their belts in anticipation of rising costs that never formally materialised. This moment offers a sobering reflection on the state of financial resilience in the country. It wasn't the implementation that sparked anxiety, but the uncertainty. The mere suggestion of a VAT increase was enough to trigger a reaction in households and ripple through lending institutions. This kind of market sensitivity underscores a deeper fragility: one where consumer confidence is worn thin, and policy signals - real or speculative - can tip the scale from financial coping to financial crisis. When policy uncertainty hits home While VAT hikes are not new in South Africa, the reaction to this latest proposal felt particularly acute. Wages have stagnated, unemployment remains high, and the cost of basic goods continues to climb. In this context, even a small increase in indirect tax feels like a direct threat. Consumers responded accordingly. Spending signalled a slowdown across various sectors, particularly in discretionary categories. This wasn't about affordability alone; it was largely about caution. And when spending slows but everyday costs remain, many turn to short-term solutions, namely credit. However, for lenders, these behavioural shifts are not just theoretical; they represent a real risk, particularly when they happen suddenly and at scale. The ability to understand and track how economic announcements shape credit behaviour, whether the announcements are confirmed or not, is now business-critical. The credit cushion is wearing thin Recent XDS studies paint a clear picture of how South Africans are managing the squeeze. Credit card utilisation has risen steadily, not just as a function of increased spending, but as a stopgap for essential purchases such as groceries, utilities, clothing, and fuel. Over the past five years, there has been a 13% rise in credit card utilisation, even as credit limits for new cards have dropped by 21%. This means many consumers are accessing more of their available credit, even with reduced ceilings, underscoring a growing dependence on revolving credit to cover essentials like food, fuel, and utilities. Notably, the average number of new credit cards issued per month has surged by 39% - a clear signal that households are turning to credit more frequently to buffer against economic uncertainty. For many middle-income households, credit is no longer a financial tool, but a survival mechanism. This trend isn't restricted to VAT announcements; it reflects a broader, more troubling reality: households are living closer to the financial edge, with fewer buffers in place. When a single policy proposal can stall retail spending and increase debt reliance, it becomes clear just how precarious the balance really is. And yet, most lending frameworks still rely on backward-looking data and quarterly trends. By the time changes in consumer behaviour are reflected in reports, the impact may have already been embedded in default rates and missed payments. It's a delayed response to a fast-moving problem.
Zawya
03-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
XDS Datacentres & Fulcrum Consulting: Powering SAP business transformation through strategic partnership
RELATED TOPICS TECHNOLOGY RELATED COMPANIES Sahab Eng Consl Fulcrum Cnsltg XDS Nutanix Lenovo Group United Arab Emirates: Unlocking Value Through Collaboration - XDS DATACENTRES and FULCRUM Consulting GmbH have joined forces to deliver a seamless, end-to-end SAP ECC6 to S4/HANA transformation journey, combining world-class datacentre with SAP consulting expertise. This strategic partnership is designed to empower enterprises and government entities with secure, high-performance and fully compliant SAP solutions. Why Partner with XDS & FULCRUM Consulting ? End-to-End SAP Solutions: From pre-assessment to S4 HANA migration and ongoing managed services, we offer a one-stop solution for SAP transformation. Regulatory Compliance & Data Security: Ensuring adherence to UAE & KSA government regulations for data residency and security. Optimized SAP Performance: High-availability, disaster recovery, and scalable cloud hosting ensure superior system performance. Proven Track Record: Decades of experience in successful SAP implementations and digital transformation projects. Our Combined Expertise XDS DATACENTRES: Industry-leading High-Performance infrastructure built by SAHAB will provide secure, compliant, and private cloud hosting for SAP workloads. XDS offers high density compute with Bare Metal Services. FULCRUM Consulting: As a certified SAP GOLD Partner, FULCRUM Consulting specializes in consulting, implementation, seamless migration, and continuous optimization services, ensuring efficient and successful SAP transformations Delivering Measurable Business Value Accelerated Cloud Adoption: Helping businesses transition to the cloud efficiently with RISE with SAP for Private Cloud. Cost Optimization: Reducing infrastructure overhead with scalable and flexible hosting solutions. Risk Mitigation: Comprehensive pre-assessment, compliance validation, and ongoing security enhancements. Business Continuity: 24/7 monitoring, disaster recovery, and proactive performance tuning. SAHAB Customers will be offered immediate bare metal services out of the SAHAB data hall where customers can start their transformation from SAP ECC6 to S4. XDS will offer SAP certified stack with Nutanix cluster running on Lenovo SR650 hardware fully immersed. XDS & FULCRUM Consulting will provide full end to end SAP managed services. No other collaboration in region is providing these services for SAP customers. The data hall is located in the Sharjah Research Technology & Innovation Park ( SRTIP ) Let's Build the Future Together XDS DATACENTRES with FULCRUM Consulting will work with customers to migrate their customized SAP ECC6 platforms to S4/HANA, provide next generation compute to support customer workloads with substantial performance improvements using Liquid Immersion Cooling. The XDS NITRO server racks with alternative energy sources will provide substantial performance improvements above and beyond air-cooled compute . Your SAP is best run with XDS & FULCRUM Consulting. ABOUT SAHAB: SAHAB engineer and construct Tier 3 compliant next generation liquid cooled datacentre facilities to meet rising demands of Artificial Intelligence workloads. SAHAB provide alternative energy sources allowing real time workloads to determine the best source of energy. Chairman Mr Ali Al Shamsi states that SAHAB will build a world first liquid immersion datacentre specifically for XDS that caters for the current Artificial Intelligence demands leading to Artificial General Intelligence applications over the coming decades. ABOUT XDS DATACENTRES: XDS DATACENTRES will operate a SAHAB built datacentre providing next generation facilities offering high density racks, liquid immersion, direct to chip, end to end datacentre migrations, managed services, security & network operations. XDS has been specifically established to meet rising demands of Artificial Intelligence Applications and in addition to provide Data Science, Data Engineering, Virtual Reality, Meta Verse, Augmented Reality, GPU as a Service, Super Computer as a Service, Infrastructure as a Service, Software as a Service. CEO Ghufran Hamid mentioned that no datacentre around the world provides the level of services XDS will provide its customers. Our collaboration with Fulcrum Consulting provides a compelling offering to in region SAP customers who want to host their infrastructure in a private cloud with full SAP managed services. ABOUT FULCRUM Consulting GmbH: FULCRUM Consulting GmbH is SAP GOLD Partner with over two decades of expertise in supply chain management and ERP solutions. Headquartered in Vienna, Austria, the company has been expanding its global presence since 2004, with offices in the United Arab Emirates and multiple locations worldwide. Specializing in SAP transformation projects, FULCRUM Consulting is a trusted expert in S/4HANA implementations. Through its partnership with XDS, the company delivers comprehensive, end-to-end roadmaps for seamless S/4HANA transitions. As DI Peter Weiss, Founder and Owner of FULCRUM Consulting, states, 'With our XDS partnership, we enable our customers to focus on their core business while we manage their SAP transformation as a service.'
