Find a Data CenterSearch 5,812 Data Centers

Artificial intelligence is evolving—and so is the infrastructure that powers it. Gone are the days when AI lived exclusively inside hyperscale cloud zones. In 2025, AI has broken free from the data center walls and is now running on the streets, in factories, inside hospitals, and at the edge of the network.Fromautonomous vehicles navigating traffic in real-timetoAI-powered sensors optimizing industrial automation, intelligent systems are increasingly deployed where decisions need to happen fast and close to the source. This shift is driving explosive demand fordecentralized infrastructure—a smarter, faster, and more agile alternative to the traditional cloud model.What Is Decentralized Infrastructure?Decentralized infrastructurerefers to compute and storage resources that are distributed across many geographic locations, rather than being centralized in a few mega cloud regions. This model includes:Edge data centersdeployed near users and devicesColocation clustersoffering dedicated capacity in key metrosBare metal nodesthat can be orchestrated globallyOn-premise AI serversintegrated with hybrid cloud toolsThis decentralized model flips the old paradigm on its head. Instead of pushing all data to the cloud for processing, it brings the infrastructurecloser to where data is generated and consumed—making AI systems faster, more secure, and better aligned with real-world needs.Why Centralized Cloud Isn’t Enough for AI AnymoreToday’s AI workloads are exposing the cracks in centralized cloud infrastructure. High-performance use cases like autonomous driving, healthcare diagnostics, industrial robotics, and real-time analytics require:Low latency:Waiting for cloud round-trips adds dangerous delays to real-time decision-making.Massive bandwidth:Transferring large datasets (e.g., video, telemetry, logs) to the cloud is expensive and inefficient.Data compliance:Regulations like GDPR and HIPAA often require data to be stored and processed locally.High availability:Relying on a single cloud zone creates single points of failure—an unacceptable risk for mission-critical systems.Centralized cloud is great for storage, scalability, and experimentation—but it’s increasinglyinsufficient for production-grade AI workloadsthat require speed, resilience, and data proximity.Key Benefits of Decentralized Infrastructure for AI1. Real-Time AI Inference at the EdgeBy deploying inference engines directly in stores, clinics, vehicles, or industrial plants, AI decisions can happen instantly—without sending data back to the cloud. This is crucial for applications where milliseconds matter.2. Distributed Model TrainingAI training jobs can be distributed across multiple regional clusters or colocation sites, tapping into local compute and reducing bottlenecks in central cloud hubs. This approach also leverages underutilized infrastructure and improves cost efficiency.3. Built-In Data PrivacyWhen sensitive data—such as medical images or customer behavior logs—never leaves the premises, organizations can ensure compliance from the ground up. Decentralization supportsprivacy by designand satisfies stringent data residency requirements.4. Resilience RedundancyBy spreading infrastructure across multiple sites, organizations gain fault tolerance and geographic redundancy. Outages in one region don’t grind operations to a halt, and disaster recovery becomes easier to orchestrate.Technologies Powering the Shift to Decentralized AIThe rise of decentralized infrastructure is backed by a maturing stack of modern technologies:Bare Metal Automation:Platforms like MetalStack, Equinix Metal, and Canonical MAAS now enable orchestration of physical servers at global scale—just like VMs in the cloud.Federated Learning:This technique trains AI models across decentralized nodes without sharing raw data—boosting privacy and enabling collaboration across jurisdictions.Containerization Microservices:Lightweight containers allow AI components to run in diverse environments—whether in a rack server or a remote retail store.Next-Gen Networking:With the help of5G,SD-WAN, and evensatellite internet, bandwidth bottlenecks at the edge are becoming a thing of the past.Together, these tools empower developers and IT teams to treat edge and remote infrastructure like an extension of the cloud—automated, observable, and ready for AI.Real-World Use Cases: Decentralization in ActionSmart Citiesare leading the way with AI used in traffic control, surveillance, waste management, and energy optimization—all processed locally for real-time action.Inretail, edge AI tracks foot traffic, predicts stock needs, and adjusts pricing dynamically—without waiting on centralized systems.Healthcare providersuse on-site AI for imaging diagnostics, patient triage, and equipment monitoring in hospitals and rural clinics.Manufacturersdeploy real-time quality control systems on the production line using cameras and sensors powered by localized AI.Eventelecomandgaming platformsare embracing decentralization, offering ultra-low latency experiences by pushing compute closer to players and users.Challenges on the Road to DecentralizationDespite its promise, decentralized