Lightedge Builds a Future-Ready Hybrid Infrastructure with the Lumen Network
Lumen Customer Stories Team
Posted On December 19, 2025
In today’s hybrid-first world, infrastructure must do more than deliver uptime. It must enable transformation. Lightedge, a purpose-built hybrid cloud and colocation provider, is redefining what secure, scalable infrastructure looks like for regulated industries. With a customer-first mindset and a flagship underground data center in Kansas City, Lightedge is building for the future, powered by a secure IP backbone and wavelength services from Lumen.
Underground Innovation Meets Enterprise-Grade Connectivity
As Lightedge expanded its national footprint, it faced growing complexity across data center interconnectivity, compliance mandates and AI readiness. Their clients—spanning finance, healthcare, manufacturing and retail—demanded high-performance environments with zero downtime and full regulatory alignment.
To meet these demands, Lightedge needed a network partner that could deliver low-latency, high-throughput connectivity across geographically dispersed markets. The secure IP backbone and wavelength circuits provided by Lumen create the foundation for seamless interconnects between data centers. By choosing wavelength circuits, Lightedge enables consistent low latency and performance, with each circuit taking an exact path that never changes. This delivers predictable connectivity and planned failover for mission-critical workloads.
Lumen® Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) is another cornerstone of Lightedge’s approach. Leveraging the deeply peered global Lumen network, Lightedge blends bandwidth to provide reliable, high-quality internet service. The extensive network reach and strong peer relationships mean clients benefit from robust, scalable connectivity across locations.
Security is paramount. Lightedge deploys Lumen® DDoS Mitigation Service at key sites, protecting against distributed denial-of-service attacks and supporting the availability and integrity of their network.
Strategic Collaboration Drives Innovation and Growth
Lightedge’s partnership with Lumen began with a clear goal: unify their infrastructure to support hybrid cloud environments and AI workloads. Leveraging both expertise and support from UPSTACK, a leading supplier-neutral technology advisor, Lightedge optimized its network design by implementing diverse, active-active wavelength paths and route redundancy across all data centers.
“Zero downtime is the goal, and the network is the sales tool,” said Brad Carrell, Partner and Managing Director with UPSTACK. “Fiber cuts happen every day. The customers never notice.”
In addition to its market intelligence, UPSTACK’s project management expertise was crucial, with an experienced manager overseeing installations and circuit delivery to help ensure every implementation met expectations. This strategic approach has delivered measurable results. Since 2024, Lightedge has saved approximately $1 million annually through optimized circuit design and provider selection. These savings are reinvested into expanding AI-ready platforms, modernizing network fabrics and enhancing customer outcomes.
“Resilience isn’t just about today. It’s about building infrastructure that lasts,” said Sean Stenger, Chief of Staff at Lightedge.
Hybrid Flexibility Meets Compliance-first Infrastructure
Lightedge’s hybrid-first strategy blends colocation, private cloud and public cloud integration to meet clients wherever they are in their IT journey. Their seven purpose-built data centers, including locations in Des Moines, Omaha, Austin and Raleigh, are designed to support scalable, secure and compliant environments.
The Kansas City (SubTropolis) data center, located 150 feet underground in a limestone mine, offers natural cooling, physical security and proximity to the national power grid. This unique facility exemplifies Lightedge’s commitment to long-term infrastructure resilience and innovation.
“Being underground is cool, but being close to the power grid is even cooler,” said Stenger. “This data center will be here for decades. It’s rock solid.”
Lisa McLin describes the underground facility as “the heart of your customer’s business. You want to protect it,” highlighting Lightedge’s commitment to safeguarding mission-critical workloads.
Customer Experience at the Core of Every Decision
In an industry often criticized for commoditization, Lightedge stands out for its white-glove service and human-centric support. Their Enterprise Support Group provides tiered client management, 24/7 expert assistance and proactive communication, driving loyalty and long-term growth.
“We’re more than just infrastructure. We become an extension of our customers’ IT teams,” said Stenger. “Everything we do is built from that kernel of creating that customer experience.”
Lisa McLin echoes this sentiment: “We win as one versus winning as an individual. Teamwork and accountability drive client success.”
Future-ready Infrastructure for AI and Edge Computing
As AI becomes integral to business operations, Lightedge is scaling its infrastructure to support high-power workloads, liquid cooling and GPU-as-a-Service platforms. Their retrofit strategy helps ensure that older data centers are transformed into AI-ready environments without compromising performance or compliance.
“Latency and resiliency are still essential, even in the age of AI,” said Stenger. “Lumen allows us to stretch the limits around innovation.”
Lisa McLin adds, “We’re constantly looking at ways to innovate, thinking ahead of where technology is going and how we get there early on. Leveraging AI tools helps us improve service and partner outcomes.”
With the Lumen portfolio and national footprint constantly evolving, Lightedge is well-positioned to meet the rising demand for private AI infrastructure, workload portability and edge-optimized solutions.
Simplifying Hybrid Cloud for Regulated Industries
Lightedge’s journey reflects the power of strategic collaboration. By partnering with Lumen and UPSTACK, they’ve built a resilient, scalable infrastructure that empowers organizations to navigate change, meet compliance mandates and unlock transformative outcomes.
“Our messaging centers around true hybrid flexibility,” said Stenger. “The optionality of a hybrid mindset allows us to deliver the right solution, to the right workload, at the right time.”
To learn more about Lightedge’s transformation, read the full customer success story.
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