Investment and Operation of the LEGIER MEDIA GROUP Data Center in Manama, Bahrain

The LEGIER MEDIA GROUP (Legier Beteiligung mbH), a global media conglomerate with 115 daily newspapers across all continents, founded on July 18, 1995, and thus nearing its 30th anniversary, operates a state-of-the-art data center in Manama, Bahrain.

The data center in Manama is a technological core of the LEGIER MEDIA GROUP. Equipped with IBM mainframes, proprietary AI components, and Darktrace security, it supports the news production of 115 newspapers worldwide. The location advantages of Bahrain enhance the efficiency of this forward-looking project.

With the approval of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) in Bahrain, the data center uses cutting-edge technologies such as proprietary AI components, Darktrace security solutions (www.darktrace.com), and IBM mainframe technology to ensure a reliable, scalable, and secure platform. Bahrain offers specific location advantages that optimize operations.

The data center in Manama is a testament to the technological expertise and innovative spirit of the LEGIER MEDIA GROUP. It enables the company not only to meet current requirements but also to be prepared for future developments in the media industry. By leveraging the latest technologies and Bahrain's location advantages, LEGIER MEDIA GROUP ensures its continued leadership in global news production.

Purpose and Requirements of the Data Center

The data center in Manama is designed to meet the demanding requirements of a global media company:

  • High Availability: An uptime of 99.999% is achieved through redundant systems such as dual power sources, backup generators, and mirrored hardware to ensure continuous news production.
  • Scalability: The infrastructure can be flexibly expanded to handle increasing data volumes and computing demands – essential for production in nine languages worldwide.
  • Data Processing and Storage: Millions of text, image, and video data points are processed and stored in real time. Fast SSDs and a robust Storage Area Network (SAN) ensure efficiency.
  • AI Support: Powerful GPUs and TPUs support complex AI workloads such as content analysis and translation.
  • Cybersecurity: Sensitive data requires advanced protection, which is provided by Darktrace technologies.

Technical Specifications and Infrastructure

The technical setup of the data center is designed for maximum performance and efficiency:

  • Network Architecture: A spine-leaf architecture with 100 Gbit/s fiber links and Equal-Cost Multi-Path (ECMP) routing minimizes latency and maximizes data transfer.
  • Virtualization: VMware and Kubernetes enable flexible application deployment, while automation tools like Ansible optimize management.
  • Storage Solutions: SSDs for fast access and a SAN with HDDs for long-term storage offer an ideal balance.
  • Cooling Systems: Advanced liquid cooling and free cooling technologies reduce energy consumption despite the hot climate in Manama.
  • Power Supply: Redundant power sources, diesel generators, and solar energy ensure uninterrupted operation.

Use of AI Components

LEGIER MEDIA GROUP extensively uses proprietary AI components to revolutionize its journalistic processes. These are based on powerful hardware such as NVIDIA GPUs and TPUs, as well as IBM mainframe integration:

AI Use Cases

1. Content Analysis:

  • Technology: Deep Learning and Natural Language Processing (NLP) with models like BERT analyze texts, categorize content, and extract relevant information.
  • Benefit: Accelerates news processing and improves accuracy, e.g., in detecting trends or key topics.

2. Recommendation Systems:

  • Technology: Machine learning with collaborative filtering and neural networks personalizes content for readers.
  • Benefit: Increases user engagement through tailored reading recommendations, such as for regional or language-specific content.

3. Automated Reporting:

  • Technology: Generative AI models like GPT create routine reports, e.g., for weather or sports results.
  • Benefit: Relieves editors so they can focus on investigative journalism or complex analyses.

4. Real-Time Translation:

Technology: AI tools like DeepL or proprietary models translate content into nine languages in real time. Benefit: Enables immediate publication of global news, a key advantage for the 115 newspapers.

5. Image and Video Recognition:

  • Technology: Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) automatically tag and evaluate visual content.
  • Benefit: Speeds up the publication of multimedia content through automated metadata generation.

