TYPES OF DATA CENTERS
ENTERPRISE DATA CENTERS
Description
Owned and operated by a single company, typically large organizations.
Purpose
Built to meet the specific needs of the business, providing full control over
the infrastructure.
Location
Can be on-premises or off-premises (remote sites).
Examples
Large corporations like Google, Amazon, and banks.
Sunil Sam Christopher, Vice President - ESG https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-sam-christopher-561116245/
TYPES OF DATA CENTERS
HYPERSCALE DATA CENTERS
Description
Massive facilities owned and operated by large cloud providers, designed to
scale quickly and handle vast amounts of data and traffic.
Purpose
Supports high computational demands, often for cloud services, big data,
and AI.
Location
Usually built in regions with abundant power and connectivity, sometimes in
rural areas for cost and resource efficiency.
Examples
Amazon, Microsoft, Google.
Sunil Sam Christopher, Vice President - ESG https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-sam-christopher-561116245/
TYPES OF DATA CENTERS
CLOUD DATA CENTERS
Description
These are virtualized data centers where resources like storage, compute
power, and networking are delivered as services over the internet.
Purpose
Operated by cloud service providers, allowing companies to lease
infrastructure and scale resources on-demand.
Location
Managed remotely by the cloud provider.
Examples
Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, BDx Data
Centers.
Sunil Sam Christopher, Vice President - ESG https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-sam-christopher-561116245/
TYPES OF DATA CENTERS
EDGE DATA CENTERS
Description
Small, decentralized facilities located closer to end-users or devices.
Purpose
Reduces latency and improves performance for applications like IoT and
content delivery by bringing data processing closer to the source.
Location
Distributed in various locations, often close to urban centers or specific
customer needs.
Examples
Micro data centers used by telecom providers for 5G infrastructure.
Sunil Sam Christopher, Vice President - ESG https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-sam-christopher-561116245/
TYPES OF DATA CENTERS
COLOCATION DATA CENTERS
Description
Also known as "colos," these data centers house equipment, space, and
bandwidth for multiple businesses.
Purpose
Provides a shared facility where companies can rent space for their servers
and networking equipment.
Location
These are off-premises facilities owned by a third party.
Examples
Equinix, Digital Realty, BDx Data Centers.
Sunil Sam Christopher, Vice President - ESG https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-sam-christopher-561116245/
TYPES OF DATA CENTERS
MANAGED SERVICES DATA CENTERS
Description
A third party fully manages the data center infrastructure, including
hardware, software, and other operational components.
Purpose
Allows businesses to outsource their data center operations while focusing
on core business activities.
Location
Typically off-premises, in a facility managed by the service provider.
Examples
IBM, Rackspace.
Sunil Sam Christopher, Vice President - ESG https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-sam-christopher-561116245/
TYPES OF DATA CENTERS
MODULAR DATA CENTERS
Description
Prefabricated data center units that can be easily deployed and scaled based
on need.
Purpose
Flexible and quick to deploy, modular data centers can be added or moved as
the organization grows.
Location
These can be placed in various locations, depending on the demand,
including remote areas.
Examples
Portable units by companies like Cisco and HPE.
Sunil Sam Christopher, Vice President - ESG https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-sam-christopher-561116245/
TYPES OF DATA CENTERS
GREEN DATA CENTERS
Description
Designed with a focus on energy efficiency and sustainability.
Purpose
Uses renewable energy sources, energy-efficient technologies, and
environmental practices to minimize the carbon footprint.
Location
Often located in areas where renewable energy (solar, wind, hydro) is
abundant.
Examples
Eco-friendly facilities operated by companies like Apple and Google.
Sunil Sam Christopher, Vice President - ESG https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-sam-christopher-561116245/
TYPES OF DATA CENTERS
MICRO DATA CENTERS
Description
Compact, standalone data centers.
Purpose
Designed to provide localized computing power and storage.
Location
Often deployed in remote areas or at the edge of the network.
Examples
An example of a micro data center is Schneider Electric's prefabricated micro
data center solution. These modular units can be deployed quickly and are
equipped with all necessary components, including power, cooling, and
security features.
Sunil Sam Christopher, Vice President - ESG https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-sam-christopher-561116245/
TYPES OF DATA CENTERS
HIGH-DENSITY DATA CENTERS
Description
Designed to handle higher power and cooling requirements.
Purpose
Suitable for businesses running intense workloads like AI, machine learning,
or high-performance computing (HPC).
Location
High-density data centers are usually located in major metropolitan areas or
near industrial zones where demand for advanced computing power is high.
Examples
Switch's SUPERNAP data center in Las Vegas. This facility is designed to
support extreme power densities, with the ability to provide up to 30 kW or
more per rack.
Sunil Sam Christopher, Vice President - ESG https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-sam-christopher-561116245/
TYPES OF DATA CENTERS
CARRIER-NEUTRAL DATA CENTERS
Description
Independent data centers that offer a variety of connectivity options from
multiple carriers.
Purpose
Allow businesses to choose the best network provider for their needs.
Location
Located in major cities or regions with high internet traffic, as these locations
are hubs for telecommunications networks.
Examples
Equinix, Digital Realty, CoreSite, BDx Data Centers, CyrusOne, Interxion,
Telehouse
Sunil Sam Christopher, Vice President - ESG https://www.linkedin.com/in/sunil-sam-christopher-561116245/
