The largest data centers in the world, such as the Switch's Citadel campus, Supernap campus, and QTA Atlanta 1, continue boosting the global data center market. According to Blackridge's global data center market report, cloud providers & AI companies are driving demand, and data center price hikes have increased in Northern Virginia by 17.6%, Chicago by 17.2% and Amsterdam by 18%.

As new markets emerge across the globe through new data center facilities, it is equally important to recognize the influence of the world's largest data centers. In this blog, we have listed the largest data centers ranked by capacity.

List of Biggest Data Centers in the World (By Capacity)

 Here is a list of the top 10 biggest data centers in the world according to their capacity. This list also reveals the location of the biggest data center worldwide.

The Citadel – Switch

●       Area: 668,901 square meters (7.2 million square feet)

●       Capacity 650 MW with a built-out of up to 850 MW

●       Location: Nevada, US

●       Developer: Switch

Switch's Citadel complex in Nevada is the largest data center in the world. Moreover, it operates entirely on renewable energy, exemplifying an advanced methodology for sustainable data storage. The Citadel contains numerous servers and supports a wide range of services, including cloud solutions and enterprise data requirements.

It is engineered to deliver exceptional data center solutions, such as connection and security, addressing the requirements of sectors from finance to technology. Its power capacity of 650 megawatts and coverage area of up to 7.2 million square feet are exceptional.

It is enclosed by a 20-foot-tall concrete wall, ensuring exceptional security, dependability, and communication. As a result, its Tier IV Gold-rated facilities perform above industry standards. Switch offers unparalleled data center services and serves a wide range of industries.

Switch's SUPERNAP Campus

●       Area: 1.4 million sq ft

●       Capacity: 280 MW

●       Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

●       Developer: Switch

The SUPERNAP campus is one of the largest data centers of Switch in Las Vegas. It has high-density racks of servers and is home to 120 cloud service providers and managed hosting firms. It houses 1.4 million square feet of mission-critical space across SUPERNAPS 7, 8, and 9.

The original SUPERNAP was a pioneer in hyperscale computing, spanning more than 400,000 square feet. It also features multi-mode cooling supporting workloads up to 1,500 watts per square foot. Switch has added two more huge SUPERNAP buildings, expanding the campus to more than 1.4 million square feet of data center capacity. The Vegas campus will support 280 MW of IT capacity.

QTS Atlanta 1 Data Center

●       Area: ~990,000 sq. ft. (on a 99-acre campus)

●       Capacity: 278 MW+

●       Location: Atlanta, Georgia, United States

●       Developer: QTS Realty Trust

The QTS Atlanta 1 Data Center is a 278 MW data center located in the United States, on a 99-acre site in Atlanta, Georgia. With over 990,000 square feet of space, it serves as a major hub for enterprise and hyperscale customers.

The campus is powered by 3 dedicated on-site Georgia Power substations, electrical systems, and extensive backup generators. The Atlanta 1 data center campus features electric vehicle charging stations spread across four facilities (DC1–DC4).

Harbin Data Center, China

●       Area: 659,611 square meters (7.1 million square feet)

●       Capacity: 200 MW

●       Location: Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China.

●       Developer: China Mobile

The Harbin Data Center is one of China's largest data centers. It specializes in data storage for many governmental and private sectors. Situated in Heilongjiang's chilly temperature, it necessitates minimal artificial cooling, hence decreasing energy expenses. This center facilitates services such as e-commerce, cloud computing, and governmental initiatives, underscoring China's endeavor to regulate data domestically.

This huge data center facilitates China Mobile's telecommunications services, including internet and mobile network connectivity. It covers an area of 659,611 square meters. China Mobile, a leading telecommunications corporation in China, manages this data center. It serves millions of users and underscores the essential importance of robust infrastructure in fulfilling the needs for connectivity and communication.

Alibaba Cloud Zhangbei Data Center

●       Area: 667,972 square meters (around 7.19 million square feet)

●       Capacity: 150 MW

●       Location: Zhangbei County, Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, China

●       Developer: Alibaba Cloud (a subsidiary of Alibaba Group)

Alibaba's Zhangbei data center not only supports the company's cloud computing and e-commerce services but is also crucial in managing extensive data volumes from millions of customers. Additionally, this center uses the cooler environment of northern China to reduce energy requirements for cooling. The data center is essential for Alibaba's objective of enhancing its digital footprint throughout Asia and worldwide.

The data center is a vast facility covering over 0.67 square kilometers in Zhangbei County, China. This facility comprises 52 building modules, each containing multiple data halls with 50,000 data racks, and boasts an impressive power capacity of 37 megawatts (MW). Alibaba Cloud's global strategic regions emphasize high availability, reliability, and advanced technology, focusing on innovative cooling methods and energy efficiency.

Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing segment of Alibaba Group, operates this data center, catering to a diverse array of international clients and dedicated to delivering advanced infrastructure to meet evolving business needs.

China Telecom Inner Mongolia Information Park

●       Area: 994,062 square meters (10.6 million square feet)

●       Capacity: Estimated at 150 MW

●       Location: Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China

●       Developer: China Telecom

China Telecom's data center in Inner Mongolia is among the biggest data facilities in Asia, constructed to satisfy the needs of China's rapidly growing internet user base. Furthermore, the freezing environment of Inner Mongolia facilitates natural cooling, hence reducing energy expenses. The center caters to a diverse clientele, including national telecommunications providers. It is essential to address China's extensive data requirements.