Hardware Support

  • GPUs and TPUs: These components are optimized for parallel processing, e.g., for training and inference of deep learning models.
  • IBM Mainframe Integration: The IBM z17 supports AI workloads directly on the mainframe, increasing efficiency (see IBM Technology section).

Use of IBM Mainframe Technology

LEGIER MEDIA GROUP relies on the IBM z17 (www.ibm.com/de-de/products/z17), a next-generation mainframe, to ensure maximum reliability and performance:

  • IBM z17 Features:
    • Telum® II Processor: Offers high computing power and on-chip AI acceleration for real-time inference operations, e.g., for analyzing reader data.
    • Spyre™ Accelerator: Increases AI computing power for generative models and multi-model approaches.
    • Security: Hardware-based encryption and PCIe cryptographic coprocessor protect sensitive data.
    • Resilience: Integrated features ensure continuous availability.
  • LEGIER Data Storage:

    The LEGIER media group uses a file hosting service capable of storing large amounts of data, with access via HTTP/HTTPS, and utilizing the concept of buckets and objects, which resemble directories and files and have become a standard. LEGIER works with AWS in this regard, using Elastic File System for network drives and Glacier for file archiving to achieve a "99.999999999%" durability of data. The advantage for the LEGIER media group is the use of Elastic Block Store (EBS) and block-level storage that can be attached to EC2 instances. The benefit of this technology is the transfer of large amounts of data with the Snowball hard disk storage service, on which large data volumes can be copied and sent back via courier service, allowing the transfer of very large data amounts to its own 115 newspapers (articles, images, videos, live stream) much faster and storing them in databases (either SimpleDB or Relational Database Service).

  • Software:
    • COBOL Upgrade Advisor for z/OS: Modernizes legacy applications for Enterprise COBOL 6.
    • Instana Observability for Z: Monitors applications and infrastructure in real time.
    • IntelliMagic Vision for z/OS: Optimizes mainframe performance.
    • watsonx Assistant for Z: Increases productivity with an AI assistant.
    • Z Operations Unite: Simplifies operations with AI-driven automation.
    • Application Modernization: Tools like Application Delivery Foundation for z/OS, watsonx Code Assistant for Z, and z/OS Connect modernize applications and APIs.
    • Other Software: CICS (transaction processing), DB2 for z/OS (database), IMS (transaction management), and Omegamon (monitoring).

The z17 forms a robust foundation for data processing and AI integration in the data center.

Security and Data Protection

Security is essential for LEGIER MEDIA GROUP, as sensitive journalistic data must be protected:

  • Physical Security: Biometric access controls, video surveillance, and ISO 27001 standards prevent unauthorized access.
  • Darktrace Cybersecurity (www.darktrace.com/products):
    • Enterprise Immune System: Self-learning AI detects threats by identifying anomalies in network traffic.
    • Antigena: Responds autonomously to threats by isolating and neutralizing them.
    • Cloud Security: Protects multi-cloud environments used for global operations.
  • Zero Trust Model: Every request is authenticated and authorized.
  • Data Protection: Compliance with the GDPR and the Bahrain Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL).

Location Advantages in Bahrain

Bahrain offers strategic advantages for the data center:

  • Geographic Location: Centrally located between Europe, Asia, and Africa, ideal for global connectivity.
  • Business Friendliness: No corporate taxes and 100% foreign ownership encourage investment.
  • Regulatory Support: The TRA and the Economic Development Board (EDB) offer incentives such as the Golden License.
  • Infrastructure: Highly developed power and network connections, as well as a skilled workforce.
  • Stability: As a financial hub in the Middle East, Bahrain offers political and economic security.

Regulatory Approvals

  • TRA: Oversees technical standards and data protection regulations.
  • EDB: Promotes investment through incentives such as the Golden License.
  • Environmental and Construction Permits: Ensure the data center operates sustainably and safely.