CME Data Center Operator Acknowledges Operational Misconduct, Leading to Last Week's Trading Halt

Last Friday, December 7, CME Group—the world’s second-largest derivatives exchange—faced a trading halt lasting over 10 hours across multiple markets due to a data center outage. Data center operator CyrusOne confirmed Saturday the outage stemmed from human error. A CyrusOne spokesperson said on-site staff and contractors at its Aurora, Illinois facility failed to properly drain the cooling tower ahead of frigid weather, causing the system to ice up, operate under overpressure, and trigger uncontrolled equipment temperatures. While CyrusOne claimed it took comprehensive, decisive steps to restore cooling, CME noted in a statement that the data center’s initial remediation efforts worsened the issue, ultimately knocking out multiple cooling units. The incident underscores CME’s high reliance on a single data center. The facility was originally owned by CME, sold to CyrusOne in 2016, and bound by a 15-year leaseback agreement. CME said Saturday it is fully aware of the severe impact the event has had on its global customers. (Source: Golden Finance)