infrastructure is not plug-and-play. It introduces a set of complex challenges:Operational Complexity:Managing a dispersed fleet of nodes across different environments is hard—especially at scale.Security Risks:More nodes mean more entry points. Zero-trust security frameworks become critical.Visibility Gaps:Monitoring fragmented infrastructure is tricky. Organizations need unified observability solutions.Hardware Diversity:With different vendors, specs, and environments, standardization becomes a challenge.Forward-thinking enterprises are tackling these issues by investing inDevOps for edge, leveraging tools like Ansible and Terraform, and building outobservability pipelinesthat span from core to edge.How Enterprises Are EvolvingLeading organizations aren’t replacing cloud—they’re augmenting it. Here's how they're adapting to decentralized AI:Placing workloads in Tier 2 and edge data centersto reduce latency and boost redundancyCombining private AI clusters with cloud burstingfor scale-on-demandDeploying AI nodes near end usersto process data locally and improve performanceBuilding hybrid architectureswith real-time decision-making at the edge and long-term storage in the cloudThe result? An infrastructure strategy that’s faster, smarter, and better aligned with how AI actually needs to work in the real world.The Infrastructure That Thinks AheadDecentralized infrastructure is no longer a nice-to-have—it’s the new standard for AI workloads that demand speed, scale, and security. It enables businesses to deliver intelligence at the edge, meet regulatory demands, and build resilient systems that adapt to change.In 2025 and beyond, the winners in AI won’t just be the ones with the best models—they’ll be the ones with the bestarchitecture. By rethinking infrastructure from the ground up and embracing decentralization, organizations can unlock the full potential of artificial intelligence.AI is everywhere. Now, your infrastructure needs to be too.

In the early stages of growth, startups walk a tightrope. They need infrastructure that’s fast, flexible, and scalable—but also affordable, reliable, and secure. In 2025, more and more startups are discovering that the answer isn’t just in the public cloud. It’s inbare metal servers—a strategic middle ground that offers cloud-like flexibility with physical hardware power.Bare metal gives startups complete control over their environment without requiring them to build and manage physical infrastructure from scratch. It's a cost-effective solution for companies that have outgrown cloud trials and want more stability, better performance, and a clearer financial path forward. For startups balancing innovation and efficiency, bare metal is becoming the infrastructure secret weapon.What Is Bare Metal?Bare metal refers to physical, non-virtualized servers that are dedicated entirely to a single tenant. When a startup rents a bare metal server, they’re not sharing CPU, memory, or storage with anyone else. It’s a one-to-one relationship: your team, your server.This direct ownership translates into consistent performance and complete customization. Startups can install their own operating system, configure the BIOS, and fine-tune hardware to match their specific workloads. Most bare metal providers offer cloud-like features such as remote provisioning, hourly or monthly billing, and powerful APIs—making it easier than ever to spin up dedicated infrastructure without the complexity of managing a data center.Why Startups Are Choosing Bare Metal in 2025One of the biggest reasons startups are flocking to bare metal isperformance. Whether you're building a multiplayer game, processing AI inference at scale, or delivering a high-speed video platform, performance matters. Bare metal delivers the low-latency, high-throughput environment these use cases demand—without the variability that often plagues virtual machines in the cloud.Cost is another key factor. Public cloud platforms are easy to adopt, but their pay-as-you-go models can become expensive quickly. As usage increases, so do the surprise bills. Bare metal offers a more predictable pricing structure, especially for steady, consistent workloads. You know what you're getting, and you know what you’re paying for.Then there’s the issue of control. For startups in regulated industries like healthcare, finance, or enterprise SaaS, having full oversight of data storage and processing isn’t optional—it’s essential. Bare metal provides physical isolation and data sovereignty, which helps with compliance and risk management. And finally, there's no “noisy neighbor” issue. In a shared cloud environment, other users on the same hardware can slow down your applications. With bare metal, that’s not a concern—you own 100% of the performance.Bare Metal vs. Cloud: Where It WinsWhile cloud services offer speed and elasticity, they often abstract away control. Bare metal gives startups full visibility and ownership of their infrastructure. From operating system to hardware layer, everything is customizable. This makes bare metal ideal for fine-tuned deployments that need consistency, such as GPU-intensive AI models, blockchain validation nodes, or high-performance