Gurugram, Haryana, India – August 20, 2024 – Lightstorm, a leading cloud and data center connectivity solution provider in the South Asia region, recently announced Polarin DCI Wave, a Layer 1 (physical / optical layer) dedicated connectivity product which is now offered through its Polarin Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) platform. With Polarin DCI Wave, enterprises, and hyper-scalers, for the first time in the world, can self-provision optical layer connectivity in under 10 minutes across more than 60 of the top data centers in India. Through a groundbreaking partnership with FiberSmart, a provider of robotic fiber optic switching solutions, this collaboration aims to transform the way enterprise customers acquire and manage layer 1 (physical / optical layer) connectivity from a long-drawn and cumbersome process to one that’s as simple as point, click and consume.

Automating Layer 1 Connectivity for Enhanced Efficiency and Agility

Traditionally, in layer 1 connectivity the physical installation and management of fiber optic cables has been a manual process, prone to human error and delays. This partnership disrupts the status quo by introducing a revolutionary solution that utilizes robotic arms to automate the entire layer 1 connectivity process and give control to customers.

“We are thrilled to bring automation and control on the optic layer of fiber connectivity and our partnership with FiberSmart brings this cutting-edge technology to the Indian enterprise market,” said Amajit Gupta, CEO of Lightstorm. “This innovation, when deployed on our carrier neutral NaaS fabric of connected data centers and public clouds in India will enhance efficiency, accuracy, and agility for our enterprise customers managing their connectivity needs in the modern era.”

Benefits of NaaS-ifying the Physical layer

NaaS on the physical layer adds a whole host of benefits to enterprises, including:

• Increased Speed and Efficiency: With automation, connectivity is significantly faster than with human technicians, leading to quicker deployment times and reduced downtime. This removes the burden of long-drawn procurement cycles for enterprises as they can now procure connectivity resources on-demand.
• Enhanced Scalability: This automated solution enables enterprises to easily scale their data center and cloud infrastructure to accommodate future growth requirements instantly.
• Improved Safety: Robotic and software automation removes human input and errors, reducing the risks related to damaged infrastructure and cyber-security.

A Pioneering Partnership for the Indian Data Center Landscape

“FiberSmart is thrilled to partner with Lightstorm to enable groundbreaking NaaS offerings with our robotic technology. Optical fiber connectivity and automation are the most critical elements in the AI Era. India is the fastest growing market, and we are excited to play a part in evolving it with our partners." said David Wang, CEO & Founder of FiberSmart.

Teleindia collaborated with FiberSmart and delivered their robotic optical solution for the first time in India for Lightstorm. Mahanthesha KA, CEO & MD of Telendia Group of Companies said, “Teleindia is excited about the possibilities this partnership with FiberSmart brings. Our vision aligns perfectly with Lightstorm’s Polarin DCI Wave and its use of FiberSmart’s cutting-edge technology, marking a new era for high-speed, reliable and efficient data transfer. This collaboration pushes the boundaries of data center interconnectivity, setting a new benchmark for the industry. Together, we are poised to deliver unparalleled value to our customers.”

Polarin DCI Wave replaces the day-to-day manual cross connection process with remote robotics in the data centre. It automates and virtualizes the physical network which today connects 60+ leading data centers in India and will soon span to other geographies across South Asia.

About Lightstorm

Launched in 2020, Lightstorm started with the SmartNet brand which was built to be a carrier-neutral, low latency and DCI-focused fiber network in India. As of today, SmartNet has expanded into 7 major cities across India with ~25,000 km of route fiber connected to ~60 data centers. Its global NaaS offering, Polarin is an interconnection network platform that enables seamless, instantaneous, and scalable connectivity between data centers, hybrid and multi-cloud environments, internet exchanges, and more. With the success in India, Lightstorm further expanded into Indonesia in 2022, replicating a similar business model with first project targeting to roll out ~1,000 km of fiber and connecting ~40 data centers in Greater Jakarta. Looking forward, Lightstorm targets to continue expanding its geographical coverage to other Southeast Asian and Middle East countries and enriching its products and services to ultimately establish a leading next-gen cloud network infrastructure platform with assets across APAC and interconnecting them with the US West Coast.

More information on Polarin DCI Wave is available here.

About FiberSmart

FiberSmart is a world leading robotic fiber optical switching company. Founded in 2003 as an innovative cabling solution company, FiberSmart brought software and automation to the physical layer of networks. This better enables telecom service providers, data center operators, enterprises and governments to overcome the challenges that come with supporting the AI Era. FiberSmart has a worldwide operation headquartered in San Francisco/Bay Area.

About Teleindia

Established in 2006, Teleindia has swiftly emerged as a distinguished player in the telecom sector, building a solid reputation as a 'Service Provider' business unit. Renowned for its unwavering commitment to quality standards, expertise, and streamlined delivery processes, Teleindia is recognized as a trusted partner in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. The company plays a pivotal role in transforming individuals, societies, and businesses.