Who Owns the Top 10 Data Centers in the World
What is a Data Center?
A Data Center is a large group of networked computer servers in one infrastructure, that is typically used for the remote storage, processing, or distribution of large amounts of data. The distribution of this processed data is critical for the daily operation of companies and organizations. There are internal data centers (use by organizations as the Pentagon to protect classified information) and external data centers (use by any organization that wants to outsource the management of their data in a secure place).
Why is it important to know who owns your Data Center?
There are a couple of reasons why it is important to know who owns your Data Center. For example, it makes a difference in how much your paying and the service you are receiving. And why is that?
Your hosting company may not be the owner
Real estate companies own most of the World’s data centers. And that brings a lot of situations, beginning with the way a data center is managed. Think about it. A real estate companies is there for the money.
Priorities of an IT Professional data center owner
When an IT Professional owns a Data Center, the priorities change. Taking into consideration that the real value of a server is its ability to allow the operation of a business day by day, this becomes the number one priority.
10 biggest Data Center around the World
- Range International Information Group
(Owned by the China government)
Langfang, China
6,300,000 Sq. Ft
This facility is still under construction and by the time is completed, will be nearly the same size as the Pentagon and equivalent to nearly 110 football pitches. Will be used as a host for smarter transportation, e-government, administration systems, and food and drug safety services.
(Owned by IT Professionals)
Nevada, USA
3,500,000 million Sq. Ft.
Located in Las Vegas to avoid natural disasters. There are plans for the center to undergo a major expansion plan across 1,000 acres of land in the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center at a cost of $1 billion, making Nevada the most digitally connected state in the US. Switch estimates work to be completed between 2020 and 2025.
3. DuPont Fabros Technology (Digital Realty)
(Owned by a Real Estate Investment Trust)
Virginia, USA
1,600,000 million Sq. Ft.
With 28 computer rooms and capacity for over 10.5 thousand servers, it has 450 thousand sq ft of commercial area and produces 41.6 MW of power.
(Owned by the USA Government)
Utah, USA
1,500,000 million Sq. Ft.
The Utah Data Centre, officially named the ‘Intelligence Community Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative Data Center for the US Intelligence Community’, is located at Camp Williams near Bluffdale, Utah.
(Owned by IT Professionals)
Iowa, USA
1,200,000 Sq. Ft.
Microsoft announced plans in April 2014 to build yet another data center. The new facility will add 1.2 million sq ft of commercial space to the giant’s portfolio that already grosses 4.1 million sq ft. If all its data centre buildings were put together, Bill Gates’ company would rank first for the largest amount of data center space with 6.3 million square footage.
6. Lakeside Technology Center
(Owned by A Real Estate Company)
Chicago, USA
1,100,000 Sq. Ft.
The telecommunications hub is owned by Digital Realty Trust, a Schneiuder Electric customer, and is used by companies like IBM, CenturyLink, Facebook, and TelX. The enormous facility has a backup of 53 generators for any eventuality and utilises 8.5 million gallons of cooling fluid per year.
7. Tulip Data Center
(Owned by an Investor)
Bangalore, India
1,000,000 Sq. Ft.
The Tulip Data Centre is currently the largest data center in the world outside the US. In 2011, Tulip Telecom announced the construction of that that would become the largest data center facility in Asia (until 2016).
(Owned by a Real Estate Company)
Atlanta, USA
990,000 Sq. Ft.
Constructed in 1954 as a Sears southeast distribution center, and today gets power from an 80 MW on-site substation dedicated to the Metro facility. In 2000 MetroNexus and CoreLocation bought the building and converted it to a telecom and data center use at a cost of $80 million.
9. Next Generation Data Europe
(Owned by IT Professionals)
Wales, Uk
750,000 Sq. Ft.
Completed in 1998 and t is Europe’s largest data center facility. Originally built to host an LG semiconductor plant, BT and Logica are the two main customers of NGD since 2010, occupying two 75 thousand sq ft halls each.
(Owned by Equinix, own by investors)
Miami, USA
750,000 Sq. Ft.
Was constructed in 2001 as a centralized infrastructure utilized by over 183 networks. It also detains a Tier-III class facility denomination with redundant power and cooling infrastructure.
In 2011, telecoms Verizon bought the facility for $1.4 billion in a bid to accelerate its cloud computing and in 2017 was bought by Equinix.
As you can see just 3 data centers are own by IT Professionals. The rest are own by investors, realtors or governments. Meaning that their main knowledge is business.
How can prices be affordable? Or how can you be sure that the data center main concern is you or your company? Having this into consideration, the best options always are the data centers run by IT Professionals.