analytics platforms.Cloud infrastructure is designed for fast scaling and short-term experimentation. But when a startup finds its footing and starts to scale production workloads, costs can balloon. Bare metal offers cost predictability and resource guarantees—important assets for growing companies that need financial clarity and operational stability.While bare metal takes slightly longer to provision than cloud services, the trade-off is access to dedicated machines tailored to exact needs. And modern bare metal providers are closing that gap with API-driven provisioning, cloud-style automation, and support for tools like Terraform and Ansible.Use Cases for Smart StartupsToday’s high-growth startups are using bare metal in all kinds of creative and strategic ways. Game studios need ultra-low latency to ensure smooth rendering and real-time responsiveness. AI and ML startups rely on GPU-heavy configurations to train and deploy large models efficiently. Streaming companies benefit from the high network throughput that bare metal supports, keeping content delivery fast and reliable.For SaaS platforms serving enterprise customers, bare metal offers the ability to create isolated, high-performance environments for each client—without sacrificing control or uptime. And in the world of Web3 and blockchain, where decentralization and compute integrity matter, bare metal servers give developers the freedom to manage infrastructure on their terms.Bare Metal in the Modern Startup StackRather than going all-in on one type of infrastructure, many startups are choosing ahybrid approach. They use cloud services for rapid prototyping, development environments, and elastic workloads. But when it’s time to scale their core applications, they shift to bare metal to gain efficiency and better control.This hybrid model gives startups the flexibility of the cloud with the performance and stability of dedicated servers. It also provides a strong foundation for resilience—allowing teams to build disaster recovery plans across different environments and infrastructure types.Who’s Leading in Bare Metal?In 2025, several providers stand out for their bare metal offerings tailored to startup needs.DedicatedNodesspecializes in edge-optimized, developer-friendly servers ideal for agile deployments.Equinix Metaloffers a global footprint with robust APIs and a vast network ecosystem.OVHcloudprovides a cost-effective option with strong privacy standards, especially appealing to European startups.PhoenixNAPdelivers high-performance, GPU-ready configurations with automated provisioning.Many of these companies offerbare metal as-a-service, blending the power of physical infrastructure with the ease of cloud automation. That means startups can deploy globally, integrate with CI/CD pipelines, and scale workloads without sacrificing performance or control.Pitfalls to Watch Out ForBare metal is powerful—but it’s not without its challenges. One common mistake startups make is over-provisioning. Unlike the cloud, there’s no “pause” button for idle servers. You pay whether you're using them or not, so careful capacity planning is key.Another trap is underestimating setup and scaling time. Even with automation, bare metal deployments can take longer than spinning up a cloud instance. Startups should plan ahead and consider how to automate provisioning using tools like Terraform or Ansible. Finally, bare metal doesn’t mean no management. Monitoring, patching, and securing your stack is still your responsibility—so embrace modern DevOps practices early on.Getting Started with Bare Metal: Best PracticesThe best way to get started is small. Deploy a single-node pilot to benchmark performance and understand how your workload behaves on bare metal. Compare results with your current cloud setup to evaluate cost and performance gains.Automate wherever possible. Provision servers using infrastructure-as-code tools. Standardize builds and set up monitoring and alerting to catch issues before they escalate. Choose a provider with scalable inventory so you can grow as demand increases. And above all, secure your environment—apply patches, configure firewalls, and implement strong authentication from day one.In a landscape where agility, cost, and performance can make or break a startup, bare metal stands out as the infrastructure that delivers all three—without compromise. It bridges the gap between the instant convenience of the cloud and the raw power of owning your own hardware, giving startups a serious edge.Whether you're building the next big SaaS platform, training AI models, running high-speed game engines, or launching Web3 applications, bare metal offers the control, consistency, and cost-efficiency that fast-moving teams need. And with modern bare metal providers now offering cloud-like automation, deployment is faster and more flexible than ever.Startups no longer have to choose between burning budget in the cloud or managing racks on their own.Bare metal is the modern middle ground—purpose-built for innovation, ready to scale, and powerful enough to support whatever you’re building next. It’s not just an alternative to cloud—it’s your launchpad to something bigger.

The cloud wars are intensifying—and infrastructure is the battleground. In 2025, the world’s largest hyperscalers—Microsoft, Google, and Amazon Web Services (AWS)—are racing to build mega data centers that support the next generation of cloud services, artificial intelligence, and edge computing.These are not your average facilities. Mega data centers span hundreds of thousands of square feet, consume hundreds of megawatts of power, and serve as global hubs for everything from search to streaming to machine learning.What Defines a Mega Data Center?A mega data center typically features:100+ MW of power capacity1 million+ square feet of IT and support spaceCustom-designed infrastructure for hyperscale workloadsDirect links to subsea cables, fiber exchanges, and renewable powerMega campuses are often built in phases, enabling providers to scale capacity over a decade or more.Microsoft: Building Toward AI SupremacyMicrosoft’s cloud infrastructure is expanding aggressively to support Azure and its growing AI offerings. With deep investments in OpenAI and Copilot technologies, Microsoft is building new facilities to handle massive model training and inference workloads.Key Projects:San Antonio, TX: $1.5 billion expansion of an existing Azure region, with a focus on AI and sustainability.Mount Pleasant, WI: $3.3 billion investment near Foxconn campus, optimized for data residency and enterprise cloud.Dublin, Ireland: New build-out near its existing footprint to support European AI demand.Microsoft’s strategy emphasizes regional diversity, carbon-negative goals, and modular construction for rapid deployment.Amazon Web Services: Quiet but ExpansiveAWS rarely makes splashy announcements, but its infrastructure buildout is unmatched in scale. In 2025, the company is:Expanding its presence in Northern Virginia with new availability zones.Investing in Spain and South Africa to strengthen regional cloud offerings.Building a $1.4 billion data center park near Zaragoza, Spain, powered by renewable energy and targeting public sector clients.AWS’s edge comes from its tight vertical integration, global reach, and dominance in enterprise workloads. Its mega builds are focused on sustainability, sovereign cloud, and service localization.Google Cloud: AI and Carbon-Free at ScaleGoogle is aligning its data center growth with two core priorities: AI infrastructure and carbon-free energy. Its TPU (Tensor Processing Unit) clusters require immense compute, and Google is expanding in locations where it can secure clean, stable power.New Developments:Finland: Continued expansion of its Hamina campus, one of the world’s most efficient hyperscale sites.Mesa, AZ: $600 million facility targeting U.S. Southwest latency and AI workloads.Germany and Netherlands: Strategic EU builds to comply with digital sovereignty laws.Google’s approach integrates custom chip design, carbon-free energy by 2030, and open cloud infrastructure partnerships.Why These Builds MatterMega data centers are about more than just size. They’re becoming the backbone for:Generative AI and foundation model hosting5G and edge integrationNational and regional cloud servicesEnergy innovation (e.g., liquid cooling, green hydrogen)These projects are shaping power markets, real estate values, and workforce strategies in the regions where they’re built.The Infrastructure Arms RaceAll three hyperscalers are:Securing long-term land options for future builds.Investing in fiber routes and subsea cable infrastructure.Partnering with utilities on renewable energy PPA deals.Deploying custom hardware for differentiated performance.They’re also competing for proximity to customers, low-latency zones, and regulatory compliance. Data sovereignty laws are pushing providers to build in more regions, not just scale in a few.Who’s Next?Other companies joining the mega data center race include:Meta: Building in Indiana and Denmark to support AI infrastructure.Oracle and IBM: Targeting sovereign and industry-specific clouds.Tencent and Alibaba Cloud: Expanding internationally to compete with U.S. cloud giants.The buildout is global—and accelerating.The next mega data center isn’t just a construction site—it’s a strategic chess move in a global infrastructure race. As Microsoft, Google, and AWS break ground on their next billion-dollar campuses, they’re also reshaping how the world connects, computes, and scales.These hyperscale builds are no longer confined to traditional tech hubs. From Texas and Arizona to Finland, Spain, and Kenya, the digital backbone is being laid down in regions chosen for energy innovation, geopolitical alignment, and strategic user proximity. Each facility is a convergence of AI ambition, sustainability mandates, and sovereign cloud strategies.For CIOs, developers, and infrastructure strategists, the implications are massive:Where these data centers go, low-latency services follow.Where hyperscalers invest, ecosystems grow—fiber, jobs, AI labs, and edge networks.Where capacity leads, competition and innovation thrive.In this high-stakes era, winning the cloud war isn’t just about offering the best tools—it’s about building the best foundation. Steel, megawatts, and subsea cables are the new tools of digital dominance.As these mega campuses rise, so too does the next evolution of cloud. Businesses that align with this infrastructure shift—through partnerships, co-location strategies, or edge deployments—will be best positioned to scale with it.