This facility encompasses a remarkable 10.7 million square feet. It includes more than just a collection of servers. It is a multifaceted complex comprising contact centers, warehouses, offices, residential quarters, and cloud computing data centers.

The remarkable 150-megawatt power consumption demonstrates the progress in data center engineering, which is crucial for supporting global organizations. China Telecom Corporation Limited operates it and provides essential infrastructure to various sectors.

Range International Information Group

●       Area: 585,289 square meters (approximately 6.3 million square feet)

●       Capacity: Estimated at 150 MW

●       Location: Langfang, Hebei Province, China

●       Developer: Range International Information Group, in collaboration with IBM

The Range International Information Group Data Center, covering 6.3 million square feet, is located in Langfang, China, south of Beijing. This facility is essential to China's rapidly evolving technological landscape. The advanced systems facilitate both governmental bodies and commercial firms, demonstrating a robust collaboration with the worldwide IT giant IBM.

Situated in proximity to major urban centers such as Beijing and Tianjin, the data center leverages high-speed fiber-optic networks, guaranteeing enhanced connection and accessibility. The collaboration with IBM enhances Langfang's status as a pivotal IT center and accelerates innovation and digital transformation throughout the region.

It encompasses 6.3 million square feet and is situated in Langfang, China. Range International Information Group, in association with IBM, solidifies Langfang's status as a pivotal entity in the global technological arena. They collectively drive innovation, connection, and digital transformation, influencing the future of technology in China and beyond.

Lakeside Technology Center

●       Area: 102,193 square meters (1.1 million square feet)

●       Capacity: Approximately 100 MW

●       Location: 350 East Cermak Road, Chicago, Illinois, USA

●       Developer: Digital Realty Trust

The Lakeside Technology Center, situated in downtown Chicago, is among the largest in North America and is operated by Digital Realty. This facility, recognized for its rapid connectivity and the use of Lake Michigan for cooling, caters to various financial institutions, healthcare providers, and technology companies. Finally, its location in Chicago’s financial core renders it an optimal site for low-latency services, crucial for sectors dependent on rapid data processing.

The data center in Chicago, Illinois, encompasses an extensive 1.1 million square feet. It utilizes approximately 100 MW of power, rendering it Commonwealth Edison’s largest customer in Illinois. A notable aspect of this facility is its cooling system. It employs a refrigerated brine solution contained in an 8.5-million-gallon reservoir.

This extensive reservoir additionally facilitates thermal energy storage, lowering expenses by operating chillers during off-peak periods. The customers of this data center include IBM, Facebook, CenturyLink, and numerous other firms.

Utah Data Center

●       Area: 100,000 sq-ft

●       Capacity: 65 MW

●       Location: Camp Williams, near Bluffdale, Utah, situated between Utah Lake and the Great Salt Lake.

●       Developer: Operated by the National Security Agency (NSA) as part of the United States Intelligence Community's Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative.

The Utah Data Center, managed by the National Security Agency (NSA), is focused on data storage and cybersecurity for national intelligence purposes. This government facility is among the most secure data centers globally, designed to securely store extensive volumes of information. It is intended to organize and interpret extensive datasets, facilitating national security efforts.

It encompasses an extensive 1.5 million square feet and was created with future digitization prospects in mind. It has the capacity to store data in the range of exabytes or greater. The data center construction was completed in 2014, with an estimated spending of 1.5 billion USD. The plant opened with a one-year delay due to significant power spikes near the completion date.

This facility consumes approximately 65 megawatts of electricity, incurring an annual cost of almost 40 million USD. Managed by the National Security Agency (NSA), it features robust industrial-grade infrastructure. It has four fiber vaults and an innovative cooling system sustained by an 8.5-million-gallon reservoir of cooled brine-like liquid.

Apple Inc.’s Mesa Data Center

●       Area: 120,774 square meters (approximately 1.3 million square feet)

●       Capacity: Estimated at 50 MW, fully powered by renewable energy

●       Location: 3740 S Signal Butte Road, Mesa, Arizona, USA

●       Developer: Apple Inc

Apple's Data Center in Mesa, Arizona, covers an extensive region in the center of the Southwest. This structure was originally constructed as a manufacturing factory before Apple converted it into a revolutionary data center. The Mesa facility is crucial for supporting Apple’s cloud services, including iCloud, Siri, and Apple Music, facilitating uninterrupted operations for millions of consumers worldwide.

Situated near Phoenix, the data center has advantages from its closeness to significant infrastructure, facilitating strong connectivity and effective resource management. The data center operates entirely on sustainable energy sources, such as solar farms located in the Arizona desert.

Apple allocated USD 2 billion for the facility's development and commenced its utilization. The distribution center is situated in Arizona and encompasses an area of 1,300,000 square feet. The facility handles various computer activities and is engineered to process large volumes of data, store information, and offer additional services within the network domain. The company's location is advantageous for establishing a green data center. A 300-acre solar power plant with a capacity of 50 MW is used to supply energy to the site.

Conclusion

The world’s largest data centers highlight the rapid technological expansion and our growing reliance on digital infrastructure. Covering millions of square feet and utilizing substantial energy, they facilitate cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and global communication. Several initiatives have been taken to fuel the market for data centers. Improvements are being made in the existing data centers, and some new, advanced data centers are being built.

The largest data center campuses are mostly located in the United States of America. Now, more focus is being placed on developing AI infrastructure that will provide cloud services to businesses. As demand grows, their influence on the global landscape will further increase.

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