As another year draws to a close, it’s a good time to pause, reflect and set our sights on what lies ahead.

2025 has been defined by the rapid acceleration of AI and the unprecedented rise in compute demand. This is putting immense pressure on existing data centres, as escalating rack power densities drive greater heat output, intensifying the challenges around energy efficiency and sustainability. At the same time, heightened public awareness of data centres’ societal impact means the sector is facing more scrutiny than ever. To review the past year and look ahead to what 2026 may bring, this issue’s Question Time gathers perspectives from experts across the industry.

We also take a deep dive into the world of copper cabling. Mike Boisseau of Siemon looks at how the real intelligence of modern buildings lies at their edge and why copper cabling systems remain the essential backbone enabling it all, Jonathan Dunbar of Leviton goes on to outline the key considerations for achieving reliable network performance beyond the 100m limit defined by the standards, and Jan Honig of CommScope explains how it is possible to power data responsibly with ‘greener’ cables.

When it comes to the industry’s unsung heroes, cable management and labelling are certainly amongst them and in this issue we have three fantastic articles on the subject. In the first, Michael Akinla of Panduit explains how effective cable management remains vital for achieving uptime, performance and scalability. He’s followed Nick Edwards of HellermannTyton, who looks at optical fibre raceway systems and Jon Barker of CPI, who explains why smart cable management can help to future proof data centres.

Rob Shepherd 
Editor