Africa is undergoing a digital revolution. With a young, mobile-first population, rapid urbanization, and rising demand for local cloud and connectivity services, the continent is becoming a strategic frontier for data center expansion. In 2025, three cities stand out as key players: Lagos (Nigeria), Nairobi (Kenya), and Cairo (Egypt).These cities are driving the continent’s transformation from infrastructure gap to innovation hub. Lagos: West Africa’s Data CapitalLagos is the beating heart of Nigeria’s tech economy—and the gateway to West Africa’s digital future. As the region’s largest city and economic powerhouse, Lagos is experiencing a surge in demand for low-latency, high-availability infrastructure.What’s Driving Growth in Lagos:Massive internet adoption: Over 100 million Nigerians are online, many on mobile.Submarine cable access: Major cables like MainOne, Equiano (Google), and WACS land here.Financial and media demand: Fintech, e-commerce, and streaming services are booming.Investment incentives: The Nigerian government is offering tax breaks and infrastructure support for tech zones.MainOne (acquired by Equinix), Open Access Data Centres (OADC), and Rack Centre are leading a new wave of builds. These facilities are designed for hyperscale tenants, edge deployments, and enterprise colocation.Nairobi: East Africa’s Innovation HubNairobi has earned the nickname "Silicon Savannah" for good reason. As East Africa’s leading tech hub, the city combines entrepreneurial energy with government-backed digital transformation initiatives.Nairobi’s Strategic Advantages:High mobile penetration: Home of M-Pesa and one of Africa’s most connected populations.Stable energy: Kenya leads in geothermal power and renewable energy adoption.Public-private partnerships: Government initiatives like Konza Technopolis support infrastructure development.Regional role: Nairobi acts as a gateway to landlocked markets like Uganda, Rwanda, and South Sudan.IXAfrica, Africa Data Centres (a Cassava Technologies brand), and Liquid Intelligent Technologies are all expanding capacity in and around Nairobi. New builds are focused on Tier III+ reliability, energy efficiency, and interconnection.Cairo: North Africa’s Infrastructure AnchorEgypt is strategically located between Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. With strong government interest in digital transformation and a growing domestic cloud market, Cairo is emerging as a prime data center location.Why Cairo Is on the Rise:Geographic advantage: Subsea cables from Europe to Asia pass through Egypt.Government investment: Major funding for digital infrastructure and smart city initiatives.Enterprise growth: Banking, healthcare, and public sector demand are expanding.Workforce and education: A large base of tech graduates and skilled engineers.Telecom Egypt, GPX, and Etisalat Misr are building or expanding colocation and hyperscale facilities in the Greater Cairo area, focusing on cloud connectivity and secure enterprise hosting.Africa’s Data Center Boom by the NumbersInternet penetration: Over 500 million Africans are online—expected to surpass 800 million by 2030.Cloud market size: Projected to grow from $2 billion in 2023 to over $10 billion by 2030.Hyperscaler presence: AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud are expanding local zones and investing in submarine cable infrastructure.Power capacity: New data center projects in Lagos and Nairobi alone are adding 100+ MW over the next three years.Challenges on the HorizonDespite the growth, the African market comes with complexities:Power reliability: Off-grid and hybrid power solutions are common.Regulatory hurdles: Licensing and import restrictions can delay deployments.Currency fluctuations: Cost management is critical for foreign investors.Connectivity gaps: Rural and inland areas still lack access to high-speed networks.Operators are overcoming these hurdles with modular designs, local partnerships, and government engagement. New power-as-a-service models and investments in fiber backhaul are helping bridge the infrastructure gap.Why Hyperscalers Are Watching AfricaThe demand curve in Africa resembles Asia-Pacific in the early 2010s—steep and sustained. Hyperscalers see the continent as a long-term growth market for:AI model localizationContent delivery and cachingDisaster recovery zonesCloud sovereignty complianceBy investing early, cloud and colocation providers are securing market share in what will soon be one of the most connected regions in the world.Lagos, Nairobi, and Cairo represent Africa’s digital rise—each city with its own strengths and strategic role. Together, they offer a preview of what’s possible when technology, policy, and investment align to close the digital divide.As global infrastructure players look for growth beyond saturated markets, Africa is no longer just a frontier—it’s a focal point. And in 2025, the race is on to build the backbone of the continent’s connected